Ultra Swim Swimmer of the Month is a recurring SwimSwam feature shedding light on a U.S.-based swimmer who has proven themselves over the past month. As with any item of recognition, Swimmer of the Month is a subjective exercise meant to highlight one athlete whose work holds noteworthy context – perhaps a swimmer who was visibly outperforming other swimmers over the month, or one whose accomplishments slipped through the cracks among other high-profile swims. If your favorite athlete wasn’t selected, feel free to respectfully recognize them in our comment section.
Following up a strong first semester of college at Cal, Ryan Erisman kicked off 2026 with a bang at the Pro Swim Series in Austin in mid-January, helping earn him Ultra Swimmer of the Month honors.
The 19-year-old set new best times in four of the six events he raced in Austin, highlighted by the 200 free, where he dropped nearly a full second off his PB to clock 1:46.66 and pick up the victory over a stacked field that included four of the top seven finishers in the event from the 2025 National Championships.
That performance improved on Erisman’s previous best of 1:47.52, set at those same Nationals where he finished 16th.
The Laker Swim product also won the 400 free at the PSS in a time of 3:46.75, the second-fastest of his career after breaking the 17-18 National Age Group Record last year at Nationals in 3:46.01.
He added a trio of 3rd-place finishes in Austin in the 800 free (7:51.87), 1500 free (15:06.94) and 200 fly (1:58.00), setting new best times in the latter two, and added another PB in the 100 free (49.98).
Erisman’s momentum continued into the college season, as on Thursday, Jan. 29, against Pacific, the Cal freshman set new best times en route to victories in the 200 free (1:33.28) and 200 back (1:45.03), getting under the NCAA qualifying standard in the former.
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