News
Amber McDermott: Ready for what's next
November 1, 2009
In a year filled with new experiences, in both swimming and life , one in particular stands out for Amber McDermott.
After a disappointing ConocoPhillips U.S. National Championships in Indianapolis (which selected the World Championship team), McDermott enjoyed a successful U.S. Open in her home state of Washington, winning three events and earning a spot on her first U.S. National Team.
“The U.S. Open was definitely less stressful than World Championship Trials because I didn't feel as much pressure to make a team. It was more just me against the clock, although I still had some great competition,” said McDermott, who also won the 400 and 1,500 freestyle at U.S. Open. “It was very stressful at World Championship Trials because it was the first meet where I actually had a shot at making the team, but I don't think I had enough training under my belt at that meet. So, after a few more weeks of training, I was ready for the U.S. Open.”
McDermott has made a lot of progress since she started swimming nine years ago at age 7. She gave up gymnastics for swimming when she noticed her older sister, Courtney, was bringing home ribbons from her meets. By the time she was 9, McDermott was hooked on the sport.
Now a high school junior, she recently took a giant leap of faith in herself and her coach by following her Salmon Bay Club coach, Doug Rusk, to Austin, Texas, to train with Longhorn Aquatics, where he now coaches.
Doing that meant leaving her school, friends, family and teammates behind and starting over in an unfamiliar city. That's a lot for a 16-year-old to handle, but McDermott is taking things day by day and keeping her eyes on the bigger prize.
“The biggest adjustment for me is having to mostly take care of myself, like cook my own meals and manage my own money, but I just look at it as college a few years early,” said McDermott, whose family remained back in the Seattle area. “I actually don't mind going to a new school. I've moved multiple times before, so I know what it's like to be the ne
Congratulations to the Longhorn Aquatics Masters Swimmers for their great performances in the last week!
September 15, 2009
Congratulations to the following Longhorn Aquatics Masters swimmers for their great performances in the last week!
We are proud of EVERYONE who participated in these races. If we left you out from top 10 placings please let us know.
The Austin Triathlon
Olympic Distance
Desiree Ficker 1st place pro
Terra Castro 3rd place pro
Meghan Brown 1st place 20-24
Dick Snyder 1st place 65 & older
Sprint race
Sally Dykstra 6th place 50-54
Wisconsin Ironman
Amy Marsh 1st place pro(only her 2nd ever Ironman)
Brandon Marsh 9th place pro
USMS 5K Open Water Championships in Chicago
Larry Wood 1st place 55-59(he won by 1 second-way to race tough)
La Jolla Rough Water Swim(the roughest ever this year)
5K
Ed Coates 8th 40-44
Tom Campbell 20th 45-49
Brian Vance 2nd 55-59
Mike Harris 5th 60-64
1 Mile
Mary Hughes 3rd 50-54
Bob Hughes 27th 55-59
Tiburon 1 mile
Jack Lee(2 events in one weekend)
Alcatraz 1.2 mile
Jack Lee
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS: Faces off the field: Meghan Houston
September 12, 2009
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS
Faces off the field: Meghan Houston
By Rick Cantu
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Friday, September 04, 2009
Interview with MEGHAN HOUSTON,15, ST. ANDREW'S, SOPH., VOLLEYBALL AND DIVING
Longhorn Aquatics divers turn in exceptional performances at the National Championships in Moultrie, GA.
September 12, 2009
Longhorn Aquatics divers turn in exceptional performances at the National Championships in Moultrie, GA.
Story By Rick Cantu, Austin American Statesman | Monday, August 17, 2009, 09:16 AM
Meghan Houston, a sophomore at St. Andrew’s Episcopal, was one of six girls to reach the finals in three events at the U.S. Speedo Junior Championships last week in Moultrie, Ga.
Houston, who also plays volleyball and basketball at St. Andrew’s, finished sixth on 1-meter springboard, fourth on 3-meter springboard and sixth on platform in the 14-15 age group.
She is among only three divers to reach the finals in three events the past two years, according to Brian Smith, head coach of the Longhorn Aquatics diving team.
Houston scored enough points to be ranked as the No. 14 team in the nation by herself, the coach said. She is the only girl in the country in her age group competing a forward 3.5 somersault on 3m springboard.
Longhorn Aquatics is ranked No.19 in the nation.
Other divers who placed at the Speedo championships were: Bradley Homza (15th-1m, 13th-3m and 7th-PL), Claire Toomey (18th-3m) and Nicole Bogusch (21st-1m; 21st-PL)
Longhorn Aquatics places members on the National Team and National Youth Team
September 9, 2009
Longhorn Aquatics places members on the National Team and National Youth Team:
2009-2010 National Team: Amber McDermott, Hayley McGregory, Kelsey Ditto
2009-2010 National Youth Team: Samantha Tucker, Annemarie Thayer, Ben Anderson.
