Olympic Team Newcomers: NAG Records, NCAA Titles & More
By Bradley Bush on SwimSwam
While there are so many exciting things surrounding the U.S. Olympic Trials, one of the best parts of the meet is watching a swimmer make their first Olympic team. From moments like Aaron Shackell becoming the first swimmer to punch his ticket to Paris in the 400 free and later watching his younger sister Alex Shackell qualify in the 200 fly, to seeing Gretchen Walsh finally earn her spot (with a world record to boot) in the 100 fly, to Shaine Casas’ emotional reaction to his second-place 200 IM finish, it’s always heartwarming to see someone achieve a goal of this magnitude.
This year’s team of 22 Olympic newcomers consists of seven women and 15 men, ranging in age from 17 to 26, with seven teenagers representing the stars and stripes. Fifteen states and 11 universities are represented, alongside many accomplishments, ranging from NCAA titles to world records.
TRIALS HISTORY
As described by veteran Caeleb Dressel in an on-deck interview immediately following his final swim, “It’s tough making it through the Trials. This truly is the hardest part … It’s tough to make the team here. And that’s how it should be”. Making the Olympic team is such an accomplishment within itself, and making the team at your first Trials is all the more impressive. Three swimmers will make their Olympic debut after competing only this year. For the majority of these newcomers, this was their second Trials.
First Trials
Thomas Heilman, Keaton Jones, Luke Whitlock
Competed in 2021 (Wave I or Wave II)
Jack Alexy, Shaine Casas, Matt Fallon, Erin Gemmell, Chris Guiliano, Luke Hobson, David Johnston, Josh Matheny, Anna Peplowski, Aaron Shackell, Alex Shackell, Luca Urlando, Emma Weber, Claire Weinstein
Competed in 2016 and 2021
Katharine Berkoff, Carson Foster, Charlie Swanson, Gretchen Walsh
HOME STATES
Fifteen states are represented by the 22 newcomers, spread across the contiguous United States. The Indianapolis-area hometown trio of Aaron Shackell, Alex Shackell, and Luke Whitlock push Indiana to the top of the state rankings. The map below shows the concentration of swimmers from each state.
States represented: Indiana, Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, Montana, Ohio, Tennessee, Washington
COLLEGE AFFILIATIONS
These newcomers all hail from eleven different Division 1 programs across the country, from nine states. With each swimmer being at a different point in their career, a select few have yet to begin their collegiate careers while some have graduated and are training with various clubs and pro groups around the nation. The list below shows where swimmers have committed, currently swim, or the most recent school they’re associated with.
California
Jack Alexy
Keaton Jones
Alex Shackell*
Claire Weinstein*
Florida
Georgia
Indiana
Matt King
Josh Matheny
Anna Peplowski
Michigan
NC State
Notre Dame
Pennsylvania
Texas
Carson Foster
Erin Gemmell
Luke Hobson
David Johnston
Aaron Shackell
Texas A&M
Virginia
Thomas Heilman*
Gretchen Walsh
Emma Weber
*Committed
NCAA TITLES
Between the 18 swimmers who are currently competing for their university or have graduated, there are 33 D1 National Championship titles (counting both individual and relay titles) in their midst. Among newcomers, Virginia holds more than half, with 18 (shoutout Gretchen Walsh), Texas boasts six, NC State holds five (all attributed to Katharine Berkoff), Texas A&M has three (Shaine Casas), and Cal has one. Two events have been won by an Olympic newcomer each year since 2021: the Women’s 100 backstroke (Katharine Berkoff/Gretchen Walsh) and the Men’s 800 freestyle relay (Jack Alexy, Cal and Luke Hobson/Carson Foster, Texas). Complete list of all NCAA Titles:
