SW Biweekly April 7, 2022 Issue

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CONTENTS

SWIMMING WORLD BIWEEKLY APRIL 2022 | ISSUE 07

008 CLAIRE CURZAN SET TO SHINE AT TRIALS AFTER ANOTHER FOUR-WIN PRO SERIES IN SAN ANTONIO

by David Rieder This upcoming LC championship season presents a big opportunity for Olympian Claire Curzan, 17. Her recent success at the SCM Worlds in Abu Dhabi (six medals) and the first two stops of the TYR Pro Swim Series (four wins at each) has been phenomenal.

026 INTERIM ASSISTANT COACH DAVID MARSH MAKES IMPACT ON CAL MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP RUN

by David Rieder Cal men’s coach Dave Durden once worked for legend David Marsh as an assistant when Marsh was leading Auburn to NCAA titles. With Cal assistant Chase Kreitler and his wife expecting their first child, Durden asked Marsh to come to Cal as the interim assistant coach for the season’s final two months.

010 DESPITE DOPING BAN, CONOR DWYER TO BE INDUCTED INTO UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA HALL OF FAME

by David Rieder Conor Dwyer, three-time U.S. Olympic medalist (2 golds, 1 bronze, 2012-16) and former Gators star (2010-11), will be inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame in October.

027 LUCA URLANDO TAKES DOWN RYAN MURPHY’S AMERICAN RECORD IN 100 BACKSTROKE

by David Rieder Georgia sophomore Luca Urlando has developed into one of the best butterflyers in the United States over the past few years, but in leading off the Bulldogs’ 400 medley relay, Urlando used his phenomenal underwaters to blast out in front of the field, finishing 100 yards of backstroke in 43.35—an American, U.S. Open and NCAA record!

012 KATIE GRIMES, FRENCHMAN AXEL REYMOND WIN 10K TITLES AT OPEN WATER NATIONALS

by Matthew De George Katie Grimes and Frenchman Axel Reymond opened the 2022 U.S. Open Water Nationals recently with wins in the 10K race.

013 USA SWIMMING CONFIRMS INDIANAPOLIS WILL HOST 2024 OLYMPIC SWIMMING TRIALS

by Matthew De George The 2024 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials will be held in Indianapolis in Lucas Oil Stadium, home of NFL’s Indianapolis Colts.

014 THREE-TIME OLYMPIAN HALEY ANDERSON ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

by Matthew De George 015 GRANT SHOULTS TO RETIRE AFTER MISSION VIEJO MEET

by Matthew De George 016 OH SO FAST!!

On the following pages, Swimming World shares the many highlights of the Men's NCAA Division I Swimming and Diving Championships, March 23-26, at Georgia Tech in Atlanta—a meet that featured a return to the top of the podium for the University of California-Berkeley.

018 A CAL TRADITION: GOLDEN BEARS’ LATEST NCAA TITLE EARNED THROUGH POWER AND DEPTH—AND EXPECTATION

by John Lohn California won its seventh men’s NCAA team title—and fifth since the 2000 campaign and of the Coach Dave Durden era.

The 2022 campaign marks the 12th consecutive time in which Cal has finished either first or second in the men’s NCAA team standings.

020 AFTER STRONG SEASON, STANFORD MEN SEEKING RETURN TO NCAA POWERHOUSE STATUS

by John Lohn With the progress made since Dan Schemmel was hired as men’s swimming coach in May 2019, it should not be long until the Cardinal are a perennial top-five team and potential NCAA contenders.

022 THE BOB BOWMAN REDSHIRT EXPERIMENT PAID MAJOR DIVIDENDS FOR ARIZONA STATE

by John Lohn Because of the pandemic, Arizona State took a redshirt year for the 2020-21 swim season. Nearly two years later, the decision has proven wise, with Coach Bob Bowman’s Sun Devils finishing sixth in the men’s NCAA team standings for the school’s best finish in 40 years.

024 AFTER U-TURN ON RETIREMENT, EDDIE REESE ON DECK OF NCAA CHAMPS IS PERFECT SIGHT

by John Lohn Despite announcing his retirement as University of Texas head coach last year, for now—and until he decides otherwise— Eddie Reese continues at the helm of the Texas program, doing what he does best: producing championship-chasing squads.

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029 2022 SWIM CAMP DIRECTORY 034 BOBBY FINKE DOMINATES 1650 FREESTYLE; FIFTH-FASTEST TIME EVER DESPITE “SLOPPY” SWIM

by David Rieder A year ago, Florida’s Bobby Finke won his first NCAA title in the 1650. In 2022, the American record holder in the mile and 800-1500 Olympic gold medalist has become the most dominant distance swimmer in the United States.

036 DREW KIBLER LIGHTS UP BACK HALF TO CLAIM 200 FREESTYLE CROWN

by David Rieder The University of Texas won its 15th NCAA team title last year without the benefit of an individual champion. That changed this year, as Drew Kibler was the “Lone Star” to touch first in an individual event.

037 KACPER STOKOWSKI ON SWEEPING 100 BACKSTROKE WINS WITH BERKOFF: “NC STATE KNOWS HOW TO COACH BACKSTROKE”

by Dan D’Addona After finishing second in the 100 back at last year’s NCAAs, NC State’s Kacper Stokowski put together a late charge that got him to the wall in 44.04 for his first NCAA victory.

038 LEON MARCHAND BREAKS DRESSEL 200 IM MARK WITH 1:37.69

by Matthew De George ASU’s Leon Marchand added his name to the list of international freshmen to make massive impacts on the college scene, winning the 200 IM in 1:37.69 to better the NCAA record set in 2018 by Florida’s Caeleb Dressel.

039 BRENDAN BURNS SPRINGS SURPRISE IN 200 FLY

by Matthew De George Indiana junior Brendan Burns led the 200 fly from start to finish to capture his first national title. It was a magnificent race in which the top four finishers were separated by only 29-hundredths of a second.

040 MATTHEW SATES SETS 500 FREE MEET RECORD IN JUST FOURTH-EVER 500 SWIM

by Dan D’Addona Joining Georgia at midseason, Matthew Sates set a goal to win the 500 at NCAAs. The freshman from Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, led a 1-2 Bulldog finish, using a late charge to set a meet record of 4:06.61, ahead of last year’s champ, Jake Magahey.

041 IT’S A SPRINGBOARD DOUBLE FOR TEXAS A&M’S KURTIS MATHEWS

by John Lohn On back-to-back days, Texas A&M’s Kurtis Mathews turned in a springboard sweep, both times beating Indiana’s Andrew Capobianco, who won the 3-meter competition in 2019 and 2021. When Mathews won the 1-meter, it marked the first time a male diver from A&M had claimed an NCAA title.

042 HOW THEY TRAIN CLAIRE DAFOE

by Michael J. Stott

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Claire Curzan Set to Shine at Trials After Another Four-Win Pro Series in San Antonio

BY DAVID RIEDER

L

ess than one year ago, Claire Curzan arrived at her first Olympic Trials on an incredible hot streak. Curzan was already setting national high school records before the COVID-19 pandemic brought competitive swimming to a halt, but she returned in the fall of 2020 and began quickly crushing her lifetime-best marks. Had the 2020 Olympics gone as scheduled, Curzan may have had an outside chance at qualifying to represent the U.S., but she undoubtedly benefitted from the one-year delay.

At her first Olympic Trials, Curzan finished second to fellow teenager Torri Huske in the 100 butterfly, touching out Kate Douglass by 0.13 while veteran Kelsi Dahlia ended up fourth.

However, Curzan could not equal her best form at Trials, and after entering as a contender in the 100 backstroke and the sprint freestyles, she ended up not qualifying for another final the rest of the meet.

In Tokyo, Curzan finished 10th in the 100 fly semifinals, more than a second off her best time. She ended up grabbing a silver medal later on after swimming on the U.S. women’s 400 medley relay in prelims. Her Olympic debut was not perfect, but the setback turned out to be very temporary.

At the Short Course World Championships in Abu Dhabi, Curzan captured six medals, including individual bronzes in the 50 fly and 100 fly, and she was part of two goldmedal-winning U.S. relays. The winter short course yards season saw her lower the American record in the 100 fly (since broken) and set a national high school record in the 100 back. She is admittedly not fond of the 200 fly, but at a Sectionals meet in March, she swam a 1:50.85 that was just 8

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six hundredths slower than the winning time in that event at the NCAA Championships.

And through the year’s two stops on the TYR Pro Swim Series, she has been phenomenal, picking up four wins at each. Her season-best times include a 56.89 in the 100 fly, 24.43 in the 50 free, 53.68 in the 100 free, 58.73 in the 100 back and 2:07.31 in the 200 back. With just three weeks to go before the U.S. International Team Trials, Curzan ranks first in the country in all five events.

With those times, Curzan is still slightly off her lifetime bests from last spring in the sprint freestyles and about seven tenths off in the 100 fly, but it’s worth noting that she recorded all of those times while racing at local meets at her home pool in Cary, N.C., a completely different environment than against national-level competition at a Pro Series meet.

For instance, in her 100 free victory in San Antonio Saturday evening, Curzan touched four tenths ahead of a field that included Erika Brown and Natalie Hinds, both members of the U.S. women’s bronze-medal-winning 400 free relay in Tokyo. The fourth-place swimmer in that race was Katie Ledecky, merely the top female swimmer of this generation.

The more-laid-back format of this year’s Trials sets up well for Curzan to try to earn a spot on the U.S. team for the Budapest World Championships in multiple events. Over the five day meet, she could race one or two events per day, with the 50s of stroke included, and she will not have to worry about semifinals at this meet. Curzan’s schedule could include:

[ Photo by Andrea Masini / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto ]

Tuesday, April 26: 100 freestyle Wednesday, April 27: 200 backstroke, 50 butterfly Thursday, April 28: 100 butterfly, 50 backstroke Friday, April 29: 100 backstroke Saturday, April 30: 50 freestyle If Curzan and coach Bruce Marchionda opt to stick with one event per day, the guess is that the 50 and 200 back would be the first to drop off the program. But the schedule should line up for Curzan to throw her hat in the ring for the 100 back, widely considered the most competitive event in the United States. Curzan dropped the event at last year’s Olympic Trials because the prelims would take place the morning of the 100 fly final.

In the 100 back, Regan Smith and Rhyan White finished third and fourth, respectively, at the Olympics, and the Trials field will also feature 100-yard back American-record holder Katharine Berkoff, 2019 World Championships bronze medalist Olivia Smoliga and former world-record holder Kathleen Baker. But this weekend in San Antonio, Curzan beat a field including White and Smoliga by more than a second.

