NC pair named to USA Swimming’s Junior National Team
Justin Ress has gotten used to this kind of attention.
Ashley McCauley has not, but as a girl who has just started high school at Leesville Road by all indications she’s handling it masterfully.
The duo from Marlins of Raleigh were the only North Carolinians recently named to USA Swimming’s Junior National Team. The 18-and-under squad, made up of competitors from 80 clubs across the country, has 114 members that include the nation’s top six in each event as determined by their performances in this year’s USA Swimming or FINA sanctioned events through August 30.
Ress, a Cary High graduate who is now a freshman at N.C. State, is in the pool for the 200 backstroke and 200 individual medley. McCauley, who solidified her position by being the youngest American competitor at August’s FINA World Junior Championships in Singapore in late August, made the team in the 200 breaststroke.
It’s the first time two swimmers from MOR, founded by Paul Silver in 2001 and now practicing in three locations, have made the junior national team in the same season.
Ress won multiple state 4A individual titles for Cary High, and was listed as the No. 9 freshman recruit in the country by collegeswimming.com. He had four top-three finishes (two IMs and two relays) at May’s Irish Open Long Course Championships in Dublin.
“I’ve known both of them since they were very young,” Silver said. “It’s a reflection of a lot of hard work by them and certainly by their parents, and it’s nice to see that hard work pay off.
“Justin is one of the most versatile athletes we’ve ever had. He works real hard, studies the sport and sets real high goals for himself. He knows the paths he needs to take to achieve his goals.
“And Ashley is a lot of fun to be around. She’s bubbly and outgoing, but when she gets in the water she’s very goal-oriented. She’s very talented. She’s focused and able to stay on task.”
Both local national team members come from decorated swimming families. Ress’ mother, then Maya Codelli, swam for the Wolfpack 30 years ago. McCauley is the granddaughter of Ceil Blackwell, who actively competes in backstroke in major national women’s competitions. Ashley’s father, Scott, swam for the Wolfpack and her mother, Celia, was an All-American at Furman in breaststroke and butterfly.
Ress won multiple state 4A individual titles for Cary High, and was listed as the No. 9 freshman recruit in the country by collegeswimming.com. He had four top-three finishes (two IMs and two relays) at May’s Irish Open Long Course Championships in Dublin.
Ress is already qualified for the 2016 Olympic Trials in the 200 backstroke and the 200 and 400 IMs. And in August he broke the 200 IM state record with a 2:02.67.
“(Making the team) is an amazing accomplishment and it’s great to see all my hard work pay off,” Ress said. “But it’s definitely not the end of the road. I have bigger things ahead. It’s definitely a long process, but I want to represent the U.S. in the Olympics in 2020 in Tokyo.
“College swimming is so much more energetic and team-oriented. It’s like high school amplified by about a thousand. We motivate each other and hold each other accountable.”
McCauley, who was 14th in Singapore in the 200 breaststroke with a 2:32.78 (winning time was 2:24.87), hasn’t even competed in a high school meet yet.
“My goals are Olympic trials in the 400 IM, and I want to improve my free and my back because those are my weak strokes,” said McCauley, who said she reluctantly gave up a budding career as a CASL soccer standout to reach for the stars as a swimmer.
“Singapore was my first trip out of the country. I was extremely nervous because I didn’t really know anyone. It was beautiful and the people were really friendly. Being around the older kids was pretty intimidating at times. But once I started talking with them they made me feel like I was meant to be on the team.”
This story was originally published October 2, 2015 at 12:52 PM with the headline "NC pair named to USA Swimming’s Junior National Team."