2024-25 U.S. National Team Announced; Chris Guiliano Enters NCAA Transfer Portal

swin @) swan U.S. National Team Announced: USA Swimming named 106 swimmers to the 2024-25 U.S. National Team on Monday, including 21 athletes making their National Team debut. Also: Olympic gold medalist Chris Guiliano enters the NCAA transfer portal, U.S. Paralympic Swimming Administrators express "disappointment" towards athletes' social media behavior in Paris, and Lydia Jacoby turns pro with two seasons of college eligibility remaining. USA SWIMMING ANNOUNCES 2024-25 NATIONAL TEAM The 2024-25 U.S. National Team was announced Monday, with 106 swimmers making the cut after only 94 qualified for the 2023-24 squad. Qualification for the National Team was based on results from the 2024 Olympic Games and times from January 1, 2024, through August 24, 2024. Kate Douglass, Regan Smith and Kate Douglass led all swimmers by qualifying for the team in five events, while Bobby Finke and David Johnston paced the men by making the grade in four events. “As we start the LA 2028 quad, we are thrilled to announce a roster of athletes who genuinely embody the best aspects of our sport,” said Interim CEO Shana Ferguson in USA Swimming’s press release. “This team features a strong mix of veteran presence and emerging talent certain to showcase their USA Swimming club teams and universities at the highest levels of international competition.” Among the "emerging talent" mentioned by Ferguson are 21 National Team debutants, including 2024 Olympians Luke Whitlock and Keaton Jones, and 15-year-old standout and Olympic Trials finalist Audrey Derivaux. Katie Ledecky and Ashley Wall (née Twichell) were both named to their 13th U.S. National Team, which surpasses Allison Schmitt and Olivia Smoliga for the most National Team qualifications by a female swimmer. Ryan Murphy and Chase Kalisz also qualified for their 13th National Team on the men's side. Benefits of membership on the National Team include access to Elite Athlete Health Insurance, Direct Athlete Support funding (for the top 28 ranked male and female athletes), travel assistance to national meets, and access to the Olympic Training Center. Read more here. CHRIS GUILIANO ENTERS TRANSFER PORTAL AFTER NOTRE DAME SUSPENSION U.S. Olympic gold medalist and multi-time ACC champion Chris Guiliano has entered the NCAA transfer portal in the wake of the season-long suspension handed to the Notre Dame men's swimming team last month. Guiliano, 21, has been a star for the Fighting Irish for the last three seasons, highlighted by his performances in 2023-24 when he swept the men's 50, 100 and 200 free at the ACC Championships and followed up by finishing in the top five of all three races at NCAAs. After breaking through in the long course pool in the summer of 2023, Guiliano took his game to the next level this past summer, winning the men's 100 free and placing 2nd in both the 50 and 200 free at the U.S. Olympic Trials, becoming the first American man since Matt Biondi in 1988 to qualify for the Olympic team in the 50, 100 and 200 free. In mid-August, it was announced that the Notre Dame men’s swimming team was suspended for a minimum of one academic year following an investigation into gambling. Guiliano, who has one season of eligibility remaining, issued a statement on his entry into the portal, which you can read here. U.S. PARA SWIMMING DIRECTOR ADMONISHES TEAM'S SOCIAL MEDIA BEHAVIOR Members of the U.S. Paralympic swimming team are in hot water due to social media behavior while competing at the Paralympic Games in Paris. Erin Popovich, the Director of U.S. Paralympic Swimming and a decorated Paralympic athlete herself, sent out a stern email addressing the team's behavior at the Games, including targeting teammates on social media. “I want to express my deep disappointment regarding the recent conduct observed on social media, which blatantly disregards the message we previously communicated and the Team USA delegation terms,” Popovich wrote. “Engaging in public disputes and targeting teammates on platforms like Instagram is unacceptable and contrary to the values we uphold.” Popovich says that the athletes involved have been reported to the governing board and that “a disciplinary decision will follow shortly.” Popovich did not specify the behavior she was referring to, but it's believed that some of it is related to Christie Raleigh-Crossley, who some athletes have questioned about whether or not her S9 classification is justified. Read more here. LYDIA JACOBY TURNS PRO, FORGOING REMAINING NCAA ELIGIBILITY Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Lydia Jacoby has opted to turn pro and forgo her remaining college eligibility at the University of Texas. Jacoby, who won an upset gold medal in the women's 100 breaststroke at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, has spent the past two seasons competing for the Longhorns, winning the NCAA title in the 100 breast as a freshman in 2023. Last season she finished 5th in the 100 breast and 9th in the 200 breast at NCAAs as Texas finished as the runner-up in the team standings for the third straight season. The 20-year-old Jacoby had two seasons of eligibility remaining. "After careful consideration and with the support of my coaches