In the sprint freestyle events, Curzan would need to drop more time to be competitive internationally, but her swims are certainly promising in events that were among the weakest for Team USA last summer. Simone Manuel had an off year in 2021 and has not competed since the Tokyo Olympics while Abbey Weitzeil was the top U.S. finisher in both the 50 and 100 free in Tokyo, finishing eighth in both events. The American women fell to third in the 400 free relay, more than three seconds behind gold medalist Australia.

The 100 fly, meanwhile, sets up as an incredibly intriguing showdown for Trials. Remember that 100 fly American record Curzan set in February? Her mark of 49.24 lasted just over a month before Douglass (49.04) and Huske (49.17) beat it while finishing 1-2 at the NCAA Championships. All three will take impressive form into the long course showdown in Greensboro, while Dahlia is still lurking after she set the world record in the short course meters 100 fly in December.

This upcoming long course championship season presents a big opportunity for Curzan, who will not turn 18 until the end of June. Curzan entered last summer also riding some high expectations after an incredible April and May, but her Olympic experience and her recent success in big meets as far apart as Abu Dhabi and San Antonio should set her up for more success this time around. ◄ BIWEEKLY

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[ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

Despite Doping Ban, Conor Dwyer to Be Inducted Into University of Florida Hall of Fame

BY DAVID RIEDER

T

wo-time U.S. Olympian and former Gators star Conor Dwyer will be inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame, the school announced last week.

Dwyer and six other athletes, including active NFL player

Joe Haden and active Major League Baseball catcher Mike Zunino, will be recognized on Friday, October 7, the night before Florida hosts the University of Missouri in football.

The decision to induct Dwyer is debatable, given the doping penalty levied against him late in his career.

Welcome TO A WATER WONDERLAND

Dwyer swam for Florida for two seasons, in 2010 and 2011, after he transferred from the University of Illinois. Dwyer broke out onto the national scene when he won NCAA titles in the 200 and 500-yard freestyle at the 2010 NCAA Championships, and two years later, he qualified to represent the United States at the 2012 Olympics in London, where he swam the second leg of the men’s 800 freestyle relay that captured a gold medal.

Four years later in Rio, Dwyer led off the U.S. foursome that again won gold in the 800 free relay, and he also earned Olympic bronze in the 200 free. Dwyer also captured numerous World Championship medals, including an individual silver in the 200 free in 2013.

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However, Dwyer left the sport under a dark cloud. Dwyer had qualified for the 2019 World Championships as a relay swimmer, but his name was removed from the U.S. roster two months before the meet. Later, news emerged that Dwyer had tested positive for an anabolic substance in three consecutive out-of-competition tests, and the United States Anti-Doping Agency determined that Dwyer had inserted testosterone pellets into his body. As a result, Dwyer received a 20-month suspension, and he announced his retirement from swimming shortly thereafter. ◄

[ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

>> Katie Grimes

Katie Grimes, Frenchman Axel Reymond Win 10K Titles at Open Water Nationals

BY MATTHEW DE GEORGE

K

atie Grimes and Frenchman Axel Reymond opened the 2022 Open Water Nationals with wins in the 10-kilometer race Friday.

Friday’s races in Fort Myers Beach, Fla., kick off three straight days of racing. The top six finishers earn spots on the 2022 U.S. Open Water National Team, from May 1-Oct. 31, 2022. They’ll be in contention for the 2022 Open Water World Championships, as part of the 2022-23 team that is named starting Nov. 1.

Joey Tepper finished fourth with Olympian Michael Brinegar fifth.

Women’s 10K Katie Grimes (Las Vegas, Nev.) 2:16:40* Mariah Denigan (Walton, Ky.) 2:17:50* Caroline Jouisse (France) 2:18:34 Aurelie Muller (France) 2:21:01

Grimes led the women’s field across the line in 2:16:40. She was second to Sandpipers teammate Erica Sullivan after two laps but pulled ahead on the third lap. She outlasted Mariah Denigan down the stretch, winning by a minute and 10 seconds.

Summer Smith (Agawam, Mass./) 2:21:07*

“I really had a good time out there today,” Grimes said.

“The conditions were a little rough, but I’m learning to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. I was swimming with a ton of girls, so I was really happy with the outcome and I’m excited for the next race.”

Brooke Travis (Newark, Del.) 2:25:51*

France picked up three of the top six spots, with Caroline Jouisse third, Aurelie Muller fourth and Caroline Pou sixth.

Summer Smith snuck into that top six in fifth. Sullivan did not finish.

Axel Reymond (France) 2:02.49

In the men’s race, Brennan Gravley led the way through four laps, with Reymond outside the top four. But the Frenchman charged over the final lap to win by four seconds, in 2:02:49.

Gravley was second ahead of brother Dylan Gravley, giving Sandpipers three top-three finishers combined.

Michael Brinegar (Columbus, Ind.) 2:05:44*

“I’m excited,” Brennan Gravley said. “It’s one of my favorite parts of being a USA Swimming athlete, I feel like we have a lot of privileges, especially as open water swimmers. It was a fun venue and it was fun to come out here — even with intense conditions — and I enjoyed it.”

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Caroline Pou (France) 2:21:44 Anna Auld (West Palm Beach, Fla.) 2:21:50* Kensey McMahon (Jacksonville, Fla.) 2:22:00* Blair Stoneburg (Jensen Beach, Fla.) 2:26:58 Men’s 10K

Brennan Gravley (Las Vegas, Nev.) 2:02:53* Dylan Gravley (Las Vegas, Nev.) 2:03:13* Joey Tepper (Egg Harbor Township, N.J.) 2:03:39* Ondrej Zach (Czech Republic) 2:07:40 Simon Lamar (Sonora, Calif.) 2:08:27* David Heron (Mission Viejo, Calif.) 2:10:20* Marcel Schouten (Netherlands) 2:12:03 TC Smith (Bradenton, Fla.) 2:12:09 * U.S. Open Water National Teamers ◄

[ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

USA Swimming Confirms Indianapolis Will Host 2024 Olympic Swimming Trials

BY MATTHEW DE GEORGE

U

SA Swimming has confirmed the report that the 2024 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials are headed to Indianapolis.

The official announcement was made by USA Swimming and Indiana Sports Corp, that the event will take place in Lucas Oil Stadium, the home of NFL’s Indianapolis Colts.

“From day one, I truly believed that there was no bigger, more exciting, everything-on-the-line Olympic event in this country than the Swimming Trials and envisioned the heights that we could take it to,” USA Swimming President & CEO Tim Hinchey III said. “Given their track record, we are incredibly confident and excited in Indianapolis’ ability to conduct a technically flawless competition and to stage a world-class event. We are also proud of Indiana Sports Corp’s commitment to partnering with us in giving back to the local community and leaving a legacy far beyond our nine-day meet.”

Omaha has hosted the past four U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials.

Traditionally taking place every four years, the Olympic Trials rank as the most prestigious swimming event in the United States. The 2024 Olympic Trials will serve as the sole selection meet for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Swimming Team, which will represent Team USA in the pool competition in Paris, France. While Indianapolis last hosted the swimming Trials in 2000, 2024 will mark the 100-year anniversary since Indianapolis hosted the Olympic Swimming Trials for the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris.

“We are honored to be selected as host to the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Swimming,” Indiana Sports Corp President Ryan Vaughn said. “The sports strategy in Indianapolis was built on a foundation of Olympic sports and we look forward to elevating the sport of swimming and Indy’s reputation as the city where champions are crowned through this event. This is a tremendous opportunity to engage our community beyond the competition venue and we look forward to providing a top-tier experience to all involved.”

Three temporary pools, two 50-meter and one 25-meter, will be installed over the field in Lucas Oil Stadium, which is a state-

of-the-art, multi-purpose sports and entertainment venue that has hosted such prestigious events as the National Football League (NFL) Super Bowl, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Men’s Basketball Championship games, the College Football Playoff National Championship, and many others. The Indiana Convention Center, connected to the stadium, will feature USA Swimming’s Toyota Aqua Zone, a can’t-miss fan activation area. The USA Swimming House, a vibrant hospitality hub, will also make its anticipated return and USA Swimming and the Indiana Sports Corp expect to create a city-wide festival throughout the course of the event to celebrate the sport of swimming.

“Indianapolis continues to solidify its place as the top host city in the country,” said Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett.

“One hundred years after the road to swimming in the Paris Summer Olympics went through our city, we’re looking forward to once again highlighting the top athletes in the country. Thanks to the partnership with USA Swimming and Indiana Sports Corp, as well as the team at Lucas Oil Stadium for making this innovative event happen right here in Indianapolis.”

As part of the hosting partnership, USA Swimming and the Indiana Sports Corp will commit a total of $400,000 to Legacy Projects to ensure increased access to water for children in underserved areas of the Indianapolis region.

The entities will work with programs and facilities in need of financial and programmatic assistance, with the ultimate goals of promoting the sport of swimming and the life-saving skills of water safety.

Prior to the pandemic, the 2016 Olympic Trials eclipsed all previous attendance marks with nearly 200,000 spectators across 15 sold-out sessions – in a 14,500-seat venue – and a 30 percent increase in tickets sold over 2012. More than 36 million television viewers watched live primetime coverage from the eight nights of Trials on NBC, and the event generated more than $74 million in economic impact for the city of Omaha.

The U.S. Olympic Team Trials for all sports is a collaborative, three-way partnership between the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), the National Governing Bodies (NGB) and the local organizing committees. ◄ BIWEEKLY

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[ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

Three-Time Olympian Haley Anderson Announces Retirement

BY MATTHEW DE GEORGE

H

aley Anderson, a three-time Olympian and the silver medalist in the 10-kilometer swim at the London Olympics, has announced her retirement.

The 30-year-old made the announcement via social media.

From her post: “Thank you swimming for the friends, teammates and coaches that have come into my life. I’m so lucky to have had all these amazing opportunities that swimming has brought me. The little girl that started swimming on her local summer league team could have never dreamed up this journey.

A very special thank you to my family for supporting me through every success, setback, breakdown, comeback and every stroke in between.

Traveling the world and competing for Team USA these last 13 years has been incredible. And because of those experiences I’m ready to take on this next chapter.”

Anderson is the most decorated American open water swimmer since the addition of the 10k to the Olympic program in 2008. Anderson has represented the U.S. at the last three Games, her high-water mark the silver in the 10K in London in 2012. She finished fifth in Rio and sixth in Tokyo. Both she and Ashley Twichell persevered through the Olympic postponement, despite having long-since qualified for the Games.

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The native of Santa Clara, Calif., has a slew of international accolades, both in open water and in the pool. She excelled at USC as a distance swimmer from 2010-13. At the 2011 World University Games, she won the 1,500 freestyle and earned silver in the 800 free. She’s long been a competitor in both disciplines, though has fallen shy of her goal of representing the U.S. in both the pool and open water at the Olympics.

(She finished fourth at Olympic Trials in 2021 for the first ever women’s Olympic 1,500 free and was third in the 800 free, nipped at the wall by .15 seconds by Katie Grimes.) She also swam in the ISL for the Cali Condors.

