June 9-17 competition dates set as Indiana Sports Corp names five leaders to guide local planning 

INDIANAPOLIS – The dates are set for the 2028 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Swimming in Indianapolis, with the nation’s top swimmers set to compete at Lucas Oil Stadium June 9-17, 2028. 

The nine-day competition will determine the swimmers who will represent Team USA at the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028. Indianapolis was previously announced as host of the 2028 Trials following a record-breaking event in 2024 that welcomed more than 285,000 fans across nine days and generated more than $132 million in economic impact for the city. 

The 2024 Trials marked the first time the event was held in an NFL stadium, transforming Lucas Oil Stadium into a world-class swimming venue and setting new attendance records for the sport. The 2028 event will build on that foundation as Indianapolis prepares to welcome back athletes, fans, and the swimming community on the road to LA28. 

Indianapolis Leadership Set for 2028 

With competition dates now set, Indiana Sports Corp has also announced five leaders who will guide local planning for the 2028 Trials, including two Indiana Sports Corp staff leads and three Local Organizing Committee (LOC) co-chairs. 

The leadership structure builds on the experience of hosting the Trials in 2024 while creating dedicated areas of focus around partnerships and outreach, community impact, meet operations, and event experience.  

Ashleigh Newbold, Vice President of Engagement at Indiana Sports Corp, will serve as Championship Director, leading Indiana Sports Corp’s overall planning and strategy for the Trials. Newbold will act as the primary Indiana Sports Corp lead working across USA Swimming, Indiana Sports Corp leadership, and the LOC to align priorities and guide planning throughout the championship. Her role will have a particular focus on the Trials’ partnerships, outreach, and community impact efforts. 

Luke Hyvonen, Vice President of Events at Indiana Sports Corp, will serve as Operations Director, leading the day-to-day operational planning for the Trials and surrounding events. Hyvonen will work across event teams to manage key milestones and deliverables, with a focus on meet operations along with the athlete, fan, and overall event experience. 

Three local business and community leaders will serve as LOC co-chairs, providing volunteer leadership across key areas of the championship. Together, they will help establish priorities, engage business and community leaders, build awareness, and advocate for the Trials throughout the planning process. 

Scott Davison, Chairman, President, and CEO of OneAmerica Financial, will return to the LOC leadership team as Co-Chair of Partnerships & Outreach. Davison previously served as Co-Chair of the Local Organizing Committee for the record-breaking 2024 Trials and brings decades of business and civic leadership to the role. In 2028, he will help strengthen corporate, civic, and community support for the Trials, with a focus on partnerships, sponsorship and fundraising support, stakeholder engagement, and increasing awareness throughout Indiana and beyond. 

Erica Watkins, Senior Director, Masterbrand Experiential Marketing at Eli Lilly and Company, will serve as Co-Chair of Community Impact. Watkins brings two decades of experience building brands through partnerships and currently helps lead experiential strategy across Lilly’s sports, entertainment, and talent partnerships, including Team USA and several Indiana professional sports organizations. As co-chair, Watkins will help guide efforts to ensure the Trials create a lasting impact beyond competition, with an emphasis on swimming and water safety, family engagement, inclusion and accessibility, and community partnerships. She will also help connect local organizations and residents to the Olympic movement and opportunities surrounding the Trials. 

A key part of that work will be the continued growth of Swim IN Safety presented by Lilly & OneAmerica Financial Foundation, a water safety initiative established by Indiana Sports Corp and USA Swimming as a legacy project of the 2024 Trials. The program will continue through 2028, building on the momentum to expand access to swimming and water safety education throughout Indiana. 

Mike Dilts, Executive Chairman of Shiel Sexton, will serve as Co-Chair of Meet Operations & Event Experience. Dilts brings more than four decades of experience in the construction industry and extensive involvement with major projects and community organizations throughout Indianapolis, including Indiana Sports Corp. His major-event experience includes leadership and planning roles for Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis, including involvement with the NFL Practice Facility and Village Planning committees. As co-chair, Dilts will provide strategic guidance around operational readiness and the experience of athletes, fans, volunteers, and other event stakeholders, helping identify opportunities to enhance the championship experience and deliver another world-class Olympic qualification event. 

Hear from 2028 Trials Leadership

Ashleigh Newbold, Championship Director 
“Hosting the Trials in 2024 showed what is possible when our community comes together around an event of this scale. As we look toward 2028, we have the opportunity to build on that experience, strengthen the partnerships that make the Trials possible, and be intentional about the impact we want to create for Indianapolis and communities across Indiana.” 

Luke Hyvonen, Operations Director 
“An event of this scale is built through years of planning and collaboration across countless teams and partners. Having our dates set gives us another important milestone as we work toward 2028. I’m excited to help build on what our team delivered in 2024 and create an outstanding experience for the athletes, fans, volunteers, and everyone who will be part of the Trials.” 

Scott Davison, Co-Chair, Partnerships & Outreach
“The support Indianapolis showed for the Trials in 2024 was remarkable, from our business and civic community to the fans who filled Lucas Oil Stadium. Having been part of that effort, I saw firsthand what is possible when this community rallies around a major event. We have an opportunity to build on that momentum in 2028, bring even more people and organizations into the experience, and create another special moment for Indianapolis.” 

Erica Watkins, Co-Chair, Community Impact 
“The Trials give us an incredible platform to connect people to the Olympic movement, but the opportunity extends far beyond nine days of competition. Through Swim IN Safety and the broader community efforts surrounding the Trials, we can expand access to swimming and water safety, create meaningful connections throughout our community, and build a legacy that continues well beyond 2028.” 

Mike Dilts, Co-Chair, Meet Operations & Event Experience 
“Indianapolis has earned its reputation for delivering major sporting events at the highest level, and 2024 gave us a strong foundation to build from. Our focus for 2028 will be on every part of the experience, from the athletes competing for a place on Team USA to the fans, volunteers, and partners who help make an event of this scale possible.” 

Partnership and sponsorship opportunities are available for businesses and organizations interested in supporting the 2028 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Swimming. For more information, contact Christina Toler at ctoler@indianasportscorp.org. 

Additional information on the 2028 Trials leadership team and Local Organizing Committee is available at Indianasportscorp.org/trials. Additional opportunities for community involvement, ticket information, and other event updates will be announced as planning continues. 

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About Indiana Sports Corp
Founded in 1979 as the nation’s first sports commission, Indiana Sports Corp is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to creating positive impact by hosting world-class sporting events. These events drive economic vitality, foster a vibrant community with civic pride, generate national and international media attention, and champion access and education through sport. For more information, please visit IndianaSportsCorp.org.

About USA Swimming 
As the National Governing Body for the sport of swimming in the United States, USA Swimming is a 380,000-member service organization that promotes the culture of swimming by creating opportunities for swimmers and coaches of all backgrounds to participate and advance in the sport through clubs, events and education. Our membership is comprised of swimmers from the age group level to the Olympic Team, as well as coaches and volunteers. USA Swimming is responsible for selecting and training teams for international competitions including the Olympic Games and strives to serve the sport through its core objectives. For more information, visit www.usaswimming.org.