May 5, 2002

Bill May once again proved himself as the synchronized swimmer to beat when the sport's lone male was named the top athlete of the 2002 U.S. Senior National Team II, announced Sunday after three days of intense evaluation at Ohio State University.

May, a two-time U.S. National champion, finished second of 37 athletes trying out for one of two senior national teams. However, FINA rules prohibit May, 23, from attending the World Cup with the top 12 athletes named Saturday to Team I. Instead, the Cicero, N.Y. native will lead Team II to the 27th annual Swiss Open, a major international invitational, July 11-14 in Basel, Switzerland. May's most significant accomplishment so far in 2002 was winning solo at the German Open, defeating Russia's top soloist Anastassia Ermakova, who finished first at the 2001 Junior World Championships.

The nation's emerging collegiate program is well represented on U.S. Senior National Team II, with Ohio State placing Victoria Bowen, Anna Eng (class of '01), Mary Hofer, Suzanna Hyatt and Lindsay Newbill on the team. OSU also contributes head coach Linda Witter, and grads Sandra Mahoney and Tia Harding 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 Team qualifying, narrowly edging Stephanie Nesbitt of Riverside, Calif. The Junior 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 Cup Team on Saturday. The two will swim as a duet at the Junior Worlds.

The Riverside Aquettes and Santa Clara Aquamaids placed four swimmers each on the Jr. Team, with the Walnut Creek Aquanuts adding a pair.

The Trials process began at the 2001 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.

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.), Emiko Takyu (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.