Anderson won gold medals in the 5-kilometer swim, which isn’t an Olympic event, at the 2013 and 2015 World Championships. She also helped the U.S. to silver in the team event in 2017 and bronze in 2019, she and Twichell forming a formidable pairing. She qualified for seven World Championships.

Anderson has long been an elder statesmen among the American women’s distance program, mentoring successive generations of rising stars. The cavalcade of congratulations on her Instagram post, from a who’s who of American international swimming, attests to her stature in the community.

Anderson announced that she is taking a job is the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee in Colorado Springs. ◄

[ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

Grant Shoults to Retire After Mission Viejo Meet

BY MATTHEW DE GEORGE

S

tanford swimmer Grant Shoults announced he’ll retire after one last Swim Meet of Champions (SMOC) meet at Mission Viejo.

Shoults made the announcement on social media, bowing out as the Swim Meet of Champions hosted by Mission Viejo, his home pool.

and Santa Margarita Catholic graduate was 2016 Swimming World High School Swimmer of the Year. He set national high school records in the 200 free and 500 free. He won two gold medals and a silver at the 2015 World Junior Championships in Singapore, including gold in the 400 free and silver in the 200 free. He also won bronze in the 400 free to go with 800 free relay silver at the 2017 World University Games. ◄

Shoults posted to his Twitter account: This Friday will mark my last race as a competitive swimmer and I am incredibly excited to do so at my home pool in Mission Viejo (SMOC). Thank you everyone for the amazing support throughout my career and I can’t wait to be light it up in my 1st and last day as a Pro Swimmer!

SUITMATE": Keeping swimmers happy since '83

It brings an end to a long and illustrious career for the graduate student who, ever self-aware, lists his grad year as “Stanford 20-ish”. Shoults utilized a redshirt year for the COVID-19 pandemic and a graduate student year, giving the 24-year-old six years with the Cardinal.

The decision isn’t because Shoults is getting slower: He finished ninth at NCAAs in the 1,650 freestyle, the time of 14:38.18 the second-fastest of his college career. He helped the Cardinal finish seventh in the team standings.

Shoults finishes as a 14-time All-American, 10 of them individual. He’s a three-time Pac-12 champion in the 500 free, finishing third in that event this season and second in the mile. He holds the Stanford record in the 500 free (4:10.02) and is third all-time in the 1,650 and fourth in the 1,000 free. He endured a shoulder surgery in 2019 that cost him significant time in the water.

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A long-time U.S. national teamer, he competed at the 2019 World Championships. The native of Laguna Hills, Calif., BIWEEKLY

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OH SO

FAST!!

On the following pages, Swimming World shares the many highlights of the Men's NCAA Division I Swimming and Diving Championships, March 23-26, at Georgia Tech in Atlanta—a meet that featured a return to the top of the podium for the University of California-Berkeley. [ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

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[ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

>> Dave Durden

A Cal Tradition: Golden Bears’ Latest NCAA Title Earned Through Power and Depth – And Expectation

BY JOHN LOHN

Nathan Adrian and Tom Shields.

of encouragement ahead of a key race.

Jacob Pebley and Josh Prenot.

Nolan Koon.

Seth Stubblefield and Ryan Murphy.

Will Hamilton.

Andrew Seliskar and Ryan Hoffer.

Justin Lynch.

Over the past decade-plus, California has featured some of the biggest names in swimming, guys who excelled individually and simultaneously recognized the team aspect of the sport.

They gave their all for the Golden Bears and coach Dave Durden, proud to be part of a program that is rich in tradition and – for as long as anyone can imagine – will be a major factor in the chase for NCAA championships.

The list goes on.

Many of these fellas have stood on international podiums, from the Olympics to the World Championships. Adrian and Murphy are individual Olympic champions, guaranteed future spots in the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

From A to Z, there has also been a collection of guys who might be lesser known, but who have played equally critical roles in Cal’s success. Guys who won national titles under the radar. Men who scored a point here or there at the NCAA Champs. Athletes who pushed a teammate during a grueling practice. An individual who provided perfectly timed words 18

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On Saturday night, at the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta, California hoisted the seventh NCAA championship in program history – and fifth since the 2011 campaign, and of the Durden era. Bolstered by a spectacular final-day showing, the Golden Bears finished with 487.5 points, 51 ahead of defending champion and longtime rival Texas.

More, the 2022 campaign marks the 12th time in 13 years in which Cal has finished either first or second in the NCAA team standings. The only time the Golden Bears did not produce a top-two effort since 2010? How about the 2020 season, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the season-ending meet, one which – not surprisingly – was expected to feature a showdown between the Bears and Longhorns.

So, yes, that makes 12 consecutive finishes in the top two at

the NCAA Champs. It’s one hell of a streak, among the best in any sport at the collegiate level.

“They do swim for each other,” Durden said. “That is wonderful to see. Even working through this meet with Bjorn.

Bjorn was so concerned with everybody else’s swimming, recovery, etc., that he probvbly spent 10% thinking about his swimming. That’s a challenge to get everybody redirected, and that’s why it’s such a great meet. It’s the best meet in the world to see young men go after a goal and do it for each other.

We knew how the path of this meet was going to go, knowing that the last day is our best day. I don’t like it that way. I would like to get to a spot where it’s more comfortable, but that’s a testament to the programs that we’re swimming. This meet is getting faster and faster. That’s probably our fastest NCAA meet that we’ve ever had. It’s super competitive. Our conference meet was tough. Moving the three-and-a-half days at our conference meet really put us in a spot where we could handle the situation at this meet. Have it be close when we get to Saturday, and we can get after this thing.”

Regardless of sport, most programs that reach dynastic proportions possess a specific personality. It is a mix of confidence, support, high expectations and calm. Cal displayed each of those traits during its four days in Atlanta.

The Bears believed they would excel. They lifted each other emotionally. They remained unphased when Texas built an early lead, fully aware that the back half of the competition was its time to shine.

This latest Cal team offered a spectacular blend of top-flight talent and key contributors. Consider the team’s scoring breakdown: •

The Bears received individual scoring from 14 athletes, clear evidence of the program’s combination of power and depth.

•

Destin Lasco and Hugo Gonzalez captured individual championships, besting the competition in the 200 backstroke and 400 individual medley, respectively.

Meanwhile, Bjorn Seeliger was the runnerup in both sprint-freestyle events.

•

Cal’s lowest relay finish was a fourth-place showing in the 800 freestyle relay on the opening night of the meet. Otherwise, there was a title in the 400 medley relay, a second-place effort in the 200 freestyle relay, third place in the 400 freestyle relay and a tie for third in the 200 medley relay.

•

Although he didn’t qualify for any championship finals, Jason Louser was an integral part of Cal’s championship run, as he guaranteed scoring in each of his three events by nailing down bids to a trio of consolation finals.

Basically, what Cal showed over the past four days has been customary of the Golden Bears. It’s become a formula, really.

All performances are valued and respected, no point taken for grant. More, athletes enter the program eager to learn about the Cal way, and leave having passed along the tradition to others.

“This iteration has been through a lot of different experiences, and I think those experiences create a lot of maturity,” Durden said. “These guys have done some different things in their career. They are an extension of our coaching staff, and we just have conversations about it. That’s a lost art in this day and age where you can actually talk to people and very logically work through a season, work through a training segment, work through a week or work through a meet. I think our guys do a good job of that. Conversation is lost in this day and age of text, Twitter and Instagram. We try to work through that and make sure we’re having conversations about things… There’s a level of trust in the room that we know exactly where we need to be.”

What will next year bring? Well, another title run is likely.

After all, plenty of talent returns, and impressive skill is on the way. But for now, let’s allow Durden and his crew the opportunity to enjoy this latest championship.

A title which is the latest in a special legacy. ◄

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[ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

>> Andrei Minakov

After Strong Season, Stanford Men Seeking Return to NCAA Powerhouse Status

BY JOHN LOHN

W

hen Dan Schemmel took the Stanford men’s head coaching job, he knew he had a difficult task at hand.

The team just had its lowest finish at NCAAs in more than 40 years, and the program was graduating Olympian Abrahm DeVine and losing NCAA scorer True Sweetser to an Olympic redshirt.

In Schemmel’s first season in charge of the Palo Alto school, the Cardinal had its lowest finish at Pac-12s since 1980 and were seeded to finish 27th at NCAAs before the meet was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Considering Stanford had arguably its worst season ever, one would think there was doubt surrounding the program. But while the results looked unfavorable, it was what the former Hawaii head coach was doing behind the scenes that excited Cardinal swim fans.

Heading into the 2020-2021 season, Stanford possessed one of the best recruiting classes in the country. Featuring the likes of World Championships medalist Andrei Minakov and age-group standouts Ethan Hu, Luke Maurer, and Ethan Dang, the team looked poised to regain its standing as a top10 team in the NCAA. Unfortunately, the comeback season the Cardinals dreamed of did not come to fruition. Due to COVID-19 restrictions that prevented students from being on campus during the school year, Minakov decided to take the year off, and NCAA qualifiers Jack Levant and Brennan Pastorek did not compete.

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As a result, Stanford finished 14th at NCAAs. While it was an improvement from 2019, it was a far cry from the perennial top-10 finishes the Cardinal swimmers were used to.

With a return to normalcy in 2021-2022, combined with Minakov joining the team and the Cardinal adding top-ranked recruit Matt Fenlon and Israeli Olympian Ron Polonsky, this season was a make-or-break for the Schemmel era in terms of his impact on the team. He had two recruiting cycles to build his team, and the Cardinal were at full strength.

Schemmel proved he is the right person to bring Stanford back to the top, leading the squad to an exceptional season.

The Cardinal were unbeaten in dual-meet action, defeating the likes of Arizona State, USC and eventual NCAA champions Cal. The team took that momentum into Pac-12s, producing a fabulous showing to almost upset the Golden Bears for a second time. The Cardinal led for most of the meet but could not fend off a final day charge from Cal, which relegated them to the runnerup spot.

Due to their spectacular swims at conference, pre-meet scored psych sheets predicted Stanford to finish sixth at NCAAs. Considering how well the team performed just a few weeks before, there were questions whether the team would be able to hold its tapers and, ultimately, its seeding heading at the NCAA championships.

The Cardinal silenced doubters with another exceptional

[ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

showing, finishing seventh at the meet, their highest placing since 2018. While Stanford slipped one place from its rankings heading into the championship, it was only eight points lower than its seed and less than 40 away from a top-five finish.

As expected, Minakov was the team’s standout performer, delivering the team’s first NCAA title (in the 100 butterfly) since DeVine won his second 400 IM title in 2019. He had another trip to the podium with a school-record 41.09 in the 100 freestyle to grab third. The Russian was also integral to the Cardinal relays, which had topeight finishes in all but the 200 free relay.

