{"id":147219,"date":"2015-08-03T13:00:40","date_gmt":"2015-08-03T20:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=147219"},"modified":"2015-08-03T19:14:53","modified_gmt":"2015-08-04T02:14:53","slug":"5-big-names-to-watch-out-for-at-u-s-nationals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/5-big-names-to-watch-out-for-at-u-s-nationals\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Big Names to Watch Out for at U.S. Nationals"},"content":{"rendered":"

By David Rieder<\/i><\/p>\n

One year ago at U.S. Nationals, the Americans selected their team headed for next week’s World Championships and also the recently-completed Pan American and World University Games. At that meet in Irvine, National Team director Frank Busch<\/strong> admitted that the selection process could result in the Americans not ending up with all of their best swimmers bound for Kazan. Now, many of those top dogs left behind will compete at Nationals in San Antonio.<\/p>\n

The entry list for U.S. Nationals includes many of the athletes who already swam at either Pan Ams or WUGs, including three of the four members of the U.S. women’s medley relay squad that set won gold at Pan Ams in Toronto two weeks ago in a time that would probably contend for a medal at the World Championships. Katie Meili<\/strong>, Kelsi Worrell<\/strong>, and Allison Schmitt<\/strong> all hope to back up their breakout performances at Pan Ams with top-notch efforts in San Antonio.<\/p>\n

But that trio has already made their statement swims, and they have very little left to prove at Nationals to set themselves up for runs at the Olympic team next summer. But many more swimmers, including some who have already competed internationally for Team USA in 2015, will have plenty at stake in San Antonio. Here’s five who I’ll be watching closely and who I suggest you pay attention to as well.<\/p>\n

Will Licon<\/h3>\n
\"will-licon-texas-ncaa-2015<\/a>

Photo Courtesy: Andy Ringgold<\/p><\/div>\n

The breakout star of the men’s NCAA Championships makes the jump to the long course pool in San Antonio for the first time since becoming a household name in March. In Iowa City, Licon shocked the two stars of the previous year’s championships in their best events, beating Chase Kalisz<\/strong> in the 400 IM and Kevin Cordes<\/strong> in the 200 breast. He also took second in the 200 IM, finishing behind a record-busting performance by David Nolan<\/strong> and helped lead the Texas Longhorns to a team championship.<\/p>\n

Licon’s challenge this week will be to find his niche in the big pool \u2212 where he can best contend for the Olympics so he and Texas coach Eddie Reese<\/strong> will know which basket to put their eggs in come next summer. And his best events will not be easy shells to crack: the IMs have long been strengths for the U.S., leaving few openings, while the 200 breast has become an incredibly deep event for the Americans this year.<\/p>\n

Kalisz and Tyler Clary<\/strong> won medals for the U.S. at the 2013 World Championships in the 400 IM, while Jay Litherland<\/strong> and Josh Prenot<\/strong> impressed in finishing 1-2 last month at WUGs . In the 200 breast, both Prenot and Cody Miller<\/strong> have already under 2:10 this year, while Cordes and Nic Fink<\/strong> have established themselves as bona fide international contenders. Still, few expected Licon’s NCAA breakout, so it may be unwise to doubt his abilities in long course as well.<\/p>\n

Caitlin Leverenz<\/h3>\n
\"Jul<\/a>

Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher\/USA Today Sports Images<\/p><\/div>\n

This former Cal Bear won a bronze medal in the 200 IM at the last Olympics in London, but she did not make it onto the World Championships team last summer. Two weeks ago, Leverenz rebounded to sweep both IM events at Pan Ams. She posted a time of 2:10.51 to take the top spot in the 200 IM and a 4:35.46 to win the 400 IM, both times ranked in the top five in the world prior to the Kazan World Championships. But still, neither swim puts her in the driver’s seat for an Olympic berth.<\/p>\n

In the 200 IM, Maya Dirado<\/strong> swam under 2:09 to finish fourth at the World Championships in Kazan, while Melanie Margalis<\/strong> has\u00a0skirted\u00a0the 2:10 barrier barrier all season. Meanwhile, Elizabeth Beisel<\/strong> and Dirado have been entrenched as the top Americans in the 400 IM for two years now, and both regularly swim in the 4:34 range. Leverenz would require further drops from her Pan Ams times to establish herself once again as a favorite to make her second Olympic team.<\/p>\n

Andrew Seliskar<\/h3>\n
\"Photo<\/a>

Photo Courtesy: Griffin Scott<\/p><\/div>\n

Tops on the list of top prospects for American swimmers for several years now, San Antonio could be the chance for Andrew Seliskar<\/strong> to earn his first national title. He enters seeded first in the 200 fly, the event that has emerged as his best, and he will have a chance to rebound from a disastrous performance at the World University Games last month, where he faded to eighth on the final lap after holding a lead at the final turn.<\/p>\n

Seliskar looked on his way to his big breakout swim at WUGs after he split a 1:24.80 at the 150 before he completely fell apart on the way home, finishing in 1:57.67. Will he still be in attack mode this time in hopes that he can hold on better the final 50, or will he try a more conservative approach? And in the race for the top spot, he’ll have to hold off 2013 national champ Tom Luchsinger<\/strong>, short course yards American record-holder Jack Conger<\/strong>, and the best 200 flyer in history, Michael Phelps<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

A win over that field would put Seliskar in the running for a spot on his first Olympic team next year, even though he’ll still be a teenager at Olympic Trials. The versatile future-Cal Bear from Northern Virginia has entered ten total events at Nationals, though don’t expect him to swim all of them. His other top rankings include third in the 400 IM, fifth in the 200 IM, and ninth in the 200 breast.<\/p>\n

Josh Schneider<\/h3>\n
\"Jul<\/a>

Photo Courtesy: Erich Schlegel\/USA Today Sports Images<\/p><\/div>\n

Josh Schneider<\/strong> has never been shy about his goals. Weeks before his upset of Nathan Adrian<\/strong> at the 2010 NCAA Championships, Schneider went on the Morning Swim Show and called his victory. This season, Schneider had similar high expectations going into the Pan American Games, where he won gold in the 50 free and helped the United States earn medals in two relays.<\/p>\n

At the Arena Pro Series stop in Charlotte in May, Schneider said he hoped to prove he could win an Olympic medal in the 50 free and swim in the 48-range in the 100 distance.<\/p>\n