Three Added to US Paralympic Swimming Roster after Russian Spots Redistributed

Photo Courtesy: Kevin McCarthy

Following the 2016 Paralympic Trials at the beginning of July, the US Olympic Committee announced the 31 member 2016 Paralympic swim team.

Earlier this week, the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld the International Paralympic Committee’s decision to ban Russia from the Paralympic Games. As a result, 267 spots were to be reallocated. Consequently, the United States’ swimming roster grew by three. There were no new additions on the men’s side. For the women, Leslie Cichocki, Cassie Mitchell, and Haley Beranbaum were added.

Mitchell had already been named to the team in track and field. The Oklahoma native will now also swim. At the 2012 Games, Mitchell finished fourth in the 100 and 200m and the discus.

Cichocki took home 100 backstroke gold at the 2015 Parapan American Games and won the 200 IM at the 2014 Pan Pacific Para-Swimming Championships.

Beranbaum was initially named to the team in July, but after a miscalculation was discovered, the 20 year old was taken off the roster and replaced by Lindsay Grogran. Beranbaum is now set to swim in Rio, once again.

The 2016 Paralympic Games begin on September 7.

Men

Name	Height	Weight	DOB	Hometown
Evan Austin	6-1	175	9-10-1992	Terre Haute, Ind.
Cody Bureau	6-0	160	6/4/1988	Latrobe, Pa.
Tharon Drake	6-3	175	12/19/1992	Hobbs, N.M.
Tucker Dupree	6-0	180	5/11/1989	Raleigh, N.C.
Tye Dutcher	5-10	155	10/15/1996	Merced, Calif.
Rudy Garcia-Tolson	6-1	137	9/14/1988	Bloomington, Calif.
Robert Griswold	6-0	155	11/27/1996	Freehold, N.J.
Dalton Herendenn	6-4	185	4/23/1993	Elkhart, Ind.
Roy Perkins	6-0	130	5/9/1990	San Diego, Calif.
Brad Snyder	5-9	150	2/29/1984	Baltimore, Md.

Women

Name	Height	Weight	DOB	Hometown
Hannah Aspden	5-10	130	6/11/2000	Raleigh, N.C.
Haley Beranbaum	3-9	85	6/4/1996	Snohomish, Wash.
Reilly Boyt	4-2	107	5/30/1996	Fort Collins, Colo.
Brickelle Bro	5-9	135	11/11/1996	Castle Pines, Colo.
Leslie Cichocki	5-9	135	12/28/1988	Palos Hills, Ill.
McKenzie Coan	4-3	105	6/14/1996	Clarkesville, Ga.
Cailin Currie	5-7	130	6/11/1998	Danvers, Mass.
Alyssa Gialamas	5-4	110	5/12/1995	Naperville, Ill.
Lindsay Grogran	5-4	115	12/19/1987	Macon, Ga.
McClain Hermes	5-5	130	1/5/2001	Dacula, Ga.
Sophia Herzog	4-0	80	3/20/1997	Fairplay, Colo.
Cortney Jordan	5-3	130	6/24/1991	Henderson, Nev.
Michelle Konkoly	5-10	152	2/20/1992	Eagleville, Pa.
Jessica Long	5-9	140	2/29/1992	Baltimore, Md.
Elizabeth Marks	5-5	125	8/7/1990	Nashville, Tenn.
Letticia Martinez	5-1	120	7/16/1995	Las Cruces, N.M.
Rebecca Meyers	5-3	124	11/20/1994	Baltimore, Md.
Cassie Mitchell	5-6	121	6/8/1981	Warner, Okla.
Noga Nir-Kistler	5-4	120	5/18/1979	Allentown, Pa.
Martha Ruether	5-10	142	7/3/1994	Allegany, N.Y.
Natalie Sims	5-8	45	6/6/1997	Edina, Minn.
Lizzi Smith	5-4	130	6/26/1996	Muncie, Ind.
Mallory Weggemann	5-9	125	3/26/1989	Eagan, Minn.
Colleen Young	5-8	135	6/29/1998	St. Louis, Mo.