>> Dan Schemmel

Other top performers at the meet included junior Leon MacAlister, who swam a 1:39.67 (school record 1:38.95 in prelims) to finish fifth in the 200 back, and freshman Polonsky with two B-final appearances, including a sub-1:40 performance to grab the consolation final in the 200 IM.

While it has been a few years since the team has been in NCAA powerhouse conversations, with the progress made during the Schemmel era, it should not be long until the Cardinal are a perennial top-five team and potential NCAA contenders.

Thanks to patience and incredible recruiting, the future looks bright in Palo Alto. ◄

Looking ahead to next season, if Daniel Roy decides to use his extra year of eligibility, Stanford only loses Grant Shoults and the 14 points he scored at NCAAs this year. That means the Cardinal will keep its relay legs intact.

The ORIGINAL Resistance Swim Team Training Gear

On the recruiting front, Schemmel has continued to lure elite-level talent to Palo Alto. While Shoults’ departure is a massive loss for the Stanford distance crew, the Cardinal add the top distance swimmer in the 2022 recruiting class in Liam Custer. Custer is a 14:37 miler at his best, faster than what Shoults went to finish ninth at NCAAs. Beyond Custer, Stanford also brings in age-group star Josh Zuchowski next season. Zuchowski is the second-fastest backstroker in the 2022 class, with his 200 back less than three-tenths away from what it took to qualify for this year’s NCAA Championships.

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Increased stamina and speed, quicker acceleration and enhanced endurance.

The impressive recruiting does not stop there. The Cardinal also have the top high school 200 breaststroker heading to Palo Alto in Zhier Fan. The Plano, Texas native has dropped over four seconds in the event over the past 12 months and is just outside NCAA scoring range heading into his rookie season.

If Minakov, MacAlister, and Polonsky can build on their impressive seasons, guys like Maurer, Preston Forst, and Jonathan Affeld continue improving, and the newcomers can hit the ground running, Stanford has an extremely high ceiling.

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[ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

The Bob Bowman Redshirt Experiment Paid Major Dividends For Arizona State

BY JOHN LOHN

T

he date was July 26, 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic was roaring, and the day-to-day operations of – well, everything – were changing by the hour. No, make that by the minute. There was no continuity in the world. No way to predict the days ahead – let alone weeks and months into the future. Uncertainty was king.

So, Bob Bowman made a move.

Now, before we get into this decision, let’s look at the Bowman Way. It is predicated on preparedness and executing a plan that will reap the greatest rewards. Hell, you don’t guide Michael Phelps to 28 Olympic medals without operating via precision and foresight. So, you tell an 11-year-old’s parents they are raising a future Olympian. You suggest the removal of his wisdom teeth at a time that will not interfere with significant career moments. At some point, you intentionally break a pair of your pupil’s goggles and make him race in them – knowing this obstacle will strengthen his resilience.

In a way, Bowman is a mad scientist who conducts his experiments not in a lab, but on a pool deck. And when the pandemic was raging, he opted for an out-of-the-box approach that he believed would benefit the future of the Arizona State swim program: Redshirt the entire team.

Go ahead, search for ASU results for the 2020-21 campaign.

You won’t find them. Not from dual meets. Not from the Pac12 Championships. Not from the NCAA Champs. There was

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no season for the Sun Devils. Instead, Bowman consulted with Athletic Director Ray Anderson, his athletes and their families and determined that a redshirt year for all was a winning path.

“In March, Ray Anderson challenged all Sun Devil head coaches to find ways to make our programs stronger after the COVID-19 crisis,” Bowman told Swimming World when the redshirt decision was announced. “This decision clearly accomplishes that goal. It promotes the health and safety of our student-athletes, enhances their educational opportunities, and allows time to rebuild and refocus on performing at the highest levels of NCAA competition.”

Nearly two years later, the decision has proven wise.

At last week’s NCAA Men’s Championships, the Sun Devils finished sixth in the team standings for their best finish in 40 years, matching the effort of the 1982 squad. In addition to nine athletes earning All-American honors, the Sun Devils finished in the top eight in all five relays, including a secondplace showing in the 400 freestyle relay. More, freshman Leon Marchand emerged as competition’s premier performer.

Through Bowman’s redshirt experiment, much was gained.

First, athletes embraced an extra year of academic studies, an approach that will enable many to leave the school with a graduate degree. Second, the swimmers were able to dedicate themselves to training during their “sabbatical” year and

[ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

>> Leon Marchand

didn’t have to deal with the uncertain stresses of canceled meets, or other disruptions in the schedule. Finally, ASU had the chance to attack the 2022 NCAA Champs with a loaded roster – one that got the job done in Atlanta.

Marchand was the obvious headliner for Bowman, as he shredded the NCAA record in the 200 individual medley (1:37.69) and surged to another title in the 200 breaststroke, this time with the No. 3 performance (1:48.20) in history.

For good measure, the Frenchman was the runnerup in the 400 individual medley and contributed to a quartet of highscoring relays.

we had some kids on our team that I feel like needed a year, and I also think we’re able to keep some guys who were fifthyears who got to develop as well.”

Flash back to 2008. At least temporarily, the Arizona State program was cut from the athletic department and forced to battle for reinstatement. Now, a little more than a decade later, the Sun Devils find themselves as a national power, and with no reason to believe their climb will not continue.

In addition to returning considerable talent from this year’s squad, Bowman’s incoming recruits will be expected to provide a lift.

Meanwhile, Grant House was the silver medalist in the 200 Exactly what the creativity of that redshirt campaign – and freestyle and a member of four All-American relays, while Bob Bowman – provided. ◄ Alex Colson placed seventh in the 200 butterfly. Cody Bybee was a factor on three All-American relays.

SWIM MART Although a redshirt year might sound like it was free of distractions, such was not the case. More than anything, Bowman had to create racing opportunities for his athletes. Those chances arrived during practices, or at local meets in Arizona. Despite the difficulties, Bowman knew – early in the season – that the redshirt decision was a good call.

“We were able to have a year of development,” Bowman said. “I think

REACH LONG

KICK STRONG

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[ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

After U-Turn on Retirement, Eddie Reese on Deck of NCAA Champs Is Perfect Sight

BY JOHN LOHN

T

he original plan had him gone – although not forgotten.

A legend of his ilk will always have an influence, an impact that endures. But when a certain Hall of Fame coach announced his retirement from the University of Texas late last March, the 2022 edition of the NCAA Championships figured to have a different look. An unusual feel. A missing man in Burnt Orange.

One day, indeed, that scenario will be a reality.

But for now, and until he decides otherwise, Eddie Reese continues at the helm of the Texas program, doing what he does best. Molding young men. Demanding hard work. And producing championship-chasing squads. His July decision to cancel retirement was an obvious positive development for the Longhorns, as they retained the guidance of an alltimer. It can also be said that Reese’s reversal was a boon for the sport, this 80-year-old continuing to impart his wisdom and sense of humor, while simultaneously churning out elite performers.

There are two days remaining in the NCAA Championships at the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta. Certainly, much can – and will – change by Saturday night. There will be moments of elation and moments of disappointment. Yet, through two days, Texas sits atop the team standings, a 16th NCAA championship within reach, and with Reese steering.

Could it be any other way?

In the 40-plus years in which Reese has been in command of the Texas controls, he has led teams to victories in several

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ways. Stars have powered the Longhorns. Depth has gotten the job done. Most frequently, a combination of those two elements has led to hardware-raising celebrations, and that setup is what this current roster features.

As Reese embarked on retirement last year, the decision seemed appropriate. The multi-time Olympic coach was having some mobility issues and with his octogenarian decade approaching, the time seemed right. Soon enough, though, work with a trainer had Reese feeling reinvigorated, and debating his call to walk away. Eventually, Texas Athletics Director Chris Del Conte revealed that Reese was coming back, and the coach noted that unfinished business remained.

“There’s more that I want to do for this current team,” Reese said of his unretirement. “We have a great group of guys in our program. They have a great future in the sport, and I want to help them be as good as they can be.”

En route to building a 21-point lead over Florida and a 22-point edge over California, its rival for the past decade, Texas sent six athletes into championship finals on Thursday night – two each in the 500 freestyle, 200 individual medley and 50 freestyle. No other team could match that potency, which followed an opening night in which the ‘Horns won the 800 freestyle relay and finished as runnerup in the 200 medley relay. For good measure, Texas wrapped up Night Two with a third-place finish in the 200 freestyle relay, a mark of 1:14.41 a school record.

The effort put together by the Longhorns suggests more big

things for the weekend. It also means on-call status for the tailor charged with the production of Texas title banners.

others.’ We’re here to help, and I’ve been able to do that.”

Fortunately, Reese continues to give.

For years, Reese has cracked the combination to the NCAA-title safe, and that includes managing his allotment of scholarships and roster positions. The approach has included paying awareness to the name of the year-end meet: NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships. Year after year, and thanks to the coaching skill of Matt Scoggin, Texas divers have contributed critical points toward title runs. And while diving will almost surely play a factor for the Longhorns between the three-meter springboard and platform competitions over the next two days, Texas went scoreless on the one-meter board on Thursday.

What will the team standings look like come Saturday night?

Maybe Texas will capture a 16th NCAA championship. If the Longhorns don’t, it will have taken a superb performance to beat them. Either way, Eddie Reese will have been on deck, and that is a beautiful sight.

“I’ve done this all my life,” Reese said on the Inside With Brett Hawke Podcast. “It hasn’t been a job. It’s been a lifestyle. I love it. I love them. I’m on it.” ◄

No worries.

Reese’s legacy in the sport has been long established, his presence felt at the international, national, and collegiate levels. So, when Reese temporarily entered retirement, there were mixed feelings. As someone whose name is uttered alongside those of icons Robert Kiphuth and Doc Counsilman, he deeply deserved to leave on his terms – and after fittingly winning another NCAA crown. The selfish side? Damn. No more Eddie Reese is hard to accept.

Sure, Reese was expected to be around the pool deck during retirement, having been handed coaching emeritus status by school officials. But having him still be the guy makes sense for a program synonymous with his name.

And having someone around who fully comprehends his role and impact, and views himself as a beneficiary, is perfect.

“The thing I got most out of coaching swimming has nothing to do with winning or trophies or anything like that,” Reese said before his change of heart. “It all has to do with interpersonal relationships. Coaches are in a great position that I love because I’m a firm believer that if the purpose of our life is to help, it puts us in a position to do just that. In one of the books (I read), we all know the saying, ‘You can’t take it with you when you die.’ And then, underneath that, it said, ‘The only thing you take with you is that which you’ve given BIWEEKLY

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[ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

>> Dave Durden (left) & David Marsh

Interim Assistant Coach David Marsh Makes Impact on Cal Men’s Championship Run

BY DAVID RIEDER

O

ver the past few decades, David Marsh built a résumé as one of the most accomplished swim coaches in the country. He won 12 national titles as head coach at Auburn (seven men’s and five women’s), and since 2007, he has coached some of the top professionals in the country, first in Charlotte and more recently in San Diego, where he also returned to college swimming with UC-San Diego for a few years. Marsh has worked on several U.S. Olympic team coaching staffs, including as women’s head coach in 2016.

to get back to a spot where I can share the pool deck with my mentor. There’s just a level of trust. I can say, ‘David, go take these three guys,’ and I come back 30 minutes later, and they’re floating upside down and doing different things but helping them be better for this moment in time.”

