Top 16 and Other Swimmer Achievements

The Top 16 program is an awards program for the top level of age group swimmers. It is administered by a National Top 16 Coordinator with the assistance of the USA Swimming Staff. All times which are accepted as “official times” by USA Swimming, from sanctioned, approved or observed competition, are eligible for consideration. The swimmer must have been a registered member of USA Swimming at the time of the swim.

Time standards for the consideration times have been approximately the 25^th place time from the previous year. With the quadrennial system currently being used, the standard will be prepared consulting the lists from all 4 previous years.

The program awards consist of certificates which are awarded to the fastest 16 swimmers of each sex in each recognized event in each age group. The awards are made for both short course yard and long course meter events. In addition the fastest swimmer in each event receives a pin. Awards are also made to relay teams in the same way. A club may only have one relay team listed in an event unless the other team or teams are composed only of swimmers not listed on the first.

Certificates and pins are distributed to the LSCs by USA Swimming Headquarters. The age groups used for individual events are 10 & Un, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16, and 17-18. Beginning with the 2004-2005 season, the age groups for relay events are 10-U, 11-12, 13-14, and 15-18. 

The time period for each year’s awards is from September 1st of each year, through August 31st of the following. Lists are compiled and checked in the fall and the final list prepared and announced prior to the end of the year.

(Reprinted from USA Swimming. Available: http://www.usaswimming.org/USASWeb/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabId=205&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en )

You will find a listing of DST top 16 swimmers on our team website at www.delawareswimteam.com in the Swimmer Achievements section. This section contains other noteworthy swimmer accomplishments. Our team is/has been home to Scholastic All-Americans, High Point Winners, Middle Atlantic and Zone Record Holders, National Select Camp Qualifiers and Olympic Trial Qualifiers. Refer to our Team Records section to find short course yards and long course meter team records by age group and gender for all events.