American Swimmers Have Two Chances Left to Secure Roster Spots for 2026 Pan Pacs
USA Swimming will not hold a selection meet in 2026, instead naming the team for the 2026 Pan Pacific Championships based on the results of this summer’s major competitions. Times from finals at U.S. Nationals, the World University Games, World Championships, TYR Pro Championships and World Junior Championships will be considered for selection.
Those procedures put swimmers on the Worlds team in pole position for those Pan Pacs slots while giving those who did not perform as well at Nationals or skipped the meet another chance. Indeed, a handful of swimmers competing in Germany at the World University Games jumped Singapore swimmers in the priority order.
This week will see big-name swimmers such as Caeleb Dressel, Hunter Armstrong and Kieran Smith trying to qualify for Pan Pacs when they compete at the TYR Pro Championships, to be held in the same pool in Irvine, Calif., that will host the international event next August. Dressel, Armstrong and others will aim to surpass times from earlier meets to effectively steal roster spots from swimmers currently in position
Notably, the selection priorities for Pan Pacs are different than for most other international competitions. As usual, the top swimmer in each event plus the top-four in the 100 and 200 free have top priority, followed by the second-place swimmers in remaining events. The next priority is the fifth-place swimmer in the 100 and 200 free, but the No. 6 swimmers will not be considered for selection. Instead, any open roster spots up to the maximum of 26 per gender will go to third-place swimmers in other events; if that still doesn’t fill the team, USA Swimming will take some fourth-place times as well.
As constituted right now, the men’s team is completely full with 26 swimmers with only two swimmers per event plus the minimum four relay swimmers in the 100 and 200. The women, on the other hand, will have plenty of room for third-place swimmers, with at least six or seven likely to get nods for the international duty next year.
Here are the current projected times in each event, which means second place outside of the 100 and 200 free. Note that this analysis assumes the now-retired Lilly King will decline her spot. Events listed in bold have seen swimmers from the World University Games roster surpass times posted by at least one Worlds team member.
Men’s Team
- 50 Freestyle: 21.68, Santo Condorelli
- 100 Freestyle: 47.58, Destin Lasco (fifth is Jonny Kulow at 47.82)
- 200 Freestyle: 1:45.22, Henry McFadden (fifth is Carson Foster at 1:45.45)
- 400 Freestyle: 3:45.71, Luka Mijatovic
- 800 Freestyle: 7:49.53, Rex Maurer
- 1500 Freestyle: 14:57.83, David Johnston
- 50 Backstroke: 24.44, Shaine Casas
- 100 Backstroke: 52.94, Daniel Diehl
- 200 Backstroke: 1:54.85, Keaton Jones
- 50 Breaststroke: 26.92, Michael Andrew
- 100 Breaststroke: 59.18, Josh Matheny
- 200 Breaststroke: 2:09.13, AJ Pouch
- 50 Butterfly: 23.21, Michael Andrew
- 100 Butterfly: 50.70, Thomas Heilman
- 200 Butterfly: 1:53.70, Carson Foster
- 200 IM: 1:55.76, Carson Foster
- 400 IM: 4:07.92, Carson Foster
Women’s Team
- 50 Freestyle: 23.98, Torri Huske
- 100 Freestyle: 53.16, Kate Douglass (fifth is Erin Gemmell at 53.51)
- 200 Freestyle: 1:55.82, Erin Gemmell (fifth is Anna Peplowski at 1:55.82)
- 400 Freestyle: 4:00.05, Claire Weinstein
- 800 Freestyle: 8:19.67, Claire Weinstein
- 1500 Freestyle: 16:01.96, Claire Weinstein
- 50 Backstroke: 27.20, Regan Smith
- 100 Backstroke: 58.13, Katharine Berkoff
- 200 Backstroke: 2:05.09, Claire Curzan
- 50 Breaststroke: 30.43, Emma Weber
- 100 Breaststroke: 1:06.50, Alex Walsh
- 200 Breaststroke: 2:22.45, Alex Walsh
- 50 Butterfly: 25.39, Kate Douglass
- 100 Butterfly: 56.61, Torri Huske
- 200 Butterfly: 2:05.69, Tess Howley
- 200 IM: 2:09.22, Phoebe Bacon
- 400 IM: 4:36.04, Leah Hayes
Based on the times posted in Germany, the quartet of Tess Howley, Leah Hayes, Will Modglin and Daniel Diehl are now in automatic qualifying position for next year. However, the significant quantity of doubles on the women’s roster filled with multi-event stars means plenty of third-place swimmers will get spots. That means Caroline Bricker and Katie Grimes, seemingly knocked out by Howley and Hayes, respectively, still have a very strong chance to make the team.
Leah Shackley should earn a nod after her stellar performances at WUGs, most notably a time of 2:05.99 in the 200 back, while Worlds team members Jillian Cox and Bella Sims could make it in the third spots as well. That leaves only one woman who swam in Singapore, Anna Moesch, with no pathway onto the roster.
For the men, anyone hoping to make it will have to knock someone out. Even Jonny Kulow is in trouble in a relay alternate spot. Tommy Janton and Jack Aikins had the top-two times in the 100 back at Nationals before Modglin and Diehl both swam faster at WUGs. Aikins is still secure on the team as the top swimmer this year in the 200 back, but Janton is likely out, even after posting a solid performance leading off the U.S. men’s 400 medley relay at Worlds.
Of course, there are only the standings right now. Much could change with big names racing this week in Irvine and a substantial group of junior-level talent heading to represent the U.S. in Otopeni, Romania, later this month.
