Jan. 20, 2003
FEDERAL WAY, Wash. - Stanford University's Erin Dobratz and Katie Norris were among the list of 13 synchronized swimmers named to the 2003 World Championships & Olympic Games Training Squad, announced Monday after three days of intense evaluation at the Weyerhaeuser-King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, Wash. Dobratz is a junior from Clayton, California, while Norris is a junior from Tallahassee, Florida.
The 2003 U.S. Senior National Team will represent the United States against the world's best at the 2003 World Championships in Barcelona. The team will also compete at the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo and the 2004 Olympic Qualifying Open in Athens.
The squad of 13 will regroup in March at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs for further evaluation. In May, the squad will be cut to a delegation size of 10 for the World Championships, and further pared to nine in May of 2004 for the Olympic Games.
The Trials process began at the 2002 U.S. Nationals, and progresses over four phases throughout the year. The athletes are tested in eight technical elements, then evaluated by 13 judges during each of four pre-set routine swims. All scores throughout the trials process are confidential until the teams are announced.
Also named Monday were the 12 members of the 2003 U.S. National Team II, which will compete at the 2003 United Airlines Open, July 15-19 in Federal Way, Wash. Stanford freshmen Ashley McHugh and Cassidy Ramage were among the 12 people selected to that squad.
2003 World Championships & Olympic Games Training Squad (name, age, hometown)
Alison Bartosik, 19, Flagstaff, Ariz.; Tammy Crow, 25, St. Louis, Mo.; Erin Dobratz, 20, Clayton, Calif.; Mary Hofer, 23, San Diego, Calif.; Becky Jasontek, 27, Loveland, Ohio; Anna Kozlova, 30, St. Petersburg, Russia; Sara Lowe, 18, Desoto, Texas; Lauren McFall, 22, Los Altos, Calif.; Stephanie Nesbitt, 17, Riverside, Calif.; Katie Norris, 20, Tallahassee, Fla.; Andrea Nott, 20, San Jose, Calif.; Gina Pietras, 27, Tacoma, Wash.; Kendra Zanotto, 21, Los Gatos, Calif.
2003 U.S. National Team II
Victoria Bowen, 22, Plano, Texas; Janet Culp, 20, Littleton, Colo.; Jennie Culp, 20, Littleton, Colo.; Kate Hooven, 18, Pleasanton, Calif.; Suzanna Hyatt, 22, Indianapolis, Ind.; Becky Kim, 17, Walnut Creek, Calif.; Tracy Long, 35, Richmond, Va.; Elizabeth-Anne Markman, 17, Pacific Palisades, Calif.; Bill May, 24, Cicero, N.Y.; Ashley McHugh, 18, Orinda, Calif.; Lindsay Newbill, 19, Laguna Hills, Calif.; Kim Probst, 21, Troy, N.Y.; Cassidy Ramage, 18, Dallas, Texas.