June 24, 2016
For a select few, next week a dream will become a reality.
The USA Swimming Olympic Trials get underway Sunday, June 26, at 10 a.m. CT from Omaha’s CenturyLink Center. For 24 current, former and incoming Auburn swimmers, this is what they have trained for over the past four years, a chance to don a swim cap adorned with an American flag.
Auburn has six top-eight seeds and 11 top-24 seeds throughout the trials. Those ranked in the top eight include Kyle Darmody (100m back – eighth), Zane Grothe (400m free – second; 200m free - fourth), Micah Lawrence (100m breaststroke – sixth, 200m breaststroke - first) and Annie Lazor (200m breaststroke – seventh).
Auburn had three swimmer’s compete for the United States at the 2012 Olympic Games in London and has had 13 USA Olympic swimmers in its history, which includes medalists Bill Forrester (1976), Rowdy Gaines (1984), Mark Gangloff (2004 & 2008), John Hargis (1996), Margaret Hoelzer (2008), Tyler McGill (2012), Eric Shanteau (2012) and Scott Tucker (1996 & 2000).
The trials run from Sunday, June 26, to Sunday, July 3. Prelims will be live daily at 10 a.m. on the NBC Sports Extra app and NBC will air the finals each night from 7-8 p.m.
Auburn at the USA Swimming Trials – prelims schedule
Sunday, June 26
Women’s 100m butterfly – Bailey Nero, Aly Tetzloff
Men’s 400m freestyle – Zane Grothe, Bryan Lee, Russell Noletto, Grant Schenk
Women’s 400m IM – Ashley Neidigh, Baily Nero, Zoe Thatcher
Men’s 100m breaststroke – Tommy Brewer, Michael Duderstadt
Monday, June 27
Women’s 100m backstroke – Annie Boone, Aly Tetzloff
Men’s 200m freestyle – Zach Apple, Colin Bone, Zane Grothe
Women’s 100m breaststroke – Micah Lawrence, Annie Lazor
Men’s 100m backstroke – Taylor Copeland, David Crossland, Kyle Darmody
Women’s 400m freestyle – Ashley Neidigh, Zoe Thatcher
Tuesday, June 28
Women’s 200m freestyle – Jessica Merritt
Women’s 200m IM – Ashley Neidigh, Zoe Thatcher
Wednesday, June 29
Men’s 100m freestyle – Zach Apple, Colin Bone, Kyle Darmody, Zane Grothe
Women’s 200m butterfly – Bailey Nero
Men’s 200m breaststroke – Tommy Brewer, Michael Duderstadt, Bryar Long
Thursday, June 30
Men’s 200m backstroke – David Crossland
Women’s 200m breaststroke – Micah Lawrence, Annie Lazor
Men’s 200m IM – Michael Duderstadt
Friday, July 1
Men’s 50m freestyle – Zach Apple, Kyle Darmody, Michael Duderstadt
Women’s 800m freestyle – Ashley Neidigh
Men’s 100m butterfly – Foster Ballard, Liam McCloskey
Women’s 200m backstroke – Annie Boone, Erin Falconer
Saturday, July 2
Women’s 50m freestyle – Ashton Ellzey, Aly Tetzloff
Men’s 1500m freestyle – Zane Grothe, Grant Schenk