USA Swimming Announces 2009 World University Games Roster

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado, September 24. TWENTY-six of the country's top swimmers will head to Belgrade, Serbia next summer to compete in the 2009 World University Games. The swimming competition will take place July 5-11, while the entire competition of the Games will run from July 1-12, 2009.

The team features 2007 World University Games gold medalist Chad LaTourette (Mission Viejo, Calif.) and bronze medalist Kelsey Ditto (Austin, Texas), 2007 Pan American Games gold medalists Ava Ohlgren (Northville, Mich.), Michelle McKeehan (Franklin, Ind.), and Matt Patton (Charlotte, N.C.).

In past years, The World University Games has been a breeding ground for some of the best swimming talent in the nation. Many Olympic swimmers have at one time been a member of a World University Games team and most recently, the 2007 U.S. World University Games Team saw three members all go on to compete in the 2008 Olympics. These three swimmers – Matt Grevers, Emily Silver and Elaine Breeden – all took home Olympic hardware in Beijing.

Swimmers on the 2009 World University Games Team roster were selected based upon their performance at the 2008 USA Swimming U.S. Open Championships that took place July 29-August 2 in Minneapolis, Minn. All athletes selected for the team must be at least 17 years old and less than 28 years old on Jan. 1, 2009. In addition, athletes selected must be a student competitor who will be officially enrolled in a full-time course of study at an approved institute of higher education prior to the entry deadline, or enrolled as a full-time university student through Jan. 1, 2009. All members of the World University Games team roster are pending final approval by the USOC.

Additional members of the men's team include Bobby Bollier (Mission Hills, Kan.), Chris Brady (Wilmington, Del.), Clark Burckle (Louisville, Ky.), Tyler Clary (Riverside, Calif.), William Copeland (Lexington, Va.), John Criste (Saugus, Calif.), Sean Mahoney (Rio Vista, Calif.), Eric McGinnis (Raleigh, N.C.), Scot Robison (Charlotte, N.C.), Kevin Swander (Carmel, Ind.), Rex Tullius (Port Orange, Fla.). On the women's side, Lyndsay DePaul (Orange, Calif.), Katy Freeman (Concord, Calif.) Kristen Heiss (Casper, Wyo.), Madison Kennedy (Avon, Conn.), Michele King (York, Pa.) Chelsea Nauta (Tampa, Fla.), Emily Neal (Plano, Texas), Lauren Rogers (Concord, Calif.), Morgan Scroggy (Aurora, Ore.), and Amanda Sims (Santa Rosa, Calif.), will also represent the U.S. in Serbia.

MEN (13)
Athlete Hometown/Club Coach
Bobby Bollier Mission Hills, Kan. /Kansas City Blazers Pete Malone
Chris Brady Wilmington, Del. /Club Wolverine Mike Bottom
Clark Burckle Louisville, Ky. /Lakeside Swim Team/Gator Swim Club Mike Deboor/Gregg Troy
Tyler Clary Riverside, Calif. /Club Wolverine Mike Bottom
William Copeland Lexington, Va. /University of California, Berkeley Dave Durden
John Criste Saugus, Calif. /Mission Viejo Nadadores Bill Rose
Chad LaTourette Mission Viejo, Calif. /Mission Viejo Nadadores Bill Rose
Sean Mahoney Rio Vista, Calif. /Terrapins Swim Team Ray Mitchell
Eric McGinnis Raleigh, N.C. /Wildcat Aquatics Gary Conelly
Matt Patton Charlotte, N.C./Club Wolverine Mike Bottom
Scot Robison Charlotte, N.C. /New South Swimming Jamie Thomas
Kevin Swander Carmel, Ind. /Indiana University Club Paradise Ray Looze/Pam Swander
Rex Tullius Port Orange, Fla. /Daytona Beach/Gator Swim Club Steve Lochte/Gregg Troy

WOMEN (13)
Athlete Hometown/Club Coach
Lyndsay DePaul Orange, Calif. /Aquazot Swim Club Brian Pajer
Kelsey Ditto Austin, Texas /Athens Bulldog Swim Club Jack Bauerle/Harvey Humphries
Katy Freeman Concord, Calif. /Gaucho Aquatics Gregg Wilson
Kristen Heiss Casper, Wyo. /Aggie Swim Club Steve Bultman
Madison Kennedy Avon, Conn. /California Aquatics Teri McKeever
Michele King York, Pa. /University of Tennessee Matt Kredich
Michelle McKeehan Franklin, Ind. /Center Grove Aquatic Club Jim Todd
Chelsea Nauta Tampa, Fla. /Athens Bulldog Swim Club Jack Bauerle/Harvey Humphries
Emily Neal Plano, Texas /Aggie Swim Club Steve Bultman
Ava Ohlgren Northville, Mich. /Auburn University Swim Team Dorsey Walker
Lauren Rogers Concord, Calif. /California Aquatics Teri McKeever
Morgan Scroggy Aurora, Ore. / University of Georgia Linck Bergen/Jack Bauerle/
Harvey Humphries
Amanda Sims Santa Rosa, Calif. /California Aquatics Teri McKeever

Special thanks to USA Swimming for contributing this report.

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