February 2019
Dear Friend,

College conference championship season is in high gear, previewing stars in the making at NCAA DI Championships in March, and the USA Swimming Foundation will be in the center of the action.

We’re hosting USA Swimming Foundation Alumni Socials in Austin, Texas at the Women’s DI NCAAs, Saturday, March 23, and at the Men’s DI NCAAs, Saturday, March 30, both from 12:30-2:30 p.m. All National Team Alumni are invited free of charge to enjoy the food, fellowship, and fun! (See Alumni Social details below.) 

The 2019 NCAA DI Championships mean more than bragging rights for the top team honors. They are a pivotal competition in the run-up to the 2020 Olympic year. Expect to see new names emerge as potential Olympic hopefuls, like Alabama’s Robert Howard and UT’s Tate Jackson in the sprint freestyles, or Wisconsin’s Beata Nelson and Kentucky’s Asia Seidt in the backstroke. 

Men’s and Women’s NCAA DI Championships, in the historic Texas Swimming Center, are events you don’t want to miss. 

Sincerely,

Mel Stewart
USA Swimming Foundation Ambassador
Events & Happenings
ALUMNI SOCIAL, WOMEN’S NCAA DI CHAMPIONSHIPS:  The first alumni social of the year is less than six weeks away, Saturday, March 23 at the Women’s NCAA DI Championships in Austin, Texas. We gather at 12 noon, or right after the prelims session, under the big white tent directly outside of the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center. 

Our special guest is arguably the biggest star in swimming today, five-time Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky . Food and drinks are courtesy of the USA Swimming Foundation.  If you plan to attend this competition, please contact me via email mel.stewart@sbcglobal.net or my cellphone 512-656-8806.


What: Alumni Social
Where: Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center (white tent by the entrance)
When: 12:30 p.m. (or right after prelims), Saturday, March 23
Attire: Casual
ALUMNI SOCIAL, MEN’S NCAA DI CHAMPIONSHIPS:  Saturday, March 30, we host our second alumni social at the Men’s DI Championships in Austin, Texas. At the big white tent directly outside the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center, meet up for fun and fellowship at 12 noon, or directly after the prelims session. 

This social has two Olympic superstars and USA Swimming Foundation Ambassadors attending as our special guests, three-time Olympic gold medalist Ryan Murphy , and five-time Olympic gold medalist Nathan Adrian . Food and drinks are courtesy of the USA Swimming Foundation.  If you plan to attend this competition, please contact me via email mel.stewart@sbcglobal.net or my cellphone 512-656-8806.


What: Alumni Social
Where: Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center (white tent by the entrance)
When: 12:30 p.m. (or right after prelims), Saturday, March 30
Attire: Casual
Phillips 66 National Championships
SAVE THE DATE:
If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area or plan to attend the 2019 Phillips 66 National Championships in Palo Alto, California, please save the date. The USA Swimming Foundation will host the third and final Alumni Social of the year. Details are to be confirmed, but we do expect a big turnout. Food and drinks will be courtesy of the USA Swimming Foundation, and we will host a special National Team guest. If you plan to attend this competition, contact me via email mel.stewart@sbcglobal.net or my cellphone 512-656-8806.
Check out the next Alumni Newsletter for more details!
Featured Alumnus
Butterfly specialist and 1992 three-time Olympic medalist, Crissy Perham, is not swimming a lot these days. “I’m doing a lot of Crossfit. Our entire family participates in Crossfit, so I’m fit,” she explained. “Currently, I am up to my eyeballs in a home renovation and a move.” Crissy has a lot of experience moving. She’s lived the military life for over 20 years, married to Charlie, a former Colonel and U.S. Senate Fellow for Hillary Clinton.

“I have a lifetime hobby of decorating, and I love putting our home together and making it come to life.” On the swimming side Crissy remains very connected. “Right now I’m soaking up the moments of being a mom to my youngest, Ryan, who is a high school junior and just made his first Junior Nationals cut. My oldest, Alex, is 25, grown up and out in the world. I’m proud to say both of my swimmers have faster butterfly times than me.” Crissy laughed and added, “But I can still beat my husband!”

Crissy has so many wonderful memories from swimming. Most of them center around relays at the University of Arizona and on the USA Swimming National Team. Her favorite is, of course, the 1992 Olympics in the 4x100 medley. “Winning the gold medal in world record time was beyond words,” she said. “I am pretty sure I squeezed the guts out of Lea Loveless and Anita Nall right after we high-fived our anchor Jenny Thompson. The moment took my breath away. It brings tears to my eyes even now. I was a lucky girl with some amazing teammates.”

