USA Swimming Releases Selection Criteria for National Team and National Junior Team

USA Swimming Releases Selection Criteria for National Team and National Junior Team

USA Swimming has released its selection criteria for athletes to be named to the 2026-27 National Team and National Junior Team. Athletes selected to the team will hold National Team status from Sept. 1, 2026 through August 31, 2027. Below is the performance criteria that is being used to determine members of the National Team.

• Athletes will be selected based on Times. A “Time” means the fastest long course meters time swum by that Athlete in each individual event that will be swum at the 2028 Olympic Games (“Individual Olympic Event”), from any of the following qualifying competitions: Any USA Swimming sanctioned competition between December 1, 2025, and August 20, 2026; Any AQUA approved competition between December 1, 2025, and August 20, 2026.
• Relay leadoffs, time trials, swim-offs, and intermediate splits will not be included. Only Times from preliminary heats, semi-finals, and finals (A, B, C, and D) will be used. Only that one Time will be used per Athlete, per Individual Olympic Event. Times from USA Swimming “approved meets” or “observed swims” will not be considered.
• The six Athletes with the fastest Times in the 100-meter Freestyle, per competition category, will be selected to the National Team.
• The six Athletes with the fastest Times in the 200-meter Freestyle, per competition category, will be selected to the National Team.
• The five Athletes with the fastest Times in each Individual Olympic Event except the 100- and 200-meter Freestyles, per competition category, will be selected to the National Team.
• If there is a tie for the last spot for any Individual Olympic Event, all athletes involved in the tie will be selected to the National Team.
• The National Team will be selected according to the USA Swimming times database on www.usaswimming.org as of August 25, 2026, at 8:00 AM Mountain Time. If an Athlete’s Time is not in the USA Swimming Times database, it is up to the athlete to contact USA Swimming with proof of their Time prior to August 30, 2026.

Clicke below for additional information and the full selection criteria.

Selection Critera – USA National Team

Selection Criteria – USA National Junior Team