UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Three Penn State swimmers are set to compete in Tokyo as the 2020 Olympic Games begin this weekend. Shane Ryan (2017 graduate) will compete in the 100 Butterfly and 800 Freestyle Relay for Ireland. Current Nittany Lion Gabe Castano will swim in the 50 Freestyle for Mexico. Melissa Rodriguez (2016 graduate) will also represent Mexico, competing in the 100 Breaststroke and 200 Breaststroke.
The trio is three of six Nittany Lions from the swimming and diving program to be named an Olympian, joining Eugene Botes (South Africa, 2004), Jane Barkman Brown (USA, 1968 and 1972) and Mary Ellen Clark (USA, 1992 and 1996). Barkman Brown was a two-time gold medalist on the 4x100 freestyle relay teams. Clark earned bronze medals at the 1992 and 1996 games in 10m platform diving. Ryan also competed at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Shane Ryan
Ireland, 100 Butterfly, 800 Freestyle Relay
800 Freestyle Relay
Tuesday, 7/27 – 7:15 am ET prelim/11:25 pm ET final
100 Butterfly
Thursday, 7/29 – 6:50 am ET prelim/9:30 pm ET semifinals
Friday, 7/30 – 9:30 pm ET final
The Havertown, Pennsylvania, native is set to compete in the 100 Butterfly and 800 Freestyle Relay for Ireland, where his father originally hails from and Ryan gained residency. After reaching the semifinals in the 100 back at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, he has also won gold in the 50 back at the 2017 World University Games and earned bronze in the event at both the 2018 World Short Course Championships and 2018 European Long Course Championships.
During his time as a Nittany Lion, Ryan was a five-time gold medalist at the Big Ten Championships in the 100 back ('14, '15, '17) and the 100 free ('14, '17). He was named the 2014 Swimmer of the Big Ten Championships for his five podium finishes in the 50 free, 100 free, 100 back, 200 free relay and 400 free relay. Ryan also had two NCAA Championship podium finishes in his career after setting a school-record and winning silver in the 100 back ('14) and winning bronze a year later in the same event. He still holds the school record in six events (50 free, 100 free, 100 back, 200 & 400 medley relay and 400 free relay).
Gabe Castaño
Mexico, 50 Freestyle
Friday, 7/30 – 6 am ET prelim/10:10 pm ET semifinals
Saturday, 7/31 – 9:30 pm ET final
In late June, Castaño beat his own 50 freestyle Mexican national record by winning the event at the Swim Meet of Champions on June 28, earning a 22.06. He slashed .05 off his previous best, during a time trial, to achieve the FINA 'A' Standard automatic qualification time of 22.01. Castaño also swam the lead leg on Mexico's record-setting 4x100m freestyle relay at the Pan American Games in 2019.
The Nittany Lion ranks in the top five of two individual events at Penn State, second in the 50-yard freestyle and fourth on the 100-yard freestyle chart. He was a 2021 NCAA Championships participant as a member of Nittany Lions' record-setting 200 freestyle and 200 medley relay teams. He earned honorable-mention All-America status as part of the 200 freestyle relay and finished 26th in the individual 50 freestyle event.
Melissa Rodriguez
Mexico, 100 Breaststroke/200 Breaststroke
100 Breaststroke –
Sunday, 7/25 – 6:45 am ET prelim/9:50 pm ET semifinals
Monday, 7/26 – 10:15 pm ET final
200 Breaststroke –
Wednesday, 7/28 – 6:40 am ET prelim/10:50 pm ET semifinals
Thursday, 7/29 – 9:40 pm ET final
Rodriguez was named to the Mexican Olympic Women's Swimming team on July 2 and will compete in the 100 and 200 breaststroke events. The Mexican national record holder in the long-course 50, 100 and 200 breaststroke, Rodriguez competed in the NCAA Championships all four years of her career as a Nittany Lion and earned honorable-mention All-America honors.
Rodriguez set Penn State's 200 breaststroke record (2:07.80) with her 11th-place finish at the 2016 NCAA Championships, cutting nearly four seconds off the previous best mark. Her 100 breaststroke time is fourth all-time on the Nittany Lion list and she swam the breaststroke leg of the 400 medley relay team that held the program record from 2014-20.
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Daily Schedule (All times Eastern)
Sunday, 7/25 –
6:45 am – 100 Breaststroke prelim (Rodriguez)
9:50 pm – 100 Breaststroke semifinals (Rodriguez)
Monday, 7/26 –
10:15 pm – 100 Breaststroke final (Rodriguez)
Tuesday, 7/27 –
7:15 am – 800 Freestyle Relay prelim (Ryan)
11:25 pm – 800 Freestyle Relay final (Ryan)
Wednesday, 7/28 –
6:40 am – 200 Breaststroke prelim (Rodriguez)
10:50 pm – 200 Breaststroke semifinals (Rodriguez)
Thursday, 7/29 –
6:50 am – 100 Butterfly prelim (Ryan)
9:30 pm – 100 Butterfly semifinals (Ryan)
9:40 pm – 200 Breaststroke final (Rodriguez)
Friday, 7/30 –
6 am – 50 Freestyle prelim (Castano)
9:30 pm – 100 Butterfly final (Ryan)
10:10 pm – 50 freestyle semifinals (Castano)
Saturday, 7/31 –
9:30 pm – 50 freestyle final (Castano)
