Budding multi-event stars Michael Andrew and Regan Smith will lead Team USA’s roster for the 2017 World Junior Championships, which will take place in Indianapolis, Indiana in August. Andrew is set to swim upwards of 6 total events and Smith 5. Those totals don’t include the medley relays, which aren’t yet listed among event entries on the roster. Both swimmers should likely be medley relay contributors, as Smith is the top-qualifier in the 100 back and fly, and Andrew the top qualifier in the 100 breast.
Multi-event swimmers are the theme of these rosters. The meet caps each nation at 26 total athletes, but based on qualifying from the 2017 U.S. National Championships, entries in every event were filled out with well below the max roster size. Only 18 boys and 24 girls appear on the rosters, which, unlike senior Worlds and World University Games, don’t include open water events.
Andrew is set to swim 5 individual events (50 free, 50 back, 50 breast, 100 breast, 200 IM) and the 4×100 free relay, along with a likely spot in the medley. He also was the top qualifier in the 50 fly, but that event doesn’t appear among his entries on the Team USA roster (though the roster only has one swimmer entered in that event, suggesting it might be an accidental omission). Smith is set for five individuals (50 fly, 100 fly, 50 back, 100 back, 200 back) and the likely medley.
Also set up for busy event lineups are Grace Ariola (50 free, 100 free, 50 back, 100 back, 4×100 free relay, potential medley relay), Nicolas Albiero (50 back, 100 back, 50 fly, 100 fly, 200 fly, likely medley relay) and Zoe Bartel (50 breast, 100 breast, 200 breast, 200 IM and a likely medley relay spot).
You can see the full roster here, including hometowns and club affiliations.
The only change from our projected roster after the final day of U.S. Nationals is that Austin Katz is not on the boys roster. Katz was the only swimmer eligible for both Junior World and World University Games, which have conflicting dates. Katz appeared on the World University Games roster that came out yesterday. His 100 back spot has been filled by Drew Kibler and his 200 back spot by Kieran Smith.
Girls (24):
- Grace Ariola – 100 free, 100 back, 50 back, 50 free 4×100 free relay
- Zoe Bartel – 200 breast, 100 breast, 50 breast, 200 IM, 4×100 medley relay
- Leah Braswell – 200 free, 400 free, 4×200 free relay
- Emma Carlton – 50 fly
- Julia Cook – 4×100 free relay
- Kate Douglass – 50 free
- Diana Dunn – 200 free, 4×200 free relay
- Amalie Fackenthal – 4×100 free relay
- Ashlyn Fiorilli – 200 fly
- Miranda Heckman – 400 free
- Madison Homovich – 200 fly, 400 IM
- Gabrielle Kopenski – 1500 free
- Eva Merrell – 100 fly
- Ella Nelson – 200 breast
- Lucie Nordmann – 100 free, 4×100 free relay, 4×100 medley relay
- Kelly Pash – 4×200 free relay
- Ella Ristic – 4×200 free relay
- Christin Rockway – 400 IM
- Regan Smith – 200 back, 100 fly, 50 fly, 100 back, 50 back, 4×100 medley relay
- Erica Sullivan – 800 free, 1500 free
- Alex Sumner – 200 back
- Chase Travis – 800 free
- Alex Walsh – 200 IM
- Emily Weiss – 50 breast, 100 breast
Boys (18):
- Andrew Abruzzo – 1500 free, 400 free, 800 free
- Nicolas Albiero – 200 fly, 100 fly, 50 fly, 50 back, 100 back, 4×100 medley relay
- Michael Andrew – 50 fly, 50 breast, 50 back, 100 breast, 200 IM, 50 free, 4×100 medley relay, 4×100 free relay
- Michael Brinegar – 1500 free, 800 free
- Cody Bybee – 4×200 free relay
- Patrick Callan – 200 free, 4×200 free relay
- Will Davis – 50 free
- Carson Foster – 200 back
- Trey Freeman – 200 free, 400 free, 4×200 free relay
- Andrew Koustik – 200 fly
- Drew Kibler – 4×100 free relay, 100 fly, 100 back
- Eric Knowles – 400 IM
- Daniel Krueger – 100 free, 4×100 free relay, 4×100 medley relay
- Jack LeVant – 4×200 free relay
- Daniel Roy – 200 breast
- Kieran Smith – 200 IM, 400 IM, 200 back
- Reece Whitley – 200 breast, 100 breast, 50 breast
- Matthew Willenbring – 100 free, 4×100 free relay
Coaches
Head coaches had been announced by USA Swimming in late 2016. Dynamo’s Jason Turcotte was set to coach the boys team before his untimely passing this spring. Bruce Gemmell was named boys head coach to replace him.
Assistant coaches were finalized after U.S. Nationals.
