Joe Hayburn is the newest member of Team USA for the 2023 World University Games this summer in Chengdu, as the incoming freshman at Loyola University Maryland was named to the team on Wednesday.
Hayburn, 19, is the fourth swimmer yet to begin their college career to be selected to the roster, joining USC’s Macky Hodges, Diggory Dillingham and Cal’s Keaton Jones.
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Hayburn’s addition brings the U.S. roster tally up to 34, with 32 swimmers having been named in early May and NC State’s Kyle Ponsler being added one week later.
U.S. MEN’S ROSTER
- Jack Armstrong, Henderson State
- Christian Bart, Oakland
- William Christenson, Minnesota
- Jared Daigle, Michigan
- Jack Dahlgren, Missouri
- Diggory Dillingham, USC
- Zhier Fan, Stanford
- Chris Guiliano, Notre Dame
- Bryce Halterman, Michigan
- Joe Hayburn, Loyola (MD)
- Jack Hoagland, Notre Dame
- Tommy Janton, Notre Dame
- Keaton Jones, Cal
- Connor LaMastra, Northwestern
- Chris Nagy, Minnesota
- Kyle Ponsler, NC State
U.S. WOMEN’S ROSTER
- Eliza Brown, Princeton
- Eva Carlson, UCLA
- Delaney Carlton, UNC Asheville
- Abby Daniel, Akron
- Callie Dickinson, Georgia
- Noelle Harvey, Washington State
- Macky Hodges, USC
- Sabrina Johnston, Princeton
- Anna Kalandadze, UPenn
- Susan LaGrand, Oakland
- Emily Lundgren, Washington State
- Paige MacEachern, UCLA
- Lily Mead, Loyola (MD)
- Madyson Morse, Illinois State
- Anya Mostek, Harvard
- Heidi Smithwick, Princeton
- Caroline Theil, Texas A&M
- Megan Van Berkom, Minnesota
Hayburn gives the U.S. team a strong addition in the 100 backstroke, where he owns a personal best time of 55.34, set earlier this year at the Speedo Sectionals in Buffalo.
That time ranks him fourth among swimmers currently on the U.S. roster, trailing Jones (54.90), Tommy Janton (54.90) and Jack Dahlgren (55.09).
Hayburn owns a PB of 2:02.64 in the 200 back, trailing the likes of Jones, Dahlgren and Ponsler on the team depth chart, and he also holds respective bests of 23.94 and 52.32 in the 50 and 100 free events.
Hayburn will join future Loyola teammate Lily Mead on the American team, along with Greyhound head coach Brian Loeffler, who is among the assistants on the U.S. coaching staff.
Incoming collegiate athletes are eligible to compete at the Games, as are competitors who have graduated within the last year. That period has been extended due to this edition of the World University Games having been postponed twice—it was initially scheduled for 2021—which has made college graduates from 2020, 2021 and 2022 also eligible to compete.
The World University Games in Chengdu will run from July 28 – August 8, 2023 in Chengdu, China after initially being slated for August 2021.
How are the athletes picked for WUGs this year?
Uhhhh I think they’re just shotgunning eligible swimmers and seeing who agrees to pay the fee.
It bears continual repetition: USA Swimming is utterly derelict in not funding this international meet, but still sanctioning it! if an athlete represents the USA and is supported by the appropriate sports organization, FUNDING should be provided. This idiotic system of self-funding debases TEAM USA and makes us collectively look like fools. Shame on USA Swimming!
Jusst genuinely trying to understand, but if they can only have 2 people in each event, what was he recruited for? Will any of those other backstrokers swim something else?
Dahlgren can do about 6 different events not including relays so he’s probably doing something else