May 5, 2002
Bill May once again proved himself as the synchronized swimmer to beat whenthe sport's lone male was named the top athlete of the 2002 U.S. SeniorNational Team II, announced Sunday after three days of intense evaluation atOhio State University.
May, a two-time U.S. National champion, finished second of 37 athletestrying out for one of two senior national teams. However, FINA rulesprohibit May, 23, from attending the World Cup with the top 12 athletesnamed Saturday to Team I. Instead, the Cicero, N.Y. native will lead Team IIto the 27th annual Swiss Open, a major international invitational, July11-14 in Basel, Switzerland. May's most significant accomplishment so far in2002 was winning solo at the German Open, defeating Russia's top soloistAnastassia Ermakova, who finished first at the 2001 Junior WorldChampionships.
The nation's emerging collegiate program is well represented on U.S. SeniorNational Team II, with Ohio State placing Victoria Bowen, Anna Eng (class of'01), Mary Hofer, Suzanna Hyatt and Lindsay Newbill on the team. OSU alsocontributes head coach Linda Witter, and grads Sandra Mahoney and TiaHarding as asst. coach and manager.
Stanford contributes Shella Sadovnik and Lindsey Wigginton, with Katie Norris and Erin Dobratz named to Team I a day ago.
Sara Lowe of Desoto, Texas earned the top slot in Junior National Teamqualifying, narrowly edging Stephanie Nesbitt of Riverside, Calif. TheJunior National Team is headed to the VIII Junior World Championships, Aug.15-19 in Montreal.
Both Lowe, 18, and Nesbitt, 17, also earned a spots on the U.S. World CupTeam on Saturday. The two will swim as a duet at the Junior Worlds.
The Riverside Aquettes and Santa Clara Aquamaids placed four swimmers eachon the Jr. Team, with the Walnut Creek Aquanuts adding a pair.
The Trials process began at the 2001 U.S. Nationals, and progresses overfour phases throughout the year. The athletes are tested in eight technicalelements, then evaluated by 13 judges during each of four pre-set routineswims. All scores throughout the trials process are confidential until theteams are announced.
Trials scores can be found at www.usasynchro.org. For more information,contact Brian Eaton at 317-414-7962 or mediadir@usasynchro.org.
2002 U.S. Senior National Team II / Swiss Open Team
Victoria Bowen (Plano, Texas), Anna Eng (West Chester, Pa.), Mary Hofer(Spring Valley, Calif.), Suzanna Hyatt (Indianapolis, Ind.), Bill May(Cicero, N.Y.), Lindsay Newbill (Riverside, Calif.), Andrea Nott (San Jose,Calif.), Kim Probst (Troy, N.Y.), Shella Sadovnik (Irvine, Calif.), EmikoTakyu (San Jose, Calif.), Lindsey Wigginton (Chula Vista, Calif.)Head Coach - Linda Witter, Hamden, Conn.; Asst. Coach - Sandra Mahoney,Bedford, N.Y.; Manager - Tia Harding, Sanford, Fla.
2002 U.S. Junior National Team / Jr. Worlds Team
Becky Kim (Walnut Creek, Calif.), Kate Hooven (Pleasanton, Calif.),Christina Jones (San Jose, Calif.), Sara Lowe (Desoto, Texas),Elizabeth-Anne Markman (Pacific Palisades, Calif.), Kim McKinley (San Jose,Calif.), Barbara Nesbitt (Riverside, Calif.), Stephanie Nesbitt (Riverside,Calif.), Cassidy Ramage (Irving, Texas), Ashley Rule (San Jose, Calif.)Head Coach - Sue Nesbitt, Riverside, Calif.; Asst. Coach - Tammy McGregor,Sanford, Fla.; Manager - Lianne Cameron, Calgary, Canada.