Four Michigan Swimmers Named To 2019-20 US National Team
9/4/2019 11:52:00 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Four current or former members of the University of the Michigan swimming and diving program have been named to the 2019-20 U.S. National Team, per an announcement from USA Swimming on Wednesday (Sept. 4). The honorees include seniors Miles Smachlo and Charlie Swanson, junior Sierra Schmidt and program alum Gabby DeLoof (2015-18).
The 2019-20 USA Swimming National Team features the top six athletes with the highest world rankings in individual Olympic events. Qualifying times come from USA Swimming or FINA sanctioned meets from Jan. 1-Aug. 25, 2019.
Schmidt is on the team in the 800-meter freestyle (8:27.13, fifth) and 1500-meter freestyle (16:10.12, sixth). She represented the United States at the World University Games in July and won gold as part of Team USA's 4x200-meter freestyle relay (swimming in preliminaries) as well as an individual bronze medal in the 400-meter freestyle. At the Phillips 66 National Championships in August, Schmidt won silver in the 800-meter freestyle and bronze medals in the 400-meter freestyle and 1500-meter freestyle. She set program long-course (meters) records in all three events.
Smachlo is on the team in the 200-meter butterfly (1:55.94, third), achieved in a silver medal-winning swim at the Phillips 66 National Championships. He had a fantastic end to his junior season, as he won the Big Ten title in the 100-yard butterfly and finished third in the same event at last March's NCAA Championships.
Swanson is on the team in the 400-meter IM (4:11.46, second). He represented the United States at the Pan American Games in August, when he won gold in the 400-meter IM. Swanson is the seventh-fastest American in history and joined a list that includes Olympic medalists Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte and former Wolverine Tyler Clary. He finished 2018-19 ranked fourth in the world in the 400-meter IM.
DeLoof is on the team in the 200-meter freestyle (1:57.62, fifth). She was busy this summer, when she represented the United States at two international competitions. DeLoof won five gold medals at the World University Games -- including her qualifying time for the U.S. National Team -- and won a silver medal at the FINA World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, where she swam the 4x200-meter freestyle relay (preliminaries).
Players Mentioned