Also, McDermott and Tucker have made the National Youth A Team that will compete at the World Cup Series in Stolkholm and Berlin in November.
Longhorn Aquatics places at the US Open in Seattle
August 9, 2009
Longhorn Aquatics Women's placed 4th overall at the US Open in Seattle.
Amber McDermott was the women's high point winner. Saturday she placed 1st in the 1500m Free, 16.22.50, and 8th in the 200 IM, 216.56.
US Open: Samantha Tucker placed 1st in the 200 Free
August 8, 2009
Samantha Tucker placed 1st in the 200m Free at the US Open Meet in Federal Way, WA. Her time of 1:58.81 was a Meet record and TXLA record. Congratulations to Samantha!
Amber McDermott placed 13th in the 200m Free swimming 201.49.
Annemarie Thayer placed 24th in the 100 back with a time of 103.17.
Michael Klueh placed 1st in the 200m Free with a time of 149.53.
US Open: Amber McDermott places 1st in the 400 Free
August 7, 2009
Amber McDermott placed 1st in the 400 Free with a time of 4:08.18.
Other Longhorn swimmers also placed in the 400 Free: Michael Klueh, 3rd, 3:49.35 & James Robertson, 23rd, 3:59.80.
James Feigen placed 3rd in the 100 Fly swimming 53.04.
US Open: TXLA Swimming Fast!!!
August 7, 2009
US Open
Federal Way, WA
August 4-8.
Tuesday, August 4
800 Free
Amber McDermott placed 1st in the 800m free with a time of 8:27.90. This is the fastest time in the country so far this year!
Congratulations to Amber!
1500 Free
Michael Klueh placed 2nd in the 1500m free, 15:12.32.
200 Breast
Matt Lowe placed 5th, 212.82
Dan Nyaradi placed 18th, 2:17.57
Wednesday, August 5
400 IM
Amber McDermott placed 3rd, 4:43.04
100 Free
Samantha Tucker placed 11th, 55.89
James Feigen placed 2nd, 29.25
Matt Lowe placed 3rd, 49.38
200 Back
Anne Marie Thayer placed 6th, 2:12.11
Amber McDermott placed 11th, 2:13.92
400 Free Relay
TXLA, 5th, Samantha Tucker, Brianne Powers, Adrienne Woods, Amber McDermott
LONGHORN AQUATICS DIVING PROGRAM QUALIFIES 10 ATHLETES FOR THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
August 4, 2009
Longhorn Aquatics enjoyed a very successful weekend in both New York and Tennessee at the Zone Championships. We had a TEAM-RECORD TEN (10) ATHLETES QUALIFY FOR THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS.
Congratulations to:
Meghan Houston** (1m*, 3m*, PL)
Claire Toomey (3m)
Will Chandler (1m)
Bradley Homza (1m, 3m, PL)
Kara McCormack (1m, 3m, PL)
Nicole Bogusch (1m, 3m, PL)
Alex Bettridge (3m, PL)
Emma Manzer (PL)
Kristina Hoffman (1m, 3m, PL)
Michael Beran (1m, PL)
*Gold Medal
**Meghan is the first diver in team history to earn multiple gold medals in consecutive Zone Championships, having also won the 1m and PL events in 2008.
The results from the meets this weekend are a strong indication of the amount of effort and dedication this team exhibits on a constant basis. Congratulations for all the outstanding diving these athletes demonstrated.
Longhorn Aquatics Diving program has three 2008-2009 NISCA High School All-American athletes.
June 23, 2009
The Longhorn Aquatics Diving program has three 2008-2009 NISCA High School All-American athletes. This is the most the team has ever had in one year. The honored divers were: Meghan Houston (FR--St. Andrews Episcopal), Kara McCormack (SO--Austin Johnson), and Alex Bettridge (SO--Austin Lake Travis).
The National Interscholastic Swim Coaches' Association ranks every high school diver in the country at the conclusion of the school year and designates only the top 130 athletes as "All-Americans." It is a very prestigious honor, which acknowledges the dedication, tenacity, and leadership that Meghan, Kara, and Alex demonstrate every day.
Congratulations to our girls!
Longhorn Aquatics wins sixth straight Club Excellence Title
April 7, 2009
Longhorn Aquatics hooks 2009 Club Excellence title (4/6/2009)
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – For the sixth straight year, Longhorn Aquatics has been named USA Swimming’s Club Excellence Team Champion. The Austin, Texas-based club took top honors in a very competitive year with 64,136 points. North Baltimore Aquatic Club placed second with 46,864 points, followed by SwimMAC Carolina with 42,091points.
