Local swimmers bring home three 18 & Under National Champion titles

THE WOODLANDS, Texas – Joy Field and Lucie Nordmann are 18 & Under National Champions. The two made their mark in the freestyle events at the Phillips 66 National Championship held June 27 to July 1 in Indianapolis, IN.

Nordmann, who is 17 and entering her senior year at The Woodlands High School, started it off in the 100-M freestyle sprint as the top 18 & Under performer with a new best time. The result earned her a spot to represent the U.S. at the FINA World Junior Swimming Championships to be held in Indianapolis, Aug. 23-28. Nordmann will also compete in the 400-M freestyle relay.

“A lot of people think of Lucie as a backstroker,” said Terry Jones, MAC Head Coach. “After all, she won two silver medals in the stroke at last year’s Junior Pac Pacific Championship, but what we see every day in practice is that she is also an excellent freestyler.”

Distance freestyle specialist Joy Field, who is 18 and just graduated from Magnolia High School, took home 18 & under championship titles in the 800-M and 1,500-M freestyle events. She was also a top-eight, national finalist in both events, finishing 5th and 7th in open competition. Field, who won silver and gold in these events last year at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships in Maui, will be too old to compete at the junior world championship with Nordmann in August.

Field, who has had a celebrated career as a high school and junior national swimmer, is taking the next step in her swim career. This fall she will be attending Texas A&M, who are an NCAA powerhouse in women’s swimming.

“Joy has done it all at MAC,” said Jones. “We’ll miss her, but we’re also excited for her. With her just being up the road in College Station, we’ll get to see her lots.”

Also competing at the national championships were Lillie Nordmann, 14, Emily Reese, 17, and Kaitlynn Sims, 16. Nordmann competed in the 200-M individual medley, 200-M freestyle, and the 50-M, 100-M and 200-M butterfly events. Reese competed in the 50-M, 100-M, and 200-M butterfly events and had to withdraw from the 200-M individual medley due to some back troubles. Sims competed in the 400-M individual medley and the 400-M, 800-M, and 1,500-M freestyle events.

“Kaitlynn, Lillie and Emily all swam well,” said Jones. “They are on a good path. I have no doubt they will have even stronger performances before the end of the season.”

There is no rest for Jones and Scott MacFarland, who shares MAC’s National & Pre-National team coaching duties with Jones. Both head to Austin this week with nearly 20 swimmers to compete at the Speedo Southern Zone Long Course Sectional Championships on the University of Texas campus.