Seven Gators Named to 2020-21 U.S. National Team

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The 2020-21 U.S. Swimming National Team, released today by USA Swimming, will feature seven current or former Gators on the men’s roster.

The team is comprised of four current Gators, led by 1,650 free American record holder Robert Finke’s four events. Finke owns the top time in both the 800 and 1,500 free, as well as the fourth-fastest times in the 400 free (3:48.17) and 400 IM (4:13.15).

Kieran Smith, who owns the 500 free American record, also earned multiple spots, posting the second-fastest effort in both the 200 and 400 free.

Clark Beach holds the fifth-fastest 200 back swim (1:57.14) and Brennan Gravley earned a spot in the Open Water category after his performance at the 2019 FINA Open Water World Championships.

Former Gators Mitch D’Arrigo, Caeleb Dressel and Ryan Lochte round out Florida’s representatives.

Dressel leads the alums with a trio of events, owning the top time in the 50 free, 100 free and 100 fly. The Green Cove Springs, Fla. native actively holds the 100 fly long-course World record, as well as the long-course American record in the 50 free, 100 free, 50 fly and 100 fly. He also possesses the short-course American records in the 50 free, 100 free, 100 fly and 200 IM, which were all set during his collegiate career at UF.

D’Arrigo earned his spot in the 400 free with a time of 3:48.39, while Lochte lands in the 200 IM with his swim of 1:57.76 registered at the 2019 Phillips 66 National Championships. Lochte currently holds long-course American record in the event.

These seven Gators also made the team last year.

USA Swimming slightly altered its criteria due to the disruption and cancelation of multiple meets at the end of this year’s cycle. The 2020-21 team features 115 swimmers (59 men and 56 women) and consists of the last year’s team (top-six finisher in each event) and any athlete who posted a time better than sixth-best swim by a member on the 2019-20 roster by March 17, 2020.

The 2021 Olympic Trials are scheduled to take place on June 13-20 in Omaha, Nebraska.

USA Swimming’s full release and entire 2020-21 roster can be found here.