Current and Former Vols and Lady Vols Set to Compete in International Events

Tennessee swimming & diving will be well represented on the international stage during the upcoming week, as current and former Vols and Lady Vols are slated to begin competition at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, and at the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup in Budapest, Hungary.

Nine current Vols and Lady Vols will compete on the international stage this week, and three members of the UT Pro Group will join a VFL in competition. One former Vol will serve as a coach as well.

Pan American Games
Taking place in Santiago, Chile, the Pan American games will feature eight members of Tennessee's current roster, as well three representatives from the UT Pro Group. The PanAm's occur every four years and include the best athletes from countries in North and South America.

The following athletes will represent Tennessee in Santiago:

Nikoli Blackman - Trinidad & Tobago
The highly touted freshman is one of two UT freshmen that will compete at the Pan American Games over the next week. In his previous international competition, Blackman took home gold in the 50 free at the World Aquatics Junior Championships in July.

Gui Caribe - Brazil
Caribe previously represented the Vols at the World Aquatics Championships over the summer in Fukuoka, Japan, where he swam in two individual freestyle events and two free relays. The Salvador, Brazil, native tallied two first-place finishes in UT's first home meet last week against No. 12 Louisville.

McKenna DeBever - Peru - UT Pro Group
DeBever is a member of the UT Pro Group and is well versed in competition on the international stage. She most recently competed in the World Championships and specializes in back and IM events while competing on behalf of Peru.

Brooklyn Douthwright - Canada
A participant at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships, Douthwright will once again compete on the international stage over the next week in Santiago, Chile. She most recently opened her junior campaign against No. 3 Louisville, where she won the 200 free LCM and swam in four total events. In March, she was NCAA runner-up in the event after winning the SEC Championship in the 200 free.

Josephine Fuller - USA
The Richmond, Virginia, native will take her talents to Chile, where she will represent UT and Team USA at the Pan American Games. Fuller most recently swam in the season-opening dual meet against No. 3 Louisville, winning all four of her events.

Zane Grothe - USA - UT Pro Group
Grothe will compete on behalf of the USA and is a member of the UT Pro Group. The Nevada native has lots of experience on the world stage, and specializing in distance events.

Bryden Hattie - Canada
A current Vol, Bryden Hattie will represent UT at the Pan American Games over the next week. The Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, native started his junior campaign for the Vols this past week, winning the 3-meter and placing second in the 1-meter against No. 12 Louisville. Hattie most recently competed on the world stage at the World Aquatics Championships, where he dove off the 1-meter and 3-meter.

Jeremy Linn - USA (Coach)
One of the best breaststrokers in Tennessee history and of all time, VFL Jeremy Linn will be at the Pan American Games as one of the coaches for Team USA. During his time on Rocky Top, he won four individual NCAA titles in the breast, including three straight years in the 100 breast. The three-time SEC Swimmer of the Year selection went on to win two Olympic medals for Team USA in the 1996 Summer Games, winning gold as a member of the world record 400 medley relay and bringing home silver thanks to a new American record time.

Rafael Ponce de Leon Castilla - Peru
The Lima, Peru, native will take his talents to Santiago, Chile, and display them over the next week at the Pan American Games. He most recently competed in the season-opening dual meet against #12 Louisville where he was a part of 400 free relay that placed first.

Kristen Romano - Puerto Rico - UT Pro Group
A member of the UT Pro Group, Romano will continue her competition on the international stage. Romano most recently competed at the World Championships in the 200 and 400 IM.

Camille Spink - USA
Spink is the other freshman that will represent UT on the international stage. The Haymarket, Virginia, native made her Lady Vol debut last week against No. 3 Louisville, swimming the fastest 50 free time by an SEC freshman so far this season.

Joaquin Vargas - Peru
Vargas will once again showcase his talents on the global stage over the next week. The 2020 Tokyo Olympian and participant at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships recently opened his junior campaign against No. 12 Louisville.

World Aquatics Swimming World Cup
Taking place in Budapest, Hungary, this will be the third and final leg of this year's World Cup and will serve as a qualifying event for the 2024 Olympic games. The Budapest leg will feature two members of the Tennessee program, including current Lady Vol Mona McSharry.

The following athletes will represent Tennessee in Budapest:

Mona McSharry - Ireland
A current Lady Vol, McSharry will continue her performance on the world stage this coming weekend. She will participate in three events while representing Ireland, with the 200 breast beginning on Friday, the 100 breast on Saturday and will wrap her time in Budapest on Sunday with the 50 breast. McSharry qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics during the World Championships over the summer, which marks her second Olympic games of her career.

Peter John Stevens - Slovenia
A VFL, Stevens is set to compete in two events during the World Cup. Representing Slovenia, he is set to begin in the 100 breast on Friday, with competition in the 50 breast on Saturday

University of Tennessee Athletics

Current and Former Vols and Lady Vols Set to Compete in International Events

Players Mentioned

Nikoli Blackman

Gui Caribe

Brooklyn Douthwright

Josephine Fuller

Bryden Hattie

Mona McSharry

Rafael Ponce de Leon Castilla

Camille Spink

Joaquin Vargas

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