ROCHESTER, Mich. - The Golden Grizzlies have their sights set on Paris, but first will have to travel to Indianapolis for the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials, beginning on June 15-23.
Four Oakland swimmers qualified for the trials, as Jordyn Shipps, Christian Bart, Ian Allen, and Alex Lakin punched their tickets to the trials.

As the lone women's swimmer from Oakland at the trials, Shipps will hop into the pool at Lucas Oil Stadium on day number one, competing in the women's 100 butterfly. While having qualified for the trials back in 2023 at the TYR Pro Championships, clocking just below a minute at 59.99, she is looking to continue a dominant last year where she broke two program records, including in the 100 butterfly as she clocked in at 53.04s at this year's Horizon League Championships. She holds Oakland's top time in the 200 butterfly (1:58.58), the fourth best time in the 200 IM (2:00.53) and the 50 freestyle (22.95), and the fifth best time in the 200 freestyle (1:48.68). The junior from DeWitt, Michigan earned 19 wins over the 2023-24 season, the most of any women's Oakland swimmer, including five additional victories at the Horizon League Championships in the 800 freestyle relay, 200 IM, 200 freestyle relay, 400 medley relay, and 400 freestyle relay.

Also leaping into the lanes is standout Christian Bart, who will swim in the 100 breaststroke. While having qualified for the trials at the 2023 Phillips 66 National Championship, cashing in a time of 1:01.36, Bart is coming off an unbelievable season in the black and gold. He led the Golden Grizzlies men's swim program in wins this past season with 21, while earning the Horizon League Championship title in the 100 freestyle (43.16s). In his trial event, Bart earned second place at league championships with a time of 52.56s, while also placing second in the 50m freestyle (19.72s). 

Ian Allen will compete in the men's 200 individual medley in Indianapolis. Allen earned one win during the season as a Golden Grizzly, placing first in the 1000 freestyle against Miami, Oh. (10/6/23), but as of late Allen has been on fire in the pool, earning three consecutive wins in the 200 IM at the CSCAA NIC LC Time Trials (3/17), FL Fast Time Trials (3/17), and the Speedo Sectionals (3/21-24), with his fastest time of 2:03.35 helping him to qualify.
The final Oakland swimmer traveling to the trials in Indy is Alex Lakin, who will compete in the 100 breaststroke. Lakin is the youngest of the group, reaching the trials just after his freshman season. He is also the most recent qualifier, squeezing into the trials after placing first in the 100 breaststroke at the LSC Duel in the Pool on May 31, 2024 with a time of 1:02.19. Over the course of Oakland's season Lakin placed top three on eight separate occasions, including a first place finish in the 50 breaststroke with a time of 25.83 in the season opener against Wayne State (9/14/23).

The four sensational swimmers look to become the first Oakland swimmers to reach the Olympics since Scott Dickens, who swam in the 2021 London Olympics.