But for the past two months, Marsh has been one of the the most overqualified fill-in coaches in college swimming history.

Similarly, the Cal swimmers were grateful to have had Marsh join their program and provide a fresh yet experienced set of eyes to help them improve in the final stretch before a championship run.

Cal men’s coach Dave Durden once worked for Marsh as an assistant during the Auburn days, and with Cal assistant Chase Kreitler and his wife expecting their first child, Durden asked Marsh to come to Cal as the interim assistant coach for the season’s final two months. Marsh then had the opportunity to contribute to another championship as the Golden Bears pulled away from Texas on the final day.

With the win, Durden joined a short list of coaches to win five men’s championships in the 21st century, along with Texas coach Eddie Reese and Marsh. When asked after the win about how Marsh helped Cal, Durden raved about Marsh’s ability to provide a new perspective for Cal swimmers and share his knowledge about racing and technique accumulated through years of coaching athletes on the highest level of the sport.

“For the last seven weeks, he made these guys better for these three-and-a-half days,” Durden said. “It’s really cool 26

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It may have been 15 years since Marsh’s last title at Auburn, but Durden said, “The guy has won so many national titles.

He knows how to navigate this meet.”

“I think every single one of us learned something new from him almost every practice,” Cal fifth-year Daniel Carr said.

“Some of the things he had to say about our swimming just about being technical made us that much better. We could not be more thankful for him taking a chance on us and coming to Cal, and for him and Dave to coach together again, it was something that I will be forever proud of, proud to look back at and be like, ‘That was pretty special.’”

Aside from the coaching, Durden said that he and his wife, Cathy, thoroughly enjoyed having Marsh and his wife, former Cal swimmer Kristen, involved heavily in their lives over the course of that stretch. “It was really cool for our athletes, but it was even more special to me,” Durden said. “It was phenomenal. He has perspective. You earn perspective through all the experiences that he’s had, and it was just great to experience that the past seven weeks.” ◄

[ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

Luca Urlando Takes Down Ryan Murphy’s American Record in 100 Backstroke

BY DAVID RIEDER

G

eorgia sophomore Luca Urlando has developed into one of the best butterflyers in the United States over the past few years, and so far at the NCAA Championships, he has finished a close second place in the 100 butterfly and third place in the 200 IM with a massive personal-best performance, and he split a sizzling 1:30.58 on Georgia’s second-place 800 free relay team. Now, Urlando is an American-record holder — in backstroke.

Leading off Georgia’s 400 medley relay team at the end of Friday night’s session, Urlando used his phenomenal underwaters to blast out in front of the field, and he touched in 43.35. That took down the American, U.S. Open and NCAA records of 43.49 that Cal’s Ryan Murphy set at the 2016 NCAA Championships, just months before he won Olympic gold in both long course backstroke events.

Ironically, Urlando’s performance came six years to the day that Murphy set the previous record and in the same Atlanta pool.

“I’m super surprised. During practice, there’s been a few moments where I thought I’ve been a 43 but not American

record 43, so just overall, I’m super happy with it,” Urlando said. “I was just trying to think about pushing my underwaters as far as I could go without getting DQ’ed and focusing on my own race and not looking at others during my race.”

Urlando admitted that it was a rough December and January as he battled the flu, appendicitis and then a stomach virus that prevented him from training normally until six weeks prior to the SEC Championships. But he after a freshman season in which he did not finish higher than fourth place in an individual event, Urlando has become one of the most versatile swimmers in college swimming.

Urlando’s best chance at capturing his first individual NCAA title will come Saturday when he swims the 200 fly as the No. 2 seed in the event, but his underwater skills make him a threat in any event in the short course format of college swimming. “I love doing every stroke and doing it fast.

I think underwaters obviously help a lot in short course.

Underwaters help you become as versatile as possible,” he said. ◄ BIWEEKLY

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(College or University Affiliated Swim Camp)

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LONGHORNSWIMCAMP.COM • 43 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE • MAY 29 – JULY 1

Five one-week sessions from: MAY 29-JULY 1 | For detailed information, contact Longhorns Swim Camp Director: JON ALTER 512 475 8652 Complete camp information and registration at: LonghornSwimCamp.com | Email: longhornswimcamp@athletics.utexas.edu Per NCAA rules, sports camps and clinics conducted by The University of Texas are open to all entrants. Enrollment is limited only by age, grade level, gender, and capacity restrictions as specified by each camp.

(College or University Affiliated Swim Camp)

2022 CAMP DATES

WORLD CLASS COACHES:

WEEK 1 – JUNE 5-9 WEEK 2 – JUNE 12-16 WEEK 3 – JULY 31–AUG 4 WEEK 4 – AUGUST 7-11 Diving - JULY 10-14

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Mike Bottom

Head Coach US Olympian & Olympic Coach

Functional Dryland Training Technique & Intensive Training Options 3 Instructional Sessions Per Day Individual HD Filming & 1:1 Analysis True Colors Assessment & Mindset Training Kistler Start and Turn Analysis Training Olympians & NCAA All Americans on staff

Dr. Josh White

Associate Head Coach NCAA All American

Ksenia Gromova Volunteer Assistant

Sam Wensman Assistant Coach CW Elite Coach

Roger Karns

Manchester University Head Coach

Cauli Bedran

Assistant Coach NCAA All American

Kurt Kirner

Hillsdale College Head Coach

Contact us at: 734.845.8596 | umswim1@gmail.com

Michigan Swim Camps are open to any and all entrants, limited only by age and specified number of participants

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Priscilla Barletta Assistant Coach

Jim Richardson

Camp Director NCAA Coach of the Year

R

SWIMMING WORLD PRESENTS

2022

SWIM CAMP DIRECTORY The listings on pages 29-32 are paid advertisements.

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY 2169 Field House Dr. USAFA, CO 80840 719-333-2116 afasportscamps@airforceathletics.org www.goairforcefalcons.com/camps Camp Dates: June 6-10 (ages 12-18) June 13-17 (ages 12-18) Thank you for considering the AF Swim Camps for your swimmer this summer. Our camp offers thorough analysis of stroke technique to include video analysis of the world’s best swimmers along with video of each individual camper. The session will offer challenging training programs and plenty of stroke analysis. Our camp is best suited for experienced swimmers with a good yearround training base.

The Cadet Natatorium on the campus of the United States Air Force Academy, which recently underwent a multi-million dollar renovation, features all new bulkheads, starting blocks, scoreboards and lighting. The natatorium facilities offer video analysis, reaction time pads on the blocks, an adjacent state-of-theart dryland training room and more. In addition to its high-altitude location at 7,200 feet, this is a world-class facility matched by only a few in the country.

THE ARETE SWIM CAMP & CLINICS Coach Chuck Warner, Camp Director areteswimcamp@gmail.com www.areteswim.com Super-Strokes & Skills Clinics: April 24 & May 1 Camp Dates: June 26-30 Fairleigh Dickinson University, Madison, N.J. Our intense instruction led by three-time USA National Team Coach Chuck Warner has helped transform more than 4,000 swimmers. For 18 consecutive years, ARETE has sold out most sessions. Our four core objectives are: Immediate Skill Improvement, Self-Esteem Development, Teamwork and “WOW Experiences.”

Each swimmer is filmed underwater and has permanent access to their own recording. A coach analyzes each stroke with each swimmer using our camp workbook. A key aspect of our camp is our “Inner Engineering Curriculum,” and we have a coach-toswimmer ratio of 1:9 or better.

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Jacksonville, FL 32217 904-256-5215 swimcamp@bolles.org www.Bollesswimming.org Bolles Swim Camp provides opportunities for campers to learn from Olympic-experienced coaches, to live and train on the beautiful Bolles riverfront campus with swimmers from around the world and to participate in classroom sessions, dryland training and fun camp activities.

Elite Camps I and II June 5-11 and June 11-18 For intermediate-to-advanced swimmers 13 and older Elite Camp III and the June Classic Swim Meet June 18-27 For intermediate-to-advanced swimmers 13 and older who are prepared for the meet, a prelims-finals competition hosted annually Sprint Camp June 27-July 8 An extended camp experience focused on developing speed in the water Junior Elite Camp June 6-10 and June 13-17 (8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

A training opportunity for swimmers ages 9-12 For the novice-experienced competitive swimmer For more information and to register, visit www.BollesSwimming.org or email swimcamp@bolles.org.

CONTINUED ON 30 >> BIWEEKLY APRIL 2022

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2022 SWIM CAMP DIRECTORY / continued from 29

LONGHORNS SWIM CAMP Jon Alter, Camp Director The University of Texas P.O. Box 7399 Austin, TX 78713-7399 512-475-8652 • Fax 512-232-1273 longhornswimcamp@athletics.utexas.edu www.LonghornSwimCamp.com Headed by three-time Olympic and Texas head men’s coach Eddie Reese, 2019 World University Games and women’s coach Carol Capitani, former USA Swimming National Junior Team Director and assistant women’s coach Mitch Dalton and assistant 2018 Team USA Pan-Pac/associate men’s coach Wyatt Collins, the Longhorns Swim Camp is the most exciting camp in the country!

The 2022 Longhorns Swim Camp is proud to feature multiple Olympians, American record holders and NCAA champions on staff. We welcome Olympians Ian Crocker, Colleen Lanné-Cox, Whitney Hedgepeth, American record holder Will Licon and 2019 NCAA champion/Team USA World University Games member John Shebat! Josh Davis, three-time Olympic gold medalist, returns for his 23rd year with the program. Josh coaches the Friday morning session.

Camp is held at the Jamail Texas Swimming Center on the University of Texas at Austin campus, home to 23 NCAA team champions. Facility includes an indoor 50-meter by 25-yard pool, a 25-yard by 25-meter pool and the 50-meter by 25-yard Eddie Reese outdoor pool. Four training groups based on age and ability, with a 1:7 coach/swimmer ratio in technique sessions. Male and female swimmers (ages 8-18) of any level are welcome. It is highly recommended, but not required, that swimmers have competitive experience prior to attending.

Training at the Longhorns Swim Camp focuses on intensive long-course conditioning and thorough stroke instruction and analysis. Camp is divided into four challenging ability groups based on age and 100-yard freestyle times. One-hour daily sessions focus on swim-specific dryland and strength training exercises.