Girls:
- Head coach Kate Lundsten (Aquajets Swim Team, MN)
- Mike Parrato (Riptide Swimming, MN)
- Chris Plumb (Carmel Swim Club, IN)
- Paul Silver (Marlins of Raleigh, NC)
Boys:
- Head coach Bruce Gemmell (Nation’s Capital Swim Club, MD)
- Crystal Coleman (Penn Charter Aquatic Club, PA)
- Dan Flack (Baylor Swim Club, TN)
- Emmanuel Lanzo (Ridgefield Aquatic Club, CT)
I’m inclined to agree on the basis of how similar schedules have fared him recently. It worked when he was a young age group legend with energy to spare- now he’s 18, a lot bigger, and a lot closer to the pack. Between other youngsters closing the gap and his clearly diminishing rate of return on huge schedules, I’m not super optimistic.
Bybee beats Albiero (B final vs C final) on the 50 fly yet the second swimmer goes to Albiero because second swimmer is based off the 100 swim.
Freeman beats Brinegar in 800. Brinegar gets 800.
True, but Brinegar flipped at 8:00 in his mile.
Michael Andrews last major junior meet? Games are over. Time to swim with the big boys.
aka…the last major international meet he’ll swim in unless he gets a change in coaching
The standards of what this kid (and his coach) has to accomplish seem a little high. He beat Kevin Cordes’s 100 breast record (17-18) by half a second and he’s the second fastest 17-18 50 freestyler to Caleb Dressel. If we just heard that now, without knowing any backstory we’d all say wow!
That omits a great deal of his other accomplishments, including his 100 im gold at world championships. While it’s a race that isn’t taken that seriously, it’s not as though the other swimmers let him win…
I agree, that if I heard a kid was being coached by his dad in their backyard pool and planned to make the Olympics, I would have my doubts.
But we… Read more »
I agree with part of what you are saying. Accomplishments are impressive on paper. The problem that some of us see is that many of his best times are from 2 years ago. His 15-16 100 breast NAG record,100 fly record and200 IM record would’ve beat his 100 breast, 100fly, 200 IM performances at world trials. TWO years. Historically the top swimmers have improved tremendously from 16 to 18. But not MA. When he has improved it’s usually tiny fractions of a second. For someone that young, yes, that is cause for panic and time for change. He has amazing talent that I fear will never have the chance to fully develop out of stubbornness.
That’s a good reply. And valid concerns.
It’ll be fun to see how it all unfolds.
Thank you Teddy- well said. He is judged way too harshly, due to high expectations of turning pro at an early age. Coming in 4th at the US Olympic trials at age 17 is PHENOMENAL. At ANY age it is fantastic. Many of us ex-swimmers would have given ANYTHING to accomplish something this great- especially at age 17! The same goes for finaling in 4 events at the 2017 nationals. Is this training philosophy the ultimate way to maximize his potential over his whole career? I don’t know. I hope they might consider experimenting with some hybrid form of training (which wouldn’t be USRPT) if he gets stuck at a plateau for too long. I do hope they do some… Read more »
Swimming in the bigs of the 100 breaststroke and the semis of the 100 fly, 200 IM, and 50 free the Olympic Trials: does that count as “swimming with the big boys?”
not on a world scale
Wonder how MA will swim? With his usrpt I don’t think he or his dad even know.
Surprise surprise to see the Italians ranked top of 1500m. Seems like a pattern since Filippo Magnini had that unbelievable back end speed on the 100m free in early 2000’s. I would put money on them going 1-2 in the 1500 if they have learned about the rich Itallian history of blood doing since Francesco Conconi pioneered it in the 1980’s in cycling sport. https://cyclingtips.com/2012/11/blood-doping-101/
Don’t mean to speculate, but just throws up a red flag for me. With the resources to learn the tricks of the trade in proximity to the great cycling hubs… Great to see the 1500 depth continuing to increase each year in any case!
Also how in the hell is Bruce Gemmell the head coach, yes he I a good coach but didn’t have anyone make the team. Im sorry but I think that there is a lot better options.
I think he has a swimmer on it.
Chase is not a boy.
Chase Travis swims for Bruce Gemmell.
He was a replacement for the late Jason Turcotte. https://staging.swimswam.com/bruce-gemmell-selected-to-replace-the-late-turcotte-as-jr-worlds-coach/
Is he a great coach? Not so sure.
Kate doesn’t have any swimmers on either team. She didn’t even attend qualifying meet. However – she absolutely deserves the spot. Obviously swimmers on team isn’t prerequisite to be coach, and shouldn’t be.
I think Katie Ledecky would disagree with you.?
Team Usa is on many fronts this summer – Awesome firepower
Yes Regan made the Worlds team. Jr Worlds takes place in late August.
didn’t smith make the worlds team?
That’s correct. There were no restrictions on this double this season – presumably because World Juniors is home, and USA Swimming wants to win a lot of medals in front of a home crowd.
You can swim at both. She’s swimming the 200 Back at the World Championships end of this month and a ton of events at Junior Worlds end of August.