The 2009 program results are based on performances in the 2008 Olympic year. Clubs have been selected as Gold, Silver or Bronze Medal clubs according to the following parameters:
Gold Level: The top 16 point-scoring clubs, plus up to eight clubs who placed athletes on the 2008 Olympic Team.
Silver Level: The remaining clubs ranked through #100 and/or not achieving Gold status.
Bronze Level: Clubs ranked #101 through #200 and/or not achieving Gold or Silver status.
A total of 21 clubs earned Gold Medal recognition this year. This group includes 8 clubs that have achieved Gold medal status for the first time:
Palo Alto (CA) Stanford Aquatics
BEST Swim Club, Phoenix AZ
Dallas (TX) Mustangs
Bluefish Swim Club, Attleboro, MA
Coral Springs (FL) Swim Club
The Fish, Fairfax, VA
Rose Bowl Aquatics, Pasadena, CA
Santa Barbara (CA) Swim Club
204 clubs applied for 2009 Club Excellence recognition, the highest number of clubs to participate in the program’s nine-year history. The USA Swimming Club Excellence Program is a voluntary program that identifies and recognizes USA Swimming clubs for their commitment to excellence in performance and for their support of the sport.
In addition to recognizing the top club teams, the program provides grant funding for resources that enable clubs to expand and/or enhance the services they already provide for athletes. A total of $320,000 in grant dollars will be distributed to 100 Gold and Silver-level clubs. Final grant awards will be announced by July 13.
The Longhorn Aquatics Swimmers set age-group records at the Sun Devil Masters Meet in November
December 19, 2008
Centex Champs: Longhorn Aquatics swimmers
By Monica Roman
Friday, December 19, 2008
Austin American Statesman
Longhorn Aquatics master swimmers Mike Varozza, Max Stinchcombe, Todd Bartee, Tyler Blessing and Ande Rasmussen competed at the Sun Devil Masters Ron Johnson Invitational short course meters swim meet in Tempe, Ariz., from Nov. 14-16.
Teams of the men broke age-group world records in the 200 meter short course medley relay (1:45.13) and the 200 meter freestyle relay (1:35.44). The team also broke the national record in the men's 400 short course medley relay (3:50.93).
Meanwhile, Rasmussen took individual national records for men age 45-49 in the 50 meter freestyle (24.18) and the 100 meter IM (1:00.32).
2008 Trials Records
July 7, 2008
A list of World, American, U.S. Open and meet records set at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials.
Weber-Gale outpaces stars for record
July 7, 2008
Weber-Gale outpaces stars for record
Austin American-Statesman - Austin,TX,USA
Bowie High graduate Hayley McGregory of Longhorn Aquatics once again finished a heartbreaking third. An American record also fell in the semifinals of the ...
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Phelps, Peirsol set world records on sixth night of Trials
July 7, 2008
Phelps, Peirsol set world records on sixth night of Trials
First, Aaron Peirsol of Longhorn Aquatics tied the world record in the men’s 200m back, turning in a time of 1:54.32. Then Michael Phelps of Club Wolverine broke his own world record in the men’s 200m IM in 1:54.80.
USA Swimming News - http://www.usaswimming.org
Olympic Trials Athletes
July 7, 2008
Olympic Swimming Trials: Hawkeyes carry banner for state
DesMoinesRegister.com - Des Moines,IA,USA
Mega-club Longhorn Aquatics brought a staggering 44 athletes to the trials. Two University of Arizona-area clubs have combined for 39 swimmers. ...
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Kirsty Coventry Shines at HPL All-American Long Course Championships
March 8, 2008
Kirsty Coventry continued her quest toward Olympic gold this summer with an outstanding performance Friday night at the Human Performance Lab All American Long Course Championships. Coventry opened the night with a US Open record and TXLA team record in the 400 IM, clocking 4:34.25. Less than thirty minutes later, she grabbed her second win of the evening, touching just shy of the world record in the 100 Backstroke with another TXLA team record 59.42.
Hayley McGregory sets 50 meter backstroke world record
March 8, 2008
Hayley McGregory set a new world record in 50 meter backstroke as the lead-off leg of the 200 meter medley relay at the Human Performance Lab's All American Long Course Meet. She swam the relay leg in 28 seconds, breaking the previous record of 28.09 set by China's Yang Li in October, 2007.
Longhorn Aquatics swimmer Kirsty Coventry breaks a world record
March 8, 2008
Kirsty Coventry broke a 16-year-old world record in the 200-meter backstroke, on Saturday, February 17th, at the Missouri Grand Prix swimming in 2:06.39. The former record of 2:06.62 was set in 1991.