Long course training varies from one to two hours daily depending on ability level. Two 90-minute daily sessions focus specifically on technique work. Stroke drills, as well as start-and-turn mechanics are included along with classroom sessions and underwater video analysis of each swimmer.

Cost: Overnight Camp $1,090; Day Camp $990. Complete camp information and online registration available at: Longhornswimcamp.com.

Per NCAA rules, sport camps and clinics conducted by The University of Texas are open to all entrants. Enrollment is limited only by age, grade level, gender and capacity restrictions as specified by each camp. NCAA guidelines prohibit payment of camp expenses by a representative of The University of Texas’ athletics interest. NCAA rules also prohibit free or reduced camp admission for prospects (9th grade and above).

See display ad on page 28.

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MICHIGAN SWIM CAMP at The University of Michigan 2062 Castello Circle (office) Ann Arbor, MI 48108 734-845-8596 umswim1@gmail.com www.michiganswimcamp.com or www.camps.mgoblue.com/swimming Four sessions open to any and all entrants, limited to age and 215 campers per session in Canham Natatorium at the University of Michigan. A staff of 60+ and three instructional sessions per day ensure the individual attention necessary for significant improvement. Coaches Mike Bottom, Dr. Josh White, Sam Wensman, Cauli Bedran, Priscilla Barletta, Ksenia Gromova, Kurt Kirner and Roger Karns are directly involved in coaching and teaching campers.

All campers videoed and receive a written stroke analysis.

Optional custom video and/or Kistler start-and-turn analysis available for an additional fee. Choose the Intensive Training Track or the Technique Development Track. World-class staff provides leadership and mentoring that encourage each swimmer to strive for excellence in and out of the pool.

Cost includes instruction, swim cap, T-shirt, color photo, instructional materials, “goody bag”: $690/week commuter no meals, $720 commuter and lunch, and $765 commuter lunch and dinner.

See display ad on page 28.

MOUNTAINEER HIGH ALTITUDE TRAINING CAMPS at Western Colorado University Vickie Fellows, Head Coach Western Colorado University 1 Western Way Gunnison, CO 81231 Phone: 970-943-2310 • Cell: 505-453-3514 vfellows@western.edu www.gomountaineers.com/sports/2021/12/2/ swim-camps.aspx Camp Dates: June 17-21 June 24-28 Mountaineer High Altitude Training Camps offer the most unique training experience in the country. Western Colorado University is located in Gunnison, Colo., at an elevation of 7,723 feet in the Rocky Mountains. Facilities include the highest collegiate pool in the country, a state-of-the-art weight room and private locker rooms. The university is situated in a high alpine valley, which makes it ideal for high-altitude training.

Each athlete will receive a High Altitude Training T-shirt and cap. Additionally, meals will be provided, and athletes will be lodged in the college dorm rooms. All attendees will get to meet and work with collegiate athletes.

Camps will focus on teaching, refining and reinforcing elite

swimming technique as well as aerobic-based training at high elevation. Swimmers will walk away with a deeper understanding of their strokes as well as their starts, turns and finishes.

Camps are open to swimmers ages 11-18 who want to take their performance to the next level.

NAVY SWIMMING CAMPS & CLINICS 2022 Bill Roberts, Camp Director Navy Swimming Camps 2022 566 Brownson Rd. Annapolis, MD 21402 410-293-3012, 410-293-5834 navyswimmingcamp@usna.edu www.navyswimmingcamp.com or www.navysports.com https://www.facebook.com/NAVYSwimmingCamp https://www.instagram.com/navyswimcamp Camp Dates: June 14-18 Session I June 20-24 Session II Clinics: June 18 & 19 (see website for 2022 clinic offerings) Now going into our 24th season, expect direct results by being part of the 2022 Navy Swimming Camp this summer!

Our principal goal is to provide you the very best in individual instruction, evaluation, camper experience and safety/supervision.

The purpose of our camp is to offer you a unique environment to learn and develop your competitive strokes, including all related starts, turns and finishes.

Navy Swimming Camp is a stroke-intensive camp. Swimming campers will receive individual attention. Additional training sessions are offered to all needing to maintain conditioning while at camp. Video analysis, dryland activities designed to improve individual fitness levels, performance, training, goal-setting, leadership presentations and the Severn River boat cruise are all part of the schedule for 2022. Also, outstanding and accomplished guest speakers and presenters all scheduled for this year’s edition of the Navy Swimming Camp.

Campers will learn, train and reside in an amazing and unique environment on the grounds of the United States Naval Academy.

Additionally, teamwork and leadership are important points of emphasis for every camper. The Navy camp is led by an experienced camp staff while providing the very best in 24-hour supervision.

See www.navyswimmingcamp.com for greater detail, including brochure, application, daily schedule and frequently asked questions. Cost for each camp: $725/commuter camper (ages 8-18), $775/extended day camper (ages 8-18), $825/resident camper (ages 9-18). All campers receive a NAVY swimming shirt & an exclusive NAVY backstroke flag. Go Navy!

NORTHERN COLORADO SWIMMING CAMPS Lisa Ebeling, Camp Director University of Northern Colorado 5716 W. 17th Street Rd. Greeley, CO 80634 970-451-1476 Lisa.ebeling@unco.edu www.uncswimmingcamps.com Camp Dates: June 6-10 Session 1 June 13-17 Session 2 UNC Swimming Camps are designed to teach athletes the technical aspects of swimming to help them achieve success at the next level. The main focus of our camp is on stroke analysis and technique for starts and turns through in-depth video review. We also provide elite high-altitude training sessions, team building activities, nutritional education, competition preparation tools and mental training.

We group athletes according to skill level, and are able to accommodate swimmers of all levels, ages 8-18.

UNC Swimming Camps are open to any and all entrants (limited only by number, age, grade level and/or gender).

SPIRE INSTITUTE & ACADEMY | CAMPS 440-466-1002 info@spireinstitute.org www.spireinstitute.org SPIRE offers three-day and five-day Stroke Camps, three-day Start & Turn Camps and three-day and five-day Training Camps for ages 10 and older. These swimming camps are either boarding or non-boarding, and are for competitive swimmers.

Stroke Camps are structured around a philosophy of teaching skill acquisition and development in all four competitive strokes as well as starts and turns. Two daily water sessions are led by a world-class staff. Workouts are structured to improve stroke technique with a combination of drills, skills and training.

Each athlete will have opportunities to enhance all phases of competitive swimming through individualized attention from our excellent coaches and counselors. Individual stroke analysis, dryland instruction and lecture sessions will give the campers one of the most comprehensive and up-to-date training camp experiences available in the United States.

The Competitive Start &Turn Camp will only focus on starts and turns. Emphasis is about turning these often-overlooked skills into a true competitive advantage. Swimmers will receive intensive instruction on the forward and backstroke starts with safety being a priority. Fast, legal turns for all four competitive strokes and the IM transition turns will be covered. Each athlete will receive individual attention from a staff of outstanding coaches and instructors.

SPIRE Training Camp offers a positive environment for swimmers to be challenged by intensive conditioning with daily training sessions on technique, race strategy and unique training methods.

See display ad on page 41 27 for dates and cost.

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2022 SWIM CAMP DIRECTORY / continued from 31

STR SPEEDWEEK SWIM CAMPS USING SCIENCE TO IMPROVE TECHNIQUE 850-385-9803 info@swimmingtechnology.com www.swimmingtechnology.com

• • • •

Control the base of support to minimize resistance and maximize propulsion Benefit from elbow flexion at the beginning of the pull in all four strokes Increase the arm index of coordination in freestyle Minimize shoulder stress on the freestyle and butterfly arm entry Reduce intracycle fluctuations in body velocity in breaststroke and butterfly Gain extra propulsion on the freestyle push phase in freestyle, butterfly and backstroke Practice deliberately to make technique changes quickly

Are you: • Looking for a significant time drop?

• Serious about improving your technique?

• Hoping to reduce or eliminate shoulder pain?

• Ready to compete at the next level?

• Interested in extending your swimming career to college?

•

If you are, then an STR SpeedWeek is your best swim camp option! We are the only camp with scientific studies that confirm the effect of our technique improvement strategies.

In the morning classroom instructional session, swimmers learn specific cues to see and feel so they can swim like MONA, a biomechanical model of optimal technique. The following pool session includes deliberate practice strategies to help the swimmers optimize technique—short swims at a slow stroke rate with lots of individual feedback.

In the afternoon, swimmers are tested in the pool and analyzed in the classroom with Aquanex—our patented system that captures synchronized underwater video and hand force data. This sciencebased analysis is unlike anything else in the world of swimming, giving swimmers the information they need to fine-tune their technique and make drastic time drops.

The STR bottom line: We guarantee we can show every swimmer how to swim faster. SpeedWeek helps you make technique changes based on scientific data rather than opinion. Our campers make incomparable progress and learn practice strategies that help them continue to improve on return to normal training.

Each SpeedWeek is limited to 12 swimmers to ensure maximum individual attention by Dr. Rod Havriluk, world-renowned biomechanist and technique expert. Dr. Havriluk is internationally recognized for his unique approach to accelerating skill-learning and preventing shoulder injury. He is widely published and a frequent conference presenter (ASCA, ASCTA, BMS, FINA, IOC, ISCA, USAS, USMS, USSSA).

In 2015, he was selected by Swimming World Magazine as one of the top 10 individuals making an impact on swimming.

Check our STR website for camp dates, locations and more info: swimmingtechnology.com.

You will learn to: • Optimize the non-breathing head position

• •

See display ad on page 32. v

STR SPEEDWEEK SWIM CAMPS

for more information please contact Rod Havriluk: 32 32

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Phone: 850-385-9803 Email: info@swimmingtechnology.com

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[ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

Bobby Finke Dominates 1650 Freestyle; Fifth-Fastest Time Ever Despite ‘‘Sloppy’’ Swim

BY DAVID RIEDER

F

lorida senior Bobby Finke has become the dominant distance swimmer in the United States over the past few years, and he added his second straight NCAA title in the 1650-yard free Saturday night. Finke set the American record in the event at 14:12.08 at the 2020 SEC Championships, and he finished just a few tenths off that time as he captured his first NCAA win in 2021. Finke then took his talents to the world level as he pulled off stunning come-from-behind gold-medal wins in the 800 and 1500-meter freestyle at the Tokyo Olympics.

In this NCAA performance, there was relatively little drama as Finke went out ahead of the field right away and never surrendered any ground. It quickly became clear that Finke would not be able to approach the pace required for a record-setting swim, but he still delivered the fifth-fastest performance in history at 14:22.08. Finke has been faster on three occasions, and this swim also ranks behind Zane Grothe’s 14:18.25 from 2017.

