Michigan Swimming News & Updates | | |
2026 Central Zone Multicultural Meet Recap
The 2026 Central Zone Multicultural Meet was held this past weekend in Madison, Wisconsin. This meet is held once every two years. Eleven athletes represented Team Michigan this year. They were Abbey Culloty, Jimmie Jones, Presley Jones, Jack Judkins, Aidan Kelly, Carlton King, Yuguo Li, Louisa McCartney, Sophia Pickens, Addi Schoonover, and Stori Thomas.
This was a great opportunity to compete with a diverse field of strong swimmers representing nine other LSCs in the Central Zone. Even though we had a small group of swimmers this year, Team Michigan’s swimmers put up a strong performance. But more importantly, our athletes had a fun time representing the state and meeting new friends.
We had three swimmers rank in the top 3 in individual events: Aidan Kelly (3rd in 50m freestyle), Yuguo Li (3rd in 200m IM), and Addison Schoonover (3rd in 100m freestyle and 100m backstroke). We also had other swimmers achieve individual top 8 performances including Jimmie Jones, Jack Judkins, Sophia Pickens, and Stori Thomas. Yuguo Li also accomplished something special by earning a zone championship cut in her 200m IM at only 8 years old.
The next Multicultural Central Zone Meet will be two years from now during the Olympic summer of 2028. We look forward to growing the size of our Multicultural Zone team for that year and having even more fun and fast swims.
Coach Roberts
Team Michigan Head Coach
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2026 Central Zone Open Water Championship Meet Recap
On June 12th, 17 Michigan athletes represented the LSC at the Central Zone Open Water championships at Lake Andrea in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. On Thursday, due to the weather an open water clinic was held inside the Recplex natatorium, swimmers worked on deep water starts, passing, going around buoys and the finish. It was a beautiful, cloudless day on Friday with temps in the high 70s. There were 3 distances that were swum with a 5k(4 laps of a triangular course) for the open division, a 2.5k for 13-14 and 11 and 12(2 laps), and a 1.25(1 lap) for the 10 and unders.
Michigan LSC had swimmers in all age groups except the 11-12 and 10 and under boys. To qualify for the meet you must have an A time in 200fr, 500fr for 10 and unders and an A time in the 400/500 fr, 800/1000 fr, or the 1500/1650 fr. PCC had the largest contingent with 9 athletes swimming. Scoring for Michigan were Nick Agostinelli (GKC)-11th in the Open 5k-59:52.37, Nora Gorski (HVP)-5thin the 1.25 for 10 and under girls-19:59.54, Matthew Penner (GKC)-10th in the Open 5k-59:14.58, Ben Trachsel (USSC)-6th in the 13-14 2.5k-31:35.82. Across the board swimmer said they had fun and that it was a good experience. Great Job to all athletes and thanks to the PCC coaches who provided guidance to the Open water Zone swimmers. Check your times and see if you are fast enough to represent the LSC in the 2027 Zone Open Water Meet.
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Central Zone 14 & Under Championship Meet Information
The deadline to register for this meet is Sunday, July 26 at 8:00 pm.
The event will be held on July 30 - August 2, 2026 in Evansville, Indiana. If you have participated in any Team Michigan even in the past, you can login to your account and commit to the event. If you are new to Team Michigan, you will need to register and create an account. Accounts will be approved within 48 hours.
14 & Under Championship Meet Information
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Athlete Leadership Summit
Attending the Central and Western Zone Athlete Summit at Washington University in St. Louis was honestly an incredible experience for all of us. Staying in the WashU dorms and training in their facilities gave us a cool preview of college athletics, and it was the perfect setup to connect with swimmers from all over. Through a mix of awesome guest speakers, interactive workshops, and pool sessions, we definitely grew as both athletes and leaders.
The tone for the weekend was set by our keynote speakers, Olympians Elizabeth Beisel and Katie Meili. Hearing them talk about what it’s really like to compete at the highest level gave us some major perspective. They taught us how to have real perseverance when things get tough and how to lead teams with all different skill levels and personalities. Their stories reminded us that true leadership isn't just about being the fastest person in the lane, but about lifting up the people around you.
Our time outside the pool was packed with workshops that actually kept us engaged. Led by Leland Brown III and Liz Hahn, we broke down the core rules of Safe Sport and DEI, using a competitive Kahoot quiz to practice navigating real-life situations. We also explored our communication strengths during a leadership styles session, where we had to collaborate under pressure for a balloon tower challenge. On top of that, Casey Bretz gave a super helpful talk on digital marketing, showing us how to build a positive personal brand on social media while staying safe online.
One of the biggest highlights of the weekend was putting all this new knowledge to the test through a group project. We were put into random groups and given a real-world problem, and we had to work together to create an entire proposal to present to a panel of judges. It was the perfect way to apply everything we learned over the weekend while getting back constructive criticism from professionals. It felt really meaningful to work on actual issues that need to be addressed at the governance level, all while incorporating the sport we all share deep love for.
Of course, the pool sessions were the best part. During our first practice, we rotated through skill stations run by the summit coaches. We were put into randomly assigned groups, which broke the ice immediately and made it super easy to meet new people. The weekend ended with a friendly swim meet where all those new connections showed up on the deck. The competition was fast, but the energy was the best part. Swimmers who were complete strangers 48 hours earlier were suddenly shouting for each other as one big team.
