Each week in the lead up to the Nov. 19 Golden Goggle Awards, USA Swimming will highlight one of the eight award categories.

Full event details, including table and seat purchasing opportunities, can be found at GoldenGoggles.com.

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BREAKOUT PERFORMER OF THE YEAR

Mallory Comerford
In her long-course international debut, Mallory Comerford was a standout for Team USA at the 2017 FINA World Championships with five relay gold medals – 4x100m medley, 4x100m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle, mixed 4x100m medley and mixed 4x100m freestyle. She also briefly held the American record in the 100m free in Budapest with a leadoff split of 52.59 in the 4x100m free relay. The University of Louisville star won the 100m free title at the 2017 Phillips 66 National Championships and earlier in the year tied Katie Ledecky for the NCAA title in the 200y free. 

Madisyn Cox
Madisyn Cox made the most of her FINA World Championships debut, surging to bronze in the 200m individual medley and earning gold as a member of the 4x200m freestyle relay in Budapest. After qualifying sixth in the 200m IM semifinals, Cox climbed from fifth at the 150-meter mark over the freestyle leg to touch in 2:09.71 and claim the bronze medal. At the 2017 Phillips 66 National Championships, Cox placed second in the 200m IM and she was third in the 200y and 400y IM at the 2017 NCAA Championships as a Texas senior.

Bethany Galat
After just missing a spot on the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team in two events, Bethany Galat had a stellar long-course international debut in 2017. At the FINA World Championships, the Texas A&M standout surged from sixth at the 150m mark to earn silver in the 200m breaststroke in a lifetime best of 2:21.77. Earlier in the year, she was second at the 2017 Phillips 66 National Championships in the 200m breast and posted a pair of top-five finishes for the Aggies at the 2017 NCAA Championships.

Townley Haas
A 2016 U.S. Olympian, Townley Haas built on his Rio experience and raced his way to five medals at the 2017 FINA World Championships. Individually, Haas claimed silver in the 200m freestyle in 1:45.04. The Texas standout added four relay medals in Budapest – gold in the 4x100m free, 4x100m medley and mixed 4x100m free; and bronze in the 4x200m free. Haas won the 200m free title at the 2017 Phillips 66 National Championships and the 200y free title at the 2017 NCAA Championships.