“I’ll be honest with you, that race was one of the sloppiest miles I’ve ever done, so I’m not really happy with how it went. I’m glad I got the win and the points for the Gators, but individually, I don’t think it’s the best performance I could have had,” Finke said.

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“I think I breathed into 90% of those walls and then took an extra breath while breathing into those walls. It was just a messy mile. Turns were bad. Pushing off the wall was bad.

Lack of oxygen was real in that race.”

Finke missed the SEC Championships in February because of COVID-19 protocols, but he said it was not too much of a setback as he aimed to get back to top form in time for NCAAs. What made the situation slightly awkward was Finke needing to return to racing shortly after he recovered so he could be sure to get his 400 IM B-cut and be eligible to swim the event in Atlanta. He secured the time, entered NCAAs seeded dead-last and then dropped 10 seconds from his seed time on the way to a fourth-place finish.

“I didn’t get too sick or anything,” Finke said of his experience with COVID. “I was feeling symptoms for three or four days, and after that, I was fine. I was out of the water for just a week, so it wasn’t too bad. It wasn’t ideal, but it is what it is.”

In the battle for second place behind Finke in this NCAA 1650, a pair of North Carolina State swimmers, sophomore Will Gallant and junior Ross Dant, pulled ahead of the field early, and they were able to hold off a charging trio of swimmers at the end. Gallant ended up finishing second

in 14:31.34, while Dant finished in 14:31.72. Dant was challenged by Georgia’s Jake Magahey over the last 500 yards of the race, and that competition helped him accelerate and nearly catch Gallant.

Magahey finished fourth in 14:33.53, while Texas’ David Johnston moved up over the last 150 yards to almost catch Magahey and place fifth in 14:33.61. Those two swimmers barely beat out the 14:33.76 that Indiana’s Michael Brinegar posted to win the final heat of the afternoon. Also finishing in the top eight were Arizona’s Brooks Fail (14:35.33) and Ohio State’s Charlie Clark (14:35.38).

After securing his NCAA title, Finke admitted that this season had been a different experience than previous ones on the college level after his breakthrough performance at the Olympics significantly boosted his profile in the sport and prompted an adjustment in his life.

“In the beginning, I really wasn’t expecting too much of a change. I was going to try to live my life the exact same way because that’s what got me to that point. But I got an agent, and it was a little stressful. Once I got that settled down, it was a small weight off my back, so it was really nice,” Finke said. “Still trying to live my life the exact same way because it’s kind of how I got here to that point, and I don’t want to change too many things.”

Finke said after the race that he will not be returning to college swimming for a fifth year. “I feel like I’ve given all I’ve got,” he said. So Finke will be shifting his focus to long course and international racing from here on out. As he prepares for U.S. World Championship Trials next month and potentially World Championships two months after that, he is making sure to remember that just because he was successful on the biggest stage last year does not mean he is guaranteed anything in the future.

“One of the things Coach Nesty does really well is make sure we don’t underestimate anyone else. Even though I am defending those two medals, I’m going in expecting everyone to be their best. I don’t want to have a false confidence,” Finke said. “I’m expecting everyone to race me and want to beat me, and I want to beat them back.” ◄

[ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

[ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

>> Anthony Nesty

CLASSIFIED CAMP COUNSELORS / COACHES The Michigan Swim Camp at the University of Michigan is looking for individuals seeking an opportunity to work with Olympic coach Mike Bottom and staff. Five sessions (June 5-9, June 12-16, July 31 – August 4, August 7-11). Room, board, plus $550/week salary and $125 travel expense help. Applicants must be 21 years or older, have attended at least two years of college and have experience as a competitive swimmer and/or coach. References, clean background check, CPR and First Aid certification are required. For more information email Lauralyn Bottom, lbottom98@ gmail.com. Candidates must be willing to work in an alcohol/drug-free environment.

Michigan Swim Camp, LLC Jim Richardson, Camp Director 2062 Castello Circle Cell: 734-845-8596 Ann Arbor, MI. 48108 Fax: 734-929-2477 E-mail: umswim1@gmail.com Web: www.michiganswimcamp.com www.camps.mgoblue.com/swimming BIWEEKLY

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[ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

Drew Kibler Lights Up Back Half to Claim 200 Freestyle Crown

BY DAVID RIEDER

T

he University of Texas won its 15th NCAA team title last year without an individual champion. If the Longhorns can claim a 16th crown, they will have been helped by a solo triumph from veteran standout Drew Kibler.

Racing in a stacked field at the NCAA Championships in Atlanta, Kibler had too much for the opposition over the back half of the race and produced a career-best time of 1:30.28, which was quick enough to fend off Arizona State’s Grant House (1:30.68) and Georgia freshman Matthew Sates (1:30.72). The swim made Kibler the seventh-fastest performer in history.

Heading into four-day meet, the 200 freestyle was touted as a can’t-miss event, with eyes looking for a sub-1:30 performance. While Kibler finished just shy of visiting that unique territory, he did what was needed to keep Texas atop the team standings, and to collect the first individual NCAA title of his impressive collegiate career.

“It means a lot,” said Kibler. “I’ve wanted to be an individual national champion since I started my collegiate career. Always chasing the next goal. I definitely wanted to be a 1:29, join that elite club. I think I swam that race from a pretty tactical position to secure a win. If I went out a little harder, I think I could have gone a 1:29, but I had to do what I did to secure a win for Texas… I wanted it a lot last year, so coming back this year, it was pretty special.”

Kibler arrived at Texas from the powerhouse scholastic program of Carmel High, and he is now his alma mater’s first individual NCAA champion. Throughout his days as a Longhorn, Kibler has done a little bit of everything for the program, excelling from the 50 freestyle up to the 500 free.

He even provided some butterfly support at times. But the 200 freestyle has always been his trademark event, and he can now proclaim himself an NCAA titlist in the event.

At the midway point, Kibler trailed only House and LSU’s

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Brooks Curry, but he had overtaken those foes by the 150yard mark and continued to pull away over the last 50 yards.

Kibler put together a back half of 46.24, which was the fastest in the final, .02 quicker than what Sates managed.

Given Sates’ closing ability, it was a tremendous effort from Kibler, who represented the United States in relay duty at last summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.

It hasn’t been an easy season for the senior, as he dealt with a non-COVID illness and crashed his longboard during an accident that required stitches. Because of inconsistent time in the pool during the first semester, Kibler did not have a taper meet prior to the NCAA Champs.

Kibler and Sates first went head-to-head in the event on the opening night of competition, when both athletes led off in the 800 freestyle relay. Kibler got the best of that matchup, as his mark of 1:30.54 bettered the 1:30.78 of Sates and jumpstarted Texas to a title. This time around, House nudged his way between them, having delivered an improved performance over the 1:31.01 he supplied in the relay.

Simply advancing to the final of the 200 freestyle was a chore, as 1:32.00 was required for a top-eight showing during prelims. While Kibler secured the top seed following a morning performance of 1:30.91, Sates wasn’t far behind after a swim of 1:31.11.

With Texas trailing Cal by 7.5 points heading into the last day of action, Kibler will be called on to deliver again in the 100 freestyle. The way Kibler is swimming, he will be a leading contender in the event. In addition to his victory in the 200 freestyle, Kibler advanced to the final in the 50 free, a personal best of 18.60 posted in the prelims.

“I just wanted to enjoy it, remind myself that it’s not so scary,” Kibler said. “I like to think of the 200 free as my baby and I work hard for it.” ◄

[ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

Kacper Stokowski on Sweeping 100 Backstroke Wins With Berkoff: ‘‘NC State Knows How to Coach Backstroke’’

BY DAN D'ADDONA

T

he 2022 NCAA Men’s Division I Swimming and Diving Championships continued with the 100-yard backstroke finals from McAuley Aquatic Center on the campus of Georgia Tech in Atlanta.

The prelims saw the entire field within four tenths of a second apart from each other.

But it was a late charge from Kacper Stokowski that got him to the wall in 44.04 for the victory for the NC State Wolfpack.

Extra sweet after taking second last year.

“Last year gave me a lot of motivation. Shaine (Casas) wasn’t here, so I was a little bit lucky. Going to this meet, I just wanted to improve my time from last year. I had a great 50 back, dropped a half-second from my time last year. I knew I could improve my time in the 100 back, and I did. That was a great swim for me, and I’m really happy,” Stokowski said.

“The strategy was very simple. I’m a back-halfer. After going pretty damn half on the 50 back , I knew I had the front speed.

I was a little worried early in the season when Braden put me in the 200 back group twice a week. I didn’t want to lose my front speed, and I didn’t. I was hoping the practice would work, and it did.”

Stokowski erupted in the water after looking at the scoreboard, basking in his first NCAA victory.

“It was all natural. I told my teammates and the coaches, when I touched the wall, it was like I woke up from a long dream. I told myself I want to be a national champ, and today,

it happened, so I’m very happy,” he said.

Stokowski said he wanted to follow what Katharine Berkoff did when she won the same event in the women’s meet last week.

“We have a great team. I was dreaming about being a national champ with a team that has my back. The team is great.

Freshmen stood up, and I’m glad seeing freshman Aidan Hayes going really fast on the 100 fly. David is up there, and Sam Hoover is up there. We have a lot of potential in that class, and I love to train with them, even if they kick my ass sometimes,” he said. “She motivated me a lot, and her boyfriend, Noah Henderson, was laughing, ‘You have to join her now.’ She motivated me, she texted me. She also got seeded third after prelims going into finals, just like I did. We train together, she motivates me, and I think NC State knows how to coach backstroke.”

Fresh off of the first part of his double in the 100 butterfly, Indiana’s Brendan Burns was the top seed coming into the race at 44.36, about a second behind Ryan Murphy’s NCAA record that stood until the 400 medley relay.

Florida’s Adam Chaney was 21.02 at the 50 to take the early narrow lead.

Indiana’s Brendan Burns, doing the second of his double, took second in 44.15, followed by Chaney, who touched the wall in 44.35.

Cal’s Destin Lasco took fourth in 44.36. ◄ BIWEEKLY

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[ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

Leon Marchand Breaks Dressel 200 IM Mark With 1:37.69

BY MATTHEW DE GEORGE

L

eon Marchand’s impact on NCAA swimming has been immediate, to say the last.

The Frenchman added his name to the list of international freshmen to make massive impacts on the college scene, going 1:37.69 to win the 200 individual medley. That time downs the NCAA record set in 2018 by Caeleb Dressel of Florida, who was on deck to see the Arizona State swimmer take it down.

Marchand is Arizona State’s first NCAA men’s champion since 2000, when Attila Czene also won the 200 IM. He’s just the fifth all-time in Sun Devils history.

Marchand went 1:38.83 in the morning to grab the second seed. He was quicker by more than a second at night, jetting past Destin Lasco of Cal, who had set the pool record. Lasco was second in finals at 1:38.21.