Read the full press release from the USOC here:

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – U.S. Paralympics, a division of the United States Olympic Committee, today announced that 22 athletes have been added to the 2016 U.S. Paralympic Team that will compete in the upcoming Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, Sept. 7-Sept. 18. The 289-member team, which includes nine guides and pilots for visually-impaired athletes, is the largest U.S. delegation in history.

In addition to the 22 new athletes joining the team, Cassie Mitchell, who was previously named to the team in track & field, was awarded a slot in swimming. She will compete in both sports in Rio.

The additions to the U.S. roster come after the Court of Arbitration for Sport confirmed the suspension of NPC Russia. All 267 qualification slots previously held by NPC Russia were returned to the IPC for redistribution.

The team added four military veterans and one active duty service member to the roster, bringing the total count to 35 military veterans and active duty service members.

The Rio 2016 Paralympic Games will be the largest edition of the Games yet, with an estimated 4,350 participating athletes. Athletes from more than 176 countries will compete in 528 medal events in Rio.

The 2016 U.S. Paralympic Team roster may still be adjusted due to injury, illness or exceptional circumstances until the technical meetings for each sport.

The following rosters and team notes have been updated to reflect the additional athletes.

2016 U.S. Paralympic Team Notes

At the London 2012 Paralympic Games, Team USA claimed a total of 98 medals. Among the members of the 2016 U.S. Paralympic Team are 14 reigning Paralympic champions, and 18 athletes who won multiple medals in London, including swimmer Jessica Long (five gold, two silver, one bronze) and track & field athletes Raymond Martin (four gold) and Tatyana McFadden (three gold, one bronze).

Swimmer McClain Hermes, who turned 15 in January, is the youngest member of the 2016 U.S. Paralympic Team. The oldest member of the team is 64-year-old sailor Dee Smith.

Cyclist Allison Jones has the most Games experience with this being her eighth Paralympic Games, goalball athlete Jen Armbruster is making her seventh Games appearance, and six athletes are competing in their fifth Games. In total, 127 athletes have prior Games experience, while 161 are making their Paralympic debut.

Swimmer Jessica Long is the most decorated athlete with 17 Paralympic medals, with Tatyana McFadden owning 11 medals. In total, there are 69 Paralympic medalists on the team.

There are 35 military athletes on the team, four continue to serve on active duty in the U.S. Army: shooters John Joss and Shaun Tichenor, swimmer Elizabeth Marks and archer Michael Lukow. The Army has the largest representation with 23 athletes, with seven athletes having served in the Marine Corps, three in the Navy and one in the Air Force. Triathlete Krige Schabort served in the South African Army.

Twenty-two athletes were born outside of the U.S., with birthplaces in Albania, Canada, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Germany, Iraq, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan and Ukraine.

Team USA’s athletes call 43 states and Washington, D.C. home. California has the most representation with 33 athletes, while Washington is the second-most represented states with 17 athletes.

There is a 43-inch difference in height between the tallest and shortest member of Team USA. High jumper Roderick Townsend is 6’ 7”, while wheelchair basketball player Trevon Jenifer is 3’ tall.

In the track & field competition at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, the United States will be represented by 76 athletes, including four guide athletes, making it the largest sport delegation for Team USA.

Three athletes will compete in more than one sport. Grace Norman and Allysa Seely will pull double duty as they compete in both paratriathlon and track & field. Cassie Mitchell will compete in track & field and swimming.

Oksana Masters and Alana Nichols are both competing in their third Paralympic sport in Rio. Masters is competing in cycling after previously medaling in rowing and Nordic skiing, while Nichols will make her paracanoe debut after winning gold in wheelchair basketball and alpine skiing.

Visit USParalympics.org/Rio2016 for more information on Team USA at the Paralympic Games, including athlete bios, team history and links to competition schedules. Follow the U.S. Paralympic team on social media onFacebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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