By Neil Schmidt
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Here's a sport-by-sport look at athletes with Tristate ties who figure to contend for U.S. Olympic berths, alphabetized by sport. Projections about the Olympic team's chances of each are based on discussions with officials from the respective governing bodies.

ARCHERY

Jason McKittrick, a 29-year-old native of Batesville, Ind., who lives in Holton, Ind., was an alternate on the three-man Olympic team in 2000. He's ranked third nationally. The Trials will be held June 14-19 at Mason's Heritage Oak Park.

BOXING

Cincinnati's Ron Siler, 23, has been jockeying for two years with Texan Raul Martinez atop the 112-pound (flyweight) rankings. They are considered the primary competitors for that Olympic spot.

Western Hills student Rau'shee Warren, 17, is ranked No. 7 at 106 (light flyweight) but is considered one of the top three at that weight.

Qualifying is done via a double-elimination format, beginning Monday at the Team Trials in Tunica, Miss. The top two at each weight meet in the Box-Offs Feb. 27-28 in Cleveland.

DIVING

Anderson grad Nicci Fusaro, a senior at Southern California, is a three-time member of the national team. She placed 10th on the 3-meter springboard at the 2000 Trials and is considered one of the top 10 in that event, though just one or two will qualify for the Olympics. Trials are June 7-13 in St. Peters, Mo.

GYMNASTICS

Cincinnati Christian student Samantha Sheehan, 17, is considered one of a dozen girls competing for six Olympic spots. The Olympic qualifying formula is based about 30 percent on scores at the U.S. Championships (June 2-5 in Nashville, Tenn.), about 30 percent on scores at the Trials (June 24-27 in Anaheim, Calif.), and the rest on judging at a training camp in July in Houston.

Mason grad D.J. Bucher, 19, is a long shot in the men's competition and is more on track for the 2008 Games.

ROWING

Kings grad Bryan Volpenhein, 27, was rowing's 2002 male athlete of the year. Having won two world championships and competed in the 2000 Olympics, he appears a cinch for a return trip.

Wyoming grad Greg Ruckman, 30, and Walnut Hills grad Kelly Salchow, 30, were both 2000 Olympians and are likely to make the team again. St. Xavier grad Pat Todd, 24, is also a contender.

After a complicated qualification process, the full teams will be named by U.S. coaches July 7.

SHOOTING

Jason Parker, a 1996 Xavier graduate, took fifth in the 2000

Olympics in air rifle and was USA Shooting's co-athlete of the year for rifle in 2003. He's expected to secure at least one Olympic spot during the May 21-30 Trials in Fort Jennings, Ga.

Hannah Kerr, a Xavier junior, is on the U.S. national team and will be a contender in two rifle disciplines.

SOCCER

Back from a broken leg that prevented her from making the World Cup team, St. Ursula grad Heather Mitts, 25, is on the U.S. roster for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament, beginning Feb. 25 in Costa Rica. Mitts, a defender, is on the bubble for the final spots on the 20-woman roster, to be named by national team coaches in July.

SWIMMING

Covington Catholic grad Nate Dusing, a 2000 Olympic silver medalist in the 800-meter freestyle relay, was the top American in 2002 in the 200 free.

The 25-year-old appears in great shape to make another Olympics, in part because the top six finishers in the 200 at the Trials go to Athens. The Trials are July 7-14 in Long Beach, Calif.

Sycamore grad Dan Ketchum, 22, also specializes in the 200 free and will contend for an Olympic relay spot. St. Xavier grad Jayme Cramer, 21, could make finals in a few events but is a long shot to make the team.

Ursuline grad Erin Phenix, 22, won Olympic gold in 2000 on the 400 free relay, but she would have to pull a surprise to make the team again. Oxford native Whitney Myers, 19, is a long shot and more likely to contend in 2008.

SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING

Becky Jasontek, 28, a Loveland native living in Santa Clara, Calif., already has qualified for the Olympics.

TAEKWONDO

Sycamore High graduate Jamie Hamilton, one of the top-ranked female heavyweights in the nation, won't be going to the Olympics. In a complicated qualification process, the U.S. team secured only one women's Olympic spot: featherweight.

TRACK

Wyoming grad and University of Cincinnati senior David Payne will run the 110-meter hurdles at the Trials, to be held July 9-18 in Sacramento, Calif. He's among the top 15 hurdlers, but only three go to the Games.

Mary Danner, a 2002 UC grad, anchored the U.S. national team's bronze-medal 1,600-meter relay team at the 2003 World Indoors. She might contend for a relay spot because the top six in the 400 meters generally make the team.

Amelia grad Andrea Morgan, NCAA Division II runner-up in the 800 last year, appears a long shot in that event.

E-mail nschmidt@enquirer.com