USA Swimming, the National Governing Body of the sport of swimming in the United States, today announced its selection summary for the 2025 – 2026 National Junior Team (Pool). The roster will be based on performance by eligible athletes from January 1 through August 31, 2025, using top times in Olympic events swum in long-course meters.

Selection is limited to athletes who meet all eligibility criteria and have not been named to the 2025-2026 National Team.

The National Junior Team (the “NJT”) roster will be selected from eligible athletes according to Times achieved between January 1, 2025 through and including August 31, 2025.

General Criteria

All Athletes Must:

• Be registered USA Swimming members in good standing at the time of selection and throughout their term on the NJT. USA Swimming may suspend an athlete from the NJT if they do not remain in good standing, including membership requirements and adherence to the SafeSport Code for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Movement, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency Protocol, the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Code, and any USA Swimming, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, World Aquatics, or International Olympic Committee rules and regulations. If an athlete who has qualified for, but has subsequently been suspended from, the NJT is reinstated, or their suspension is reduced, by a court or body with competent jurisdiction such that the athlete becomes eligible during all or a portion of the term of the 2025-2026 NJT, their NJT suspension will be lifted, in accordance with the order from the court or body. If there is an athlete who was otherwise eligible for selection to the NJT but was not in good standing at the time of selection due to any type of suspension or ineligibility determination, and the suspension or ineligibility determination is later overturned or reduced by a court or body with competent jurisdiction during the term of the 2025-2026 NJT such that the athlete would have been eligible at the time of selection to the NJT, the athlete will be added to the NJT, in accordance with the order from the court or body. In any of the above scenarios where an athlete is added or reinstated to the NJT, no athlete will be removed as a result of that addition.

• Be eligible to represent the USA in international competition as of September 1, 2025, pursuant to the World Aquatics requirements, found here:

• Be 18 years or younger on December 31, 2025.

• Complete and submit the application for a USA Swimming-required criminal background check within five days of being named to the NJT if 18 years of age or older, or within five days of turning 18 if already on the NJT at that time. Athletes will not be allowed to participate in certain activities if they have not passed the background check by the time of that activity, so athletes are encouraged to submit the application as soon as possible.

Times will be considered from the preliminaries, semi-finals and A, B, C, and D finals. Relay lead-offs, time trials, and intermediate splits WILL NOT be considered.

2025-2026 National Junior Team (Pool) Selection Summary

Additional Criteria

• Athletes selected to the 2025-2026 National Team may not be selected to the 2025-2026 NJT.

• Athletes who have competed in an individual event at any Olympic Games are not eligible for selection to the NJT. Athletes who have competed as a relay-only swimmer at any Olympic Games are eligible for selection, provided they have not been named to the 2025-2026 National Team.

• Athletes who competed at the 2024 World Short Course Championships and 2025 World Aquatic Championships are eligible for 2025-2026 NJT Selection, provided they are not selected to the  2025-2026 National Team and otherwise eligible.

• Athletes will remain named to the NJT until August 31, 2026, unless revoked as provided above.
Selection Process To be selected to the NJT, athletes must meet the General Criteria and Additional Criteria. USA Swimming will then select the NJT based on the following selection criteria. If there is a tie, all athletes involved in the tie will be selected. The athletes with the first, second, third, fourth and fifth fastest Times in each individual Olympic event (excluding the
50-meter Breaststroke, Backstroke, and Butterfly), as well as the athletes with the sixth fastest Time in the 100- and 200-meter Freestyles.

 

— The above press release was posted by Swimming World in conjunction with USA Swimming. For press releases and advertising inquiries please contact Advertising@SwimmingWorld.com.