USA Swimming to Send 11 Junior-Age Rookies to Mel Zajac Meet in Vancouver

Dakota Luther. Photo Courtesy: Andy Ringgold/Aringo Photos

Following in the footsteps of a number of Team USA Olympians, 11 members of USA Swimming’s World 100 List will travel later this month to compete at the Mel Zajac Jr International meet in Vancouver, Canada. The team will be racing on the campus of The University of British Columbia from May 26-28 and the brand new UBC Aquatic Center.

These eight women and three men – listed below – will be following in the footsteps of a number of Team USA Olympians who have competed in this meet before them, as Maya DiRado, Missy Franklin, Molly Hannis, Melanie Margalis and Tom Shields all competed at Mel Zajac as juniors.

In order to qualify for this competition athletes had to appear on the World 100 (or National Junior Team), currently be in high school, and never previously represented the United States in international competition.

“It had persistently been requested by coaches that we return to this meet, and we are thrilled to once again be attending the Mel Zajac Jr International competition,” said Mitch Dalton, USA Swimming National Junior Team Program Director.

“The goal of the trip is to offer a competition and experience which will prepare our best world-ranked junior athletes for future international success. The athletes and coaches will stay in dorms and eat at the dining halls on campus which really prepares athletes for future travels in a village setting.”

Complete meet information can be found here.

Women’s Roster
Name                           Club                                               Coach                    Hometown
Taylor Ault                    La Mirada Armada                           Rick Shipherd         Sonora, Calif.
Callie Dickinson            TIDE Swimming                               Richard Hunter        Virginia Beach, Va.
Madelyn Donohoe         The Fish                                          Ray Benecki            Annandale, Va.
Kate Douglass              Chelsea Piers Aquatic Club              Jamie Barone          Pelham, N.Y.
Dakota Luther               Austin Swim Club                            Brendan Hansen      Austin, Texas
Daria Pyshnenko           Cats Aquatic Team                          Vlad Pyshnenko      Lake Bluff, Ill.
Alex Sumner                 Suburban Seahawks                        Charlie Kennedy      Newtown Square, Pa.
Morgan Tankersley        Greater Tampa Swimming Assoc.     Ryan Gober            Tampa, Fla.

Men’s Roster
Name                           Club                                               Coach                    Hometown
AJ Bornstein                 Ridgefield Aquatic Club                   Emmanuel Lanzo     Boston, Mass.
Sam Iida                       Glenview Titan Aquatic Club             Steve Iida               Glenview, Ill.
Kieran Smith                 Ridgefield Aquatic Club                   Emmanuel Lanzo     Ridgefield, Conn.

Staff
Head Coach: Richard Hunter (TIDE Swimming)
Manager: Alexis Keto (New Trier Swim Club)
Team Physician: Dr. Michael Miao

The above press release was posted by Swimming World in conjunction with USA Swimming. For press releases and advertising inquiries please contact newsmaster@swimmingworld.com.

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