Crissy and her husband Charlie live in Southlake, Texas with their youngest son Ryan. Crissy is looking forward to seeing friends at the Alumni Social, March 30, in Austin, Texas. Connect with Crissy on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/crissy.perham ).
Catching Up With Alumni
Tracey McFarlane: 1988 Olympic medalist Tracey McFarlane is a physical therapist by trade, but now works solely in management covering 11 cities for a home health company, which she loves. Tracey lives in Clearwater/St. Pete Florida and swims masters. “It’s a great group of people,” she said, “and that is the best part of swimming—the friends I’ve made along the way.” Tracey’s a proud University of Texas alum and makes it back to Austin every year for a swimming reunion. “We love spending the whole weekend reminiscing about our time together there.”  Connect with Tracey on Facebook.
Carrie Steinseifer Bates: 1984 Olympic champion Carrie Steinseifer Bates is another proud University of Texas alum. Interestingly, this 100 free sprinting star loves training for and doing endurance triathlons and endurance running. Beyond training, she has another great passion in life. “I work for The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation helping people find treatment for drug and alcohol addiction,” she said. “I’m a proud woman living in recovery from alcoholism.” Carrie has two daughters, Gabby (20), and Miya (17). She loves spending time with them and her husband Ken in Stafford, Oregon. Connect with Carrie on Facebook.
BJ BEDFORD MILLER:  2000 Olympic champion BJ Bedford Miller is the VP of Sales for an enterprise agile business platform. It’s a great position because she has to travel primarily to Texas, running into many of her University of Texas alums. “I stayed with my college roommate, Marlene Parchman Cornelius, recently,” she said. “Made me think of when we won NCAAs and lit the campus tower Orange!” I asked BJ about her kids, and she said “They’re growing up and still prefer video games to sports.” BJ loves living in Fort Collins, CO with her kids and husband, Tommy.  Connect with BJ on Facebook .
JOSH DAVIS: Five-time Olympic medalist Josh Davis is the Men’s and Women's Head Swim Coach for Oklahoma Christian University. “The Division II program is in its second year and has already provided 60 swimmers an opportunity to swim collegiately,” he said. Josh and his wife Shantel continue to own the longest-running nationwide swim clinic tour, booking over 30 Olympians in 100 cities. Josh and Shantel have six children: Caleb (21), Abigail (20), Luke (18), Annabelle (16), Liam (14), Sophia (2). Connect with Josh here on Facebook.
ALUMNI IN PASSING:   1956 Olympian Maureen Murphy passed January 22. Murphy grew up in the Portland area swimming at the Northeast YMCA and Multnomah Athletic Club, the latter of which she represented when she won the AAU National Championship in the 200 yard backstroke in 1955. A year later, at the age of 17, she represented Team USA at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia, finishing 5th in the 100m backstroke.
We are pleased to recognize our 2018 Alumni Donors:
USA Swimming Foundation Trustee
David and Richelle Fox


Champions Club Benefactor
Brent Lang and Elizabeth Van Schaack
• William Barrett

Champions Club Patron
• Dr. Jim and Patty Miller
• Scott Rodeo M.D. and Christine Frissora-Rodeo M.D.
• Karin LaBerge and Doug Marshall
Champions Club Member
• Katy Arris-Wilson and Kevin Wilson
• The Barnicoat Family
• Elizabeth Beisel
• Lydia and Steve Chase
• Maya DiRado
• Rowdy and Judy Gaines
• Brian Gordon
• Bobby Hackett and Diane Kenny
• Thomas Malchow
• Teri McKeever and Jerry Romani
Member
• Lindsay and Michael Mintenko
• Julie and Steve Morsilli
• Robert and Graciela Placak
• Mary and Mike Plant
• Austin Ramirez
• John and Leanne Sauerland
• Dan and Tracey Stephenson
• Tiffany and Mel Stewart
• Mary Jo Swalley
Donor
• Susie Atwood
• Tony and Sharon Bartle
• Craig Beardsley
• Jill and Michael Chasson
• Janis and Frank Dowd
• David Fairbank
• Ginny Duenkel Fuldner
• Shannon Gillespy
• Doug and Susie Ingram
• Ron and Andreea Karnaugh
• Tim Liebhold
• Jim McConica

• Lynn and John Nelson
• Chris and Robert Olmstead
• Mary Jane Sears Parks
• Louis Petrozziello
• Doug and Susan Russell• Julie Sommer
• Ted Stickles
• Davis and Brittany Tarwater
• Susan Teeter
• Samuel Thayer
• Dara Torres
• Scott Usher
• Sue Walsh
• Wendy Weinberg Weil
Our warmest thanks to each of these alums for their financial support in 2018.
Thank you for being a partner in our mission to save lives and build champions!

Want to make a donation? Click here to give online!
If you have not joined the USA National Team Alumni Group on Facebook, do so here ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/NationalTeamAlumni/ ).
USA Swimming Foundation | 719-866-3235 | foundation@usaswimming.org