USA Swimming announced the captains for the 29th World University Games, also known as Summer Universiade 2017, that begins on Sunday, August 20th in Taipei, Taiwan. Ali DeLoof of University of Michigan, Ella Eastin from Stanford, NC State’s Ryan Held, and University of Texas’ Will Licon will lead the swimming delegation from the United States.
Full USA roster can be found here. And here, with explanations.
DeLoof graduated from Michigan in 2016 and has remained in Ann Arbor for the past 18 months to continue training with Club Wolverine while attending graduate school. She was a two-time NCAA All-American for the Wolverines in the 50 free and 100 free, and a six-time NCAA All-America Honorable Mention (2016: 100 back, 200 free relay, 400 free relay; 2014: 100 back, 200 medley relay; 2013: 200 medley relay). She is slated to swim the 50 back and 100 back in Taipei. She took bronze in the 50 backstroke at last year’s Short Course World Championships.
Eastin, who is heading into her junior year at Stanford, is by comparison a seasoned veteran in representing the US in international competition. She first suited up for the Red, White, and Blue at the age of 16 at the 2013 World Junior Championships in Dubai, where she won the 400 IM with a Championship Record and earned a silver in the 200 IM. She then captained Team USA at 2014 Junior Pan Pacs and won gold in both the 200 IM and 400 IM. At the 2016 Short Course World Championships in Canada last December, Eastin won silver in the 400 IM. Because of a disqualification in the 400 IM at World Championship Trials in June, Eastin will not be swimming the event in Taipei. Instead she will compete in the 200 fly and 200 IM.
Held, a rising senior at North Carolina State University, is an Olympic gold medalist, having contributed to Team USA’s victory in the 400 freestyle relay in Rio. He was an NCAA All-American this past collegiate season in the 50 free, 100 free, 100 fly, 200 free relay, 400 free, relay, 800 free relay, and 200 medley relay. He is entered in the 50 free and 100 free at World University Games.
Will Licon swam four years for the University of Texas, wrapping up his collegiate career at the 2017 NCAA Championships with five gold medals (200 IM, 100 breast, 200 breast, 200 medley relay, and 400 medley relay). He represented the United States in 2012 at Junior Pan Pacs and came within 0.14 of making the Rio team in the 200 breast with his third-place finish at Trials. Licon set NCAA, American, U.S. Open, Championship, and pool records in the 200 breast at 2017 NCAAs. He was also on the NCAA, U.S. Open, Championship, and pool record-breaking 400 medley relay at that meet. He will swim the 200 breast and 200 IM in Taipei.
Congrats to our World University Games captains: @afooled, @ella_eastin, @heldilox & @WillLicon #SUTaipei2017 #FISU #USATeam pic.twitter.com/K5evN4EOjj
— USA Swimming (@USASwimming) August 18, 2017
Who picks these captains?? Do the coaches or their teammates? Find it hard to believe Deloof was elected captain seeing this is her first international team! Eastin was a good pick as she has been on many of these teams before. I know there was a MI coach on the team, so I was just wondering??
I think swimmers and coaches voted.
The article says ” her first international selection.” While I am unaware of the section for SC worlds, that makes it seem it is her first big time international meet.
How is Deloof going to WUGs?? I thought she graduated in 2016, and you had to be either in college in the Spring/Fall of 2017?
Nick – you’re confusing NCAA eligibility with WUGs eligibility. Remember that most of the world doesn’t compete under NCAA rules. DeLoof is still in college in spite of having used up her NCAA eligibility. She’s working on a Masters Degree.
Brandon Keith…I hope you’re able to see the name of the one person who would down vote your explaining an actual fact. If you can….your job must be really fun. ?
They should change the criteria. That team is not meant for somebody 18 months after graduation.
Junior Paul – the team is meant for university students. She is a university student. I’m not sure what criteria you want changed that you think would impact her selection.
She graduated last December & is not starting grad school till this September, so she hasn’t been in University classes technically in 2017 yet.
Universiade also includes incoming freshmen who have also not been in university classes in 2017. The event is open to athletes who are enrolled in a college at some point during 2017.