2024
800 Freestyle Relay
100 Backstroke
200 Freestyle
50 Freestyle
100 Butterfly
100 Freestyle
200 Freestyle Relay
200 Medley Relay
400 Freestyle Relay
400 Medley Relay
2023
800 Freestyle Relay
200 Freestyle
500 Freestyle
800 Freestyle Relay
100 Backstroke
100 Freestyle
200 Freestyle Relay
200 Medley Relay
400 Freestyle Relay
400 Medley Relay
2022
100 Backstroke
800 Free Relay
800 Free Relay
100 Freestyle
200 Freestyle Relay
200 Medley Relay
400 Freestyle Relay
400 Medley Relay
2021
100 Backstroke
200 Medley Relay
400 Medley Relay
100 Backstroke
200 Backstroke
200 IM
800 Freestyle Relay
NAG RECORDS
On top of becoming newly-named Olympians, some of these swimmers have been making waves in the sport for quite some time now. A whopping 59 individual and relay records are held by the newcomers on this year’s Olympic team. The following swimmers hold National Age Group (NAG) records either individually or as a member of a relay:
SHORT COURSE YARDS
15-16: 200 Medley Relay
17-18: 400 IM/200 Mixed Medley Relay
15-18: 200 Mixed Medley Relay
13-14: 400 Freestyle Relay/400 Mixed Medley Relay/400 Mixed Freestyle Relay
15-16: 800 Freestyle Relay/400 Mixed Medley Relay/400 Mixed Freestyle Relay
17-18: 800 Freestyle Relay
10 & Under: 100 Butterfly
11-12: 50 Freestyle/100 Freestyle/200 Freestyle/50 Butterfly/100 Butterfly/200 Butterfly
13-14: 100 Freestyle/200 Freestyle/100 Butterfly/200 Butterfly/400 Freestyle Relay
15-16: 50 Freestyle/200 Freestyle/100 Butterfly/200 Butterfly/200 IM
15-18: 400 Medley Relay
17-18: 500 Freestyle/1000 Freestyle
17-18: 200 Breaststroke
17-18: 200 Butterfly
15-18: 200 Medley Relay
17-18 200 Yard Freestyle Relay
13-14: 1650 Freestyle
15-18: 400 Freestyle Relay/800 Freestyle Relay
LONG COURSE METERS
17-18: 200 Breaststroke
10 & Under: 50 Butterfly
15-16: 400 IM
17-18: 800 Freestyle Relay
13-14: 50 Freestyle/100 Freestyle/100 Butterfly
15-16: 100 Butterfly/200 Butterfly
17-18: 100 Butterfly
13-14 200 Backstroke
15-16: 100 Breaststroke/200 Breaststroke
15-16: 400 Freestyle Relay/800 Freestyle Relay
17-18: 200 Butterfly
15-18: 400 Medley Relay
17-18: 200 Butterfly
13-14: 200 Freestyle
15-18: 800 Freestyle Relay
17-18: 800 Freestyle
SENIOR RECORDS
As to be expected when representing one of the world’s biggest swimming countries, these swimmers already have an impressive collection of records under their belt. On top of the National Age Group Records mentioned earlier, the following swimmers boast these accolades:
NCAA (SCY)
800 Freestyle Relay
NCAA/American (SCY)
200 Freestyle
100 Backstroke
50 Free
100 Freestyle
100 Backstroke
100 Butterfly
200 Freestyle Relay
200 Medley Relay
400 Freestyle Relay
400 Medley Relay
American (SCY)
800 Free Relay
US Open (LCM)
Jack Alexy, 100 Freestyle
Katharine Berkoff, 50 Backstroke
Matt Fallon, 200 Breaststroke
Gretchen Walsh, 50 Butterfly
Gretchen Walsh, 100 Butterfly
American (LCM)
Matt Fallon, 200 Breaststroke
Gretchen Walsh, 50 Butterfly
Gretchen Walsh, 100 Butterfly
American (SCM)
Shaine Casas, 200 Medley Relay
Carson Foster, 800 Freestyle Relay
Erin Gemmell, 800 Freestyle Relay
David Johnston, 800 Freestyle
World Junior (LCM)
Carson Foster/Luca Urlando, 800 Freestyle Relay
World (LCM)
Gretchen Walsh, 100 Butterfly
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