and loved ones, I have decided to forgo my collegiate eligibly to pursue professional swimming," Jacoby wrote on Instagram. "I committed to Texas long before my life was forever changed at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020, and am glad I honored that commitment. "I have absolutely loved my two seasons of swimming for the Longhorns and I’m eternally grateful for the coaching staff and my teammates at Texas. I’m continuing to work on my degree in advertising at the University of Texas and am excited for the future." Read more here. QUICK HITS * Lindsay Mintenko officially resigned as National Team Director at USA Swimming on Friday after it was rumored she would be parting ways with the organization when it was announced Tim Hinchey was out as CEO in late August. * SMU women's head coach Ozzie Quevedo and the program have received various penalties for the 2024-25 season after the NCAA announced Quevedo violated recruiting rules by contacting a transfer prospect prior to their entry into the portal. * The settlement in the NCAA v. House case is on pause after a federal judge questioned how the deal would limit third-party name, image and likeness (NIL) payments from boosters. * Swimming Australia has moved on from Michael Palfrey, the head coach of the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC) Spartans club, due to breaching "his employment contract by bringing himself into disrepute and causing serious damage to his and Swimming Australia’s reputation, and adversely affecting Swimming Australia’s interests." The termination is presumably due to his comments favoring the Korean team, as he coaches distance freestyler Kim Woomin. * Max McHugh has retired from competitive swimming after winning four NCAA titles in breaststroke (three in the 100, one in the 200) at the University of Minnesota. * Also moving on from swimming is Aris Runnels, a 2024 NCAA qualifier who had one season of eligibility remaining at the University of Florida. “Although I loved my teammates and coaches, as they were the ones that helped me to achieve everything that I could’ve ever wanted in the sport, I knew that I would be happiest stepping away now as this is what was best for me," Runnels said. * Nathan Szobota, the #4 recruit in the boys' high school class of 2025, has flipped his commitment from Notre Dame to Virginia, joining the loaded Cavaliers' class that includes #1 Thomas Heilman and #2 Maximus Williamson. * See USA Swimming's "Motivational Times" for the 2024-2028 Olympic quad here. USA SWIMMING NAMES 106 ATHLETES TO THE 2024-25 NATIONAL TEAM By Sophie Kaufman on SwimSwam Katie Ledecky (pictured) was among the 106 athletes named to the 2024-2025 U.S. National Team, qualifying in four events. Read the full story on SwimSwam: USA Swimming Names 106 Athletes To The 2024-25 National Team Read More → - OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST CHRIS GUILIANO ENTERS TRANSFER PORTAL IN WAKE OF NOTRE DAME SUSPENSION By Laura Rosado on SwimSwam Guiliano is not thought to have participated in the gambling that led to ND's suspension, which was announced just days after the end of the Paris Olympics. Read the full story on SwimSwam: Olympic Gold Medalist Chris Guiliano Enters Transfer Portal in Wake of Notre Dame Suspension Read More → - US PARALYMPIC ADMINISTRATORS ADMONISH TEAM OVER SOCIAL MEDIA BEHAVIOR AT PARALYMPIC GAMES By Braden Keith on SwimSwam Erin Popovich, the director of US Paralympic swimming, sent out an email threatening disciplinary actions for athletes who criticized their teammates online. Read the full story on SwimSwam: US Paralympic Administrators Admonish Team Over Social Media Behavior at Paralympic Games Read More → - OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST LYDIA JACOBY OPTS TO FORGO REMAINING NCAA ELIGIBILITY, TURN PRO By James Sutherland on SwimSwam The 20-year-old Jacoby, who has two seasons of college eligibility remaining, will remain at the University of Texas and pursue her degree. Read the full story on SwimSwam: Olympic Gold Medalist Lydia Jacoby Opts To Forgo Remaining NCAA Eligibility, Turn Pro Read More → - SMU WOMEN’S HEAD COACH OZZIE QUEVEDO PENALIZED FOR RECRUITING TAMPERING By James Sutherland on SwimSwam Quevedo was found to have violated NCAA recruiting rules after contacting a transfer prospect prior to their entry into the portal. Read the full story on SwimSwam: SMU Women’s Head Coach Ozzie Quevedo Penalized For Recruiting Tampering Read More → - LINDSAY MINTENKO RESIGNS AS USA SWIMMING NATIONAL TEAM MANAGING DIRECTOR By Sophie Kaufman on SwimSwam Lindsay Mintenko announced that her last day as USA Swimming's National Team Managing Director, a role she has held since 2017, will be September 20th. Read the full story on SwimSwam: Lindsay Mintenko Resigns As USA Swimming National Team Managing Director Read More → - SWIMMING AUSTRALIA DISMISSES COACH MICHAEL PALFREY AFTER ‘GO KOREA’ OLYMPIC COMMENTS By Retta Race on SwimSwam Swimming Australia released a statement concerning their dismissal of Olympic coach Michael Palfrey who made questionable comments in Paris. Read the full story on SwimSwam: Swimming Australia Dismisses Coach Michael Palfrey After ‘Go Korea’ Olympic Comments Read More → - Twitter Facebook Instagram Website