Ultimately, the summit was an unforgettable experience. We came home with a renewed love for swimming and real leadership tools that we can bring back and apply directly to our own LSCs to help our sport. More than anything, we’re just really grateful for the amazing group of people we shared this with, making memories together that we’re definitely never going to forget.
Nicole McEnroe, Mia Melhem, Louisa McCartney, Meredith Sperling and Poppy LaCrosse.
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The 2026 U.S. Paralympics Swimming National Championships were held June 12–14, 2026 at the Idaho Central Aquatic Center in Boise, Idaho. The top finishers from this meet will be considered for team selection for the 2026 Paralympic Games in Paris, France. The event also serves as a key recruiting and development platform for collegiate and international programs.
Multiple American records were set during the meet including Michigan’s own Piper Sadowski (Grand Rapids. MI) who set a new American record in the 400m Freestyle for her S14 classification. Piper is the first American woman to break 5:00 in this event. The meet featured full multiclass and classification events across all strokes and distances.
All officials at this meet are USP-certified including two from Michigan. Rich Dessin (recently certified as a USP official at the May 2026 Bill Keating Para Swim Open meet in Cincinnati) and Chuck Krochmal served in various capacities during each session. In addition to Judge of Stroke (USA-Swimming Stroke & Turn) duties, Rich was Deck Referee for all of the women’s events on the third competition day while Chuck was the Starter for all of the men’s events on the second day. Both of these officials will be at the upcoming multinational Para Pan Pacific meet in California at the end of August 2026.
For information about USP official’s certification, requirements and procedures, please visit the following website Officials | U.S. Paralympics Swimming.
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As we head into the long course championship season, the Championship Meet Committee would like to wish all Michigan Swimming athletes and coaches the very best of luck at our upcoming LSC Championship Meets. We hope everyone has a fast, fun, and memorable finish to the season!
A sincere thank you to Michigan Lakeshore Aquatics (MLA) for serving as host of both the 14 & Under MAGS Championships and the Michigan Ultra Championships. We greatly appreciate the time, effort, and commitment that MLA and its volunteers invest to provide a first-class championship experience for our athletes.
Looking ahead, we're excited to announce that the 2027 Spring Sectional Championships have been confirmed for March 18–21, 2027, in Indianapolis. Here is a quick snapshot of the 2027 Championship Meet calendar thus far:
- February 26-28: Regionals
- March 5-7: 11-14 MAGS
- March 13-14: 10&U MAGS
- March 18-21: Spring Sectionals
- March 19-21: Michigan Ultra
Good luck to everyone competing, and swim fast!
James DeWitte
Championship Meet Committee Chair
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2026 Graduates: Where Are They Going and What Are They Going To Do?
Over the next month, some of our teammates will be graduating from high school. We wish everyone success on their next chapters, and we are asking teams to send in a photo of your graduating seniors with a short note about their future plans. We’ll share each team’s photos and notes in this bi-weekly newsletter.
Please send all information to Dawn Gurley at dawn.gurley@miswim.org
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Diego Baca - FISH
Swimming at Wayne State University
| | | | Michigan Swimming inspires excellence through education and develops integrity in a fun, inclusive environment. | |  | Integrity, Inclusion, Education, Excellence | | | |
Pure Excellence! Made in Michigan Swimming!
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Long Course Season
Long course season has arrived. The schedule is published on the Michigan Swimming website. As meets are sanctioned, the information will be posted on the events page. Below is a link to that page,
2026 Long Course Schedule
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Officials Committee Update
Greetings Membership,
This is a friendly reminder that the officials’ signup for working the Championship Meets closes on June 30th. If you haven’t had an opportunity to complete the form, please take a moment to do so before the window closes.
We truly need your help to make this championship season an amazing experience for all of our athletes. Your time and support make a meaningful difference.
2026 LC Championship Meet Signup – Fill out form
Rule Update Follow-Up
The committee has received a few questions regarding this rule update, so I want to provide some clarification.
The guidance given is that KT Tape is now permissible when it is being used due to an injury. The existing taping guidelines still apply—no more than two fingers or two toes may be taped together. Athletes should not be disqualified simply for wearing KT Tape, unless the taping violates the finger- or toe-taping restrictions.
It is also a good practice for athletes wearing any form of tape to check in with the Referee prior to the session.
Article 102.8
E. No swimmer is permitted to wear or use any device, substance or swimsuit to help their speed, pace, buoyancy or endurance during a race (such as webbed gloves, flippers, fins, power bands, adhesive substances, etc.). The use of technology and automated data collection devices is permissible for the sole purpose of collecting data. Automated devices shall not be utilized to transmit data, sounds, or signals to the swimmer and may not be used to aid their speed. Goggles may be worn, and rubdown oil applied if not considered excessive by the Referee. Therapeutic elastic tape is prohibited. As a consequence of injury, it is permissible to tape together not more than two fingers or toes. Any other kind of tape on the body is not permitted unless approved by the Referee.
Holly Russell
Officials Chair
For questions or ongoing updates related to officiating, the Officials Website remains an excellent and regularly updated resource.
If you need assistance or have additional questions, please feel free to contact the Officials Committee at officialscommittee@miswim.org.
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Certification Reminder
In order for Coaches and officials certifications to be updated and show in good standing, all certification documents must be sent to certifications@miswim.org. Certification documents cannot be shown to Meet Directors or Meet Referees the day of the meet. They are not able to update certifications or allow you access to the pool deck if your membership card is not in good standing.
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