Erin Voss looks at Missy Franklin and Katie Ledecky as peers.
The former Northampton High School swimmer, Stanford-bound in the fall, has swam at enough national- and international-level meets to not gasp at the sight of Olympians.
“I’ve been to so many meets that they’re at,” Voss said. “It’s really cool, but I’m used to it.”
Voss will swim at the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials, held Sunday through July 3 in Omaha, Nebraska.
“The international and national experience I’ve had, it’s similar, but it’s not at the same level,” Voss aid. “There’s just a different energy in the atmosphere with Olympic qualification on the line.”
Ledecky and Voss will be Cardinal teammates in the fall, while Franklin is among the favorites in Voss’ two events.
Voss qualified in the summer of 2014 in the 200-meter backstroke.
The 100 backstroke followed the next summer.
“The 200 is my best event,” Voss said. “In the 200, I’m more of a back-half swimmer and my endurance makes me so good at the 200.”
Her seed time of 2 minutes, 10.2 seconds ranks ninth.
Franklin set the world record of 2:00.3 in 2011, but is seeded first at 2:06.34.
Voss doesn’t aspire to the top two spots and an Olympic berth.
Her goal is to climb into the top eight after Friday’s prelims and semifinals to reach Saturday’s final.
“I want to swim my own race, I want to make the top eight,” Voss said. “You can’t ask for much more than that. You can’t control what other people do.”
Voss ranks 29th in the 100 at 1:01.63.
Three-time Olympian Natalie Coughlin tops the field at 59.05.
Voss also qualified for the 400 individual medley, but decided not to swim it.
“A lot of people love racing, and I love racing,” Voss said. “But I also really like the training part of swimming. In practice I always set mini goals for myself. It’s rewarding to achieve them every day. For the experience to come out here, it’s a once in a lifetime.”
NOTE: Voss, who did not compete for the Blue Devils during junior and senior seasons, switched swim clubs.
Voss followed coach Nick Rice from the Holyoke YMCA Vikings club team to Bluefish Swim Club, an eastern Massachusetts club that set up a branch at Williston Northampton decided to launch a USA swim program on its campus.
Kyle Grabowski can be reached at kgrabowski@gazettenet.com.