USA Swimming announces Golden Goggles nominees; how to vote

USA Swimming announced nominees for its annual Golden Goggle Awards, which will be Sept. 26 in Denver.

Golden Goggles are largely based on performances at major international meets.

In 2026, that meet was the Pan Pacific Championships in Irvine, California, the biggest international meet held in the U.S. in 16 years.

The U.S. topped the medal standings with 50 total and 19 golds at Pan Pacs, a meet for nations outside of Europe.

The public can vote for the awards here through Sept. 6.

2026 Golden Goggle Awards Nominees

Female Athlete of the Year
Katharine Berkoff — Pan Pacs champ in 50m backstroke (American record), 100m back

Kate Douglass — Pan Pacs champ in 50m freestyle (world record); broke American record in 100m free leading off a relay

Katie Ledecky — Pan Pacs champ in 1500m freestyle

Gretchen Walsh — Pan Pacs champ in 50m butterfly, 100m butterfly (broke world record earlier in 2026)

Male Athlete of the Year
Jack Alexy — Pan Pacs champ in 100m freestyle

Luke Hobson — Pan Pacs champ in 200m freestyle

Van Mathias — Pan Pacs champ in 100m breaststroke; broke American records in 50m ,100m breaststrokes earlier in 2026

Quintin McCarty — Pan Pacs champ in 50m backstroke

Coach of the Year
Bob Bowman (University of Texas)

Todd DeSorbo (University of Virginia)

Braden Holloway (North Carolina State)

Ray Looze (Indiana University

Open Water Swimmer of the Year
Josh Brown

Mariah Denigan

Becca Mann

Ivan Puskovitch

Relay Performance of the Year
Mixed 4x100m Medley (Will Modglin, Van Mathias, Gretchen Walsh, Kate Douglass)

Men’s 4x200m Freestyle (Luke Hobson, Aaron Shackell, Patrick Sammon, Gabriel Jett)

Women’s 4x100m Freestyle (Kate Douglass, Gretchen Walsh, Torri Huske, Simone Manuel)

Men’s 4x100m Medley (Will Modglin, Van Mathias, Luca Urlando, Jack Alexy)

Breakout Performer of the Year
Van Mathias

Luka Mijatovic

Anna Moesch

McKenzie Siroky

Isabelle Stadden

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