Virginia Swimming To Be Well Represented At Olympic Trials
Story Links
July 6, 2004
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Fourteen swimmers who competed for the University of Virginia in the 2003-2004 season will be competing in the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials July 7-14 in Long Beach, Calif. at the Charter All Digital Aquatic Centre. In addition, one red-shirt from the 2003-2004 season as well as three UVa alumni, including 2000 Olympic gold and silver medalist Ed Moses (Burke, Va./Lake Braddock), and four incoming first-years, will be competing for the privilege to represent the United States in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, August 13-29. In all, 22 swimmers with Virginia ties will be competing for spots on the U.S. Olympic team. Not included in that total is rising second-year Vanja Rogulj (Zagreb, Croatia/Split), who has already earned a trip to Athens as a member of Croatia’s Olympic team.
Rogulj, the 2004 ACC Men’s Rookie of the Year, will compete in the breaststroke events for Croatia in the 2004 Athens Olympics. He was a 2004 honorable mention All-American in the 200-meter breaststroke with a 10-place performance at the NCAA Championships. Rogulj also swam the breaststroke leg on the Cavaliers’ honorable mention All-America 400-meter medley relay (9th place).
Headlining the eight 2003-2004 Virginia men’s swimming team members competing in the U.S. Olympic Trials are rising fourth-year Michael Raab (Rockville, Md./Walter Johnson) and rising third-year Fran Crippen (Conshohocken, Pa./Germantown Academy). Raab is seeded third in the 200-meter butterfly and 14th in the 100-meter fly. Raab earned first-team All-America honors in the 200-meter butterfly at the 2004 NCAA Championships with a fifth-place performance. He was also an honorable mention All-American as a member of UVa’s 400-meter medley relay (9th place). Crippen, the 2003 and 2004 ACC Men’s Swimmer of the Year, is seeded in the top eight in the 400 and 1500-meter freestyles. Crippen is seeded sixth in the 1500 free and seventh in the 400 free. At the 2004 NCAAs, Crippen was an honorable mention All-American in the 400-meter free (10th) and 400-meter individual medley (11th). Luke Wagner (Englewood, Colo./Regis Jesuit), a 2004 UVa graduate, is the sixth seed in the 200-meter backstroke and 18th in the 100-meter back. Wagner placed seventh in the 200-meter back at the 2004 NCAA Championships to earn first-team All-America accolades.
Luke Anderson (Charlottesville, Va./Bolles School), who red-shirted the 2003-2004 season to train for the Olympics, will compete in the sprint freestyle. Anderson, a 2002 first-team All-American in the 50 and 100-yard freestyles, is seeded 15th is the 50-meter freestyle.
Among the seven Virginia women’s swimmers competing for a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team are rising third-years Rachael Burke (Bethesda, Md./Good Counsel) and Brielle White (Philadelphia, Pa./Springside School), and rising second-year Kimi Kelly (Mount Vernon, N.Y./Ursuline Academy). Burke, the 2004 NCAA Championships runner-up in the 1500-meter freestyle, is seeded 11th in the 800-meter freestyle and 16th seed in the 400-meter free. White is coming off a fantastic sophomore season and is seeded 12th in the 100-meter backstroke. White placed fourth in the 100-meter back at the 2004 NCAAs to earn first-team All-America honors. Kelly, the 2004 ACC Women’s Rookie of the Year, is the 17th seed in the 800-meter freestyle. She placed sixth in the 1500-meter free and 14th in the 400-meter free at the NCAAs.
Headlining Virginia’s alumni in the U.S. Olympic Trials is Ed Moses. Moses, a 2004 UVa graduate, is the top seed in both the 100 and 200-meter breaststroke. He won a silver medal in the 100-meter breast at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and also swam the breast leg on the USA’s gold medal and world record setting 400-meter medley relay. Moses won the 100 and 200-meter breaststrokes at the 2000 NCAA Championships. He currently sits atop the 2004 short course (25-meter) world rankings in the 100-meter (57.96) and 200-meter (2:02.92) breaststroke. Dan DeMarco (Great Neck, N.Y./Great Neck South), a 2003 UVa graduate, will compete in the 1500-meter freestyle along with 2001 Virginia grad Jamie Grimes (Olney, Md./Sherwood). DeMarco is currently excelling as an open water swimmer and is a member the U.S. Open Water National Team.
Four of Virginia’s recruits for the 2004-05 season have also qualified to participate in the U.S. Olympic Trials. Three men and one woman will compete in the trials.
A maximum of 26 men and 26 women will be selected for the U.S. Olympic Team. First priority is given to all event winners and the top four finishers in the 100 and 200-meter freestyle. Second priority is given to second place finishers in all events except the 100 and 200 freestyle. If slots are still available on the team, the next priority goes to the fifth and sixth-place finishers in the 100 and 200 free.
2004 Virginia Swimming OlympiansVanja Rogulj (Croatia) 100 and 200-meter breaststroke
U.S. Olympic Trials ParticipantsMEN Event(s)Luke Anderson 50-meter freestyle
Fran Crippen 400 and 1500-meter freestyle
Bo Greenwood 200-meter backstroke, 200-meter butterfly, 200 and 400-meter individual medley
Stefan Hirniak 400-meter freestyle, 200-meter butterfly
Adam Kerpelman 100-meter butterfly
John Millen 400 and 1500-meter freestyle
Michael Raab 100 and 200-meter butterfly
Luke Wagner 100 and 200-meter backstroke
WOMENCorey Berg 200-meter backstroke
Rachael Burke 400 and 800-meter freestyle
Katie Gordon 200-meter backstroke, 400-meter individual medley
Kimi Kelly 800-meter freestyle, 200-meter butterfly
Rory Schmidt 400 and 800-meter freestyle
Brielle White 100-meter backstroke
Kate Wrenshall 200-meter butterfly
ALUMNIEd Moses 100 and 200-meter breaststroke
Dan DeMarco 1500-meter freestyle
Jamie Grimes 1500-meter freestyle