Jessica Rodriquez celebrates victory from the 2007 Pan American Games and sets her sights on the Olympics
February 11, 2008
Hayley McGregory interviewed by USA Swimming
February 11, 2008
Brendan Hansen featured online in a video interview
February 11, 2008
25 Longhorn Aquatics swimmers achieve National Top 16 rankings
December 19, 2007
As 2007 draws to a close, Longhorn Aquatics members have a lot to celebrate! 25 age-group swimmers achieved National Top 16 rankings this year in relays and individual events, giving the Longhorn Aquatics team more National Top 16 rankings than all other teams in South Texas combined.
Longhorn Aquatics swimmers earned a total of 71 National Top 16 individual rankings and 22 National Top 16 relay rankings in 2007. Two individuals even achieved #1 rankings; Mary Beck and Jessica Rodriquez ranked first in eight different events. Beck and Rodriguez also qualified to represent the United States at the World Short Course Championships.
The following Longhorn Aquatics swimmers achieved National Top 16 Rnakings in relays or individual events: Margaret Beck, Mary Beck, Tera Bradham, David Cox, Eric Dirvin, Kelsey Ditto, Matt Ellis, Nadia El Hamdi, Hannah Finkernagel, Erin Flanigan, Meng Huang, Jonathon Jackson, Abby Meyer, Sammy Neil, Joshua Nosal, Lindsey Regan, Jessica Rodriquez, Anders Storvick, Tiffany Sudarma, Aidan Sweeney, Allyson Sweeney, Conor Sweeney, Samantha Tucker, David Zolno, and Nikki White.
The following nine Longhorn Aquatics relays ranked #1:
13- 14 Girls 800 Meter Free Relay
15 -16 Girls 400 Yard Free Relay
13-14 Boys 200 Yard Free Relay
13-14 Boys 400 Yard Free Relay
13-14 Boys 200 Meter Free Relay
13-14 Boys 400 Meter Free Relay
13-14 Boys 800 Meter Free Relay
13-14 Boys 400 Meter Medley Relay
15-18 Boys 400 Meter Free Relay
Longhorn Aquatics staff members would like to congratulate all swimmers who achieved Top 16 National Rankings in 2007. We look forward to a happy, successful year of swimming in 2008!
Coach Hedgepeth inducted into Women’s Athletics Hall of Honor
November 14, 2007
Longhorn Aquatics Master’s Swimming Coach Whitney Hedgepeth was inducted into The University of Texas Women’s Athletics Hall of Honor on November 9, 2007. This distinction recognizes Hedgepeth for her accomplishments as a three-time NCAA champion and Longhorn MVP. Hedgepeth is an Olympic medalist and proud Texas Exe who earned 21 All-American honors while swimming for the university. She was inducted into the Hall of Honor along with four other Texas Exes and one former NCAA championship coach.
Agni Jayaprakash wins gold at Asian Age Group Swimming Championship
September 17, 2007
Longhorn Aquatics swimmer, Agnishwar (Agni) Jayaprakash, won gold in the Asian Age Group Swimming Championship 50-meter breaststroke on August 28, 2007. Jayaprakash’s winning time was 30.39 seconds. The championships took place in Jakarta, Indonesia, and more than 700 people from 27 different countries competed in the five-day event. Earlier in the summer of 2007, Jayaprakash performed impressively at the Indian Nationals, and swam record-setting times to become overall champion at the Tamil Nadu State Senior Aquatic Championship.
Lynne Smith and Tim Cespedes swim the English Channel
September 4, 2007
Members of the Longhorn Aquatics community, Lynne Smith and Tim Cespedes, swam the English Channel in August 2007. Cespedes performed impressively, swimming the channel twice—once in a relay and once in a solo crossing. Smith set a record by completing her solo crossing in nine hours and fifty minutes, which is the fastest solo crossing of the English Channel this year. Read Austin American Statesman articles to learn more <a href="http://www.statesman.com/life/content/life/stories/health/08/13/0813fitcity.html">about Lynne Smith</a> and her <a href="http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/austin/entries/2007/08/20/austin_swimmer_begins_english.html">English Channel crossing</a>.
Longhorn Aquatics athletes prepare for Olympic trials and 2008 Olympics in Beijing
August 8, 2007
Longhorn Aquatics swimmers break national age-group record for 800-meter freestyle relay
July 31, 2007
Aaron Peirsol launches non-profit organization to conserve oceans
July 31, 2007
Meghan Houston admitted to USA Diving's Talent Identification Program
July 2, 2007