Marchand’s finals splits: 21.42 – 24.32 – 28.41 – 23.54 Marchand was out second after 50 yards, trailing only Luca Urlando of Georgia. He moved to the front on his backstroke with a split that was four tenths quicker than anyone else, with Urlando second. Lasco made up some ground with a 27.89 breaststroke leg, and he kept the pressure on with a 23.10 coming home. But the 23.54 from Marchand was enough.

“This is amazing,” Marchand said. “A few years ago, I was watching this record and I was like, “this is insane.” And now 38

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I’m beating this so this is crazy.”

Urlando was third in 1:39.22. Lasco, who was third last year, bumped up a spot. Cal got points from Hugo Gonzalez in fifth (he was second last year) and Trenton Julian in seventh.

Carson Foster went from fourth last year to sixth.

Stanford freshman Ron Polonsky, who was 10th in prelims, went a best time by more than a second to win the B-final in 1:39.96. He led wire-to-wire, holding off the charge from Arizona State’s Grant House.

Texas’s Caspar Corbeau went from the ninth seed in the morning to 14th overall in what could be crucial points in the team standings.

Marchand was a big part of a major international movement Thursday night. Fellow freshman Matt Sates, of South Africa by way of Georgia, won the 500 free. Cal’s Swedish sprinter Bjorn Seeliger was second in the 50. For such a precocious talent to be dropping time to rapidly this early in his career bodes well for what the Frenchman’s potential may be.

“From the beginning, it was very quick because everyday I’m learning new stuff here,” Marchand said. “I’m changing my regimen and everything. I’m swimming more short-course – I was only swimming long-course in France. This is very different, and every day I’m enjoying swimming with my teammates.” ◄

[ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

Brendan Burns Springs Surprise in 200 Fly

BY MATTHEW DE GEORGE

F

or all those races when you wonder why a swimmer would go out fast, to put themselves through the punishment, only to get swamped at the end, let Brendan Burns be your guiding star.

chasing a first title of the week, after finishing second in the 100 fly and third in the 200 IM. Albiero was hoping to repeat as NCAA champion and carried the top seed into finals by a half-second.

The Indiana junior, flying under the radar in the final of the 200 butterfly Saturday night, flew out of the gates in the final.

The longer he stayed out front, the greater the chance that he might pull a surprise on the favorites on the field.

But Burns was better than both. Urlando surged to second in 1:38.82. Albiero was third in 1:38.88, augmenting a pair of sixth-places from Friday night in the 100 fly and 100 back.

It’s the first NCAA title in the event since Gary Hall Sr. in 1973

The result was a first national title.

Burns was ahead at every wall in compiling the perfect race to usurp Luca Urlando and Nicolas Albiero for the victory.

Burns took it out fast and stayed there, getting to the wall first in 1:38.71.

“It means everything. This is pretty life-changing,” Burns said. “I knew I had to have a perfect race against those guys out there, Luca, Nick, Trenton. All those guys out there are either fantastic 200 butterfliers or probably a lot better swimmers than I am. Fortunately, this is short-course and I just worked really hard on my underwater kicking. I knew I had to execute my race plan and just pray.”

Burns was the fourth seed out of prelims, but he was ahead at each wall. He survived a long glide into the 150-yard wall and was long on his finish, but still planted his hands to the wall .11 ahead of Urlando.

The 200 fly produced a magnificent final, the top four finishers separated by 0.29 seconds. Georgia’s Urlando was

Burns finished seventh in the event last year. He was second in the 100 back, on the wrong side of a .11-second margin to NC State’s Kacper Stokowski, and ninth in the 100 fly.

In the team race, Trenton Julian all but sewed up the title for California by finishing fourth in 1:39.00. Gabriel Jett was sixth.

Burns described the 200 fly as “my baby,” an event he obsesses over as a form of “artistic expression.” The twotime Big Ten Championships Swimmer of the Meet hadn’t quite had the NCAAs he would’ve liked yet, so meld NCAA success with the event he holds so dear felt perfect Saturday.

“Last year’s NCAAs was a bit of a disappointment,” Brendan Burns said. “Even though I made two A-finals, I had higher goals, higher aspirations for myself. This year, I used that as motivation to work hard this year. I had really, really big goals this year. … When I swim a 200 fly, it just feel really natural, it feels so good. And for this being the biggest accomplishment of my career, it just means a lot.” ◄ BIWEEKLY

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[ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

Matthew Sates Sets 500 Free Meet Record in Just Fourth-Ever 500 Swim

BY DAN D'ADDONA

T

he 2022 NCAA Men’s Division I Swimming and Diving Championship continued with the finals of the 500-yard freestyle from McAuley Aquatic Center on the campus of Georgia Tech in Atlanta.

breaking the previous meet record of 4:07.97 that he set last year as the NCAA champion in this event.

How fast was the start of the individual races during prelims? So fast that Olympic champion Bobby Finke went a 4:11.77 and didn’t even make the A-final.

“It was a good swim. The title at NCAAs has been a goal for the last month, since I got to Georgia,” Sates said. “I am getting used to yards and the 500. I still have a lot to learn and improve and I am happy with the swim. That was my fourth 500 (ever), my second final.”

In the prelims, Georgia’s Matthew Sates picked up his already fast pace at about the 350 mark and touched in 4:08.73.

In the final, the race started with a hushed crowd as everyone in the building waited to see who was going to make their move first, especially with how fast the prelims were across the board.

Kieran Smith took the lead at the 100 mark from Lane 2. He held the lead through the 200 mark. Texas’ Luke Hobson made a slight move ahead of the pack during that span, but was still behind Smith until the 350 mark when they turned about the same time, with Sates closing.

Sates made his move at the 350 again and rocketed past Hobson and Smith. Meanwhile, teammate Jake Magahey made a similar move and rode the wave to second place.

Sates broke the meet record at 4:06.61, three tenths off the NCAA overall record.

Magahey was second in 4:07.38 after his late charge, also 40

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Hobson finished third in 4:08.42, ahead of Smith (4:08.68).

He is still working on the strategy, too.

“This final was supposed to be a 300 then 200 (strategy), but I actually miscounted. So I did it 150, so a little bit to learn.

My strategy is to finish hard,” he said.

Going 1-2 with Magahey, the defending champion, made it extra special.

“That was awesome. Me and Jake train head-to-head every single day, every single session. Couldn’t ask for a better training partner,” he said.

Arizona fifth year Brooks Fail finished fifth in 4:10.05, ahead of Texas sophomore David Johnston (4:11.57), Florida junior Alfonso Mestre (4:11.98) and NC State junior Ross Dant (4:14.30).

Finke ended up 10th despite a 22.99 final split in 4:11.74 behind ninth-place Preston Forst of Stanford (4:11.56). ◄

[ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

start. Mathews led the way through qualifying and kept the momentum going during the evening session, where he totaled a score of 466.85 points. Capobianco placed second with a score of 462.10, with LSU’s Juan Hernandez placing third with a score of 459.20.

“Diving is interesting because of the six individual rounds,” Mathews said. “Anything can happen in those rounds, unlike swimming, where it’s a continuous race. Anything can really happen, and I was, I don’t know, just lucky.”

It’s a Springboard Double for Texas A&M’s Kurtis Mathews

F

BY JOHN LOHN

or the second time in as many days, Texas A&M diver Kurtis Mathews got the best of Indiana’s Andrew Capobianco at the NCAA Championships in Atlanta. His title in the one-meter springboard still fresh, Mathews added the three-meter crown to his collection on Friday night, this latest championship coming by a margin of only 4.75 points.

When Mathews won the one-meter competition, it marked the first time a male diver from A&M had claimed an NCAA title. The senior didn’t want the school to wait long for its next victory and he took command of the action from the

Mathews’ credentials suggest he is anything but lucky.

Rather, he has developed consistently through the years. A member of the Australian National Team, Mathews has been a standout in the SEC for several years, but this week has marked an elevation in his prowess, a springboard sweep doing the trick.

Having sat out last year’s NCAA season due to National Team duties, Mathews missed the NCAA Champs the prior year due to COVID-19. Mathews is now providing a reminder that he is as good as there is on the college scene. In Capobianco, Mathews has twice beaten an American Olympian.

“It feels great,” he said of his championship double. “What a way to wrap up my career. I was coming off yesterday with a little confidence, but it’s a new day and anything can happen.

I was consistent and lucky enough to win the gold.” ◄

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[ Photo Courtesy: Teisha Dafoe ]

logged eight sessions a week (two doubles) and did seven weekly three-hour practices. Now she is completing six two-hour with four 1.5-hour sessions as doubles.

“Claire trains all four strokes with an IM focus,” says her coach, Norm Wright. “Distance free days for her are mainly Monday, Thursday and some Saturdays. We regularly do power and resistance training two-to-three times a week, using socks and parachutes,” he says.

SAMPLE SETS Set 1 “Nothing fancy,” says Wright, “but I like 30 x 100 on 1:30.

Claire has done this set a few times and has improved from holding 1:01 to a 57.5 average.”

HOW THEY TRAIN

CLAIRE DAFOE

Set 2 “This is more of a progression over time, but for our distance group, I’ve done various longer sets, i.e.: •

BY MICHAEL J. STOTT

T

his coming fall will find NOVA of Virginia sensation Claire Dafoe training under the watchful eye of Jeff Poppell at the University of South Carolina.

In February, Dafoe, a distance, fly and IM specialist and the No. 5-ranked Virginia recruit (62nd nationally), finished her prep career by finaling in the VHSL 6A Championships. In the 200 yard free, she finished seventh (1:54.79) after posting a second-best prelim time of 1:50.38. Her 4:52.84 for a runner-up performance in the 500 came after qualifying first in prelims at 4:50.20.

At NOVA, Dafoe has benefited from an extremely competitive female training group that has allowed her to achieve one Olympic Trials Wave I Time: 800 meter free (8:46.94); two summer national cuts: 1000-1650 yard free (9:42.50, 16:53.53); and three U.S. Open winter times: 400-1500 meter free (4:18.86, 16:49.50) and 500 yard free (4:43.97).

At last year’s NCSA Spring Invite, Dafoe contributed heavily to the NOVA women’s championship showing. She scored in six individual events (second in the 1000 and 1650, third in the 500, eighth in the 400 IM, 15th in the 200 free and 16th in the 200 fly).

She turned in personal bests in the 200-500-1650 freestyles, 200 back, 200 fly and 400 IM. Her best times would have allowed her to score in the 500 and 1650 at SECs. COVID restrictions notwithstanding, Dafoe’s water time has increased in the three years she has swum with NOVA. In 2019, she

12 x 300 on 4:00

“Claire can hold 1:01 on straight swims and usually gets to a 57 average on broken swims. In the early season, we descend 1-3 straight swims. Mid-season, we descend 1-3, but only #1 is straight, #2 is broken at 150 for :15, and #3 is broken at 100 for :10. Late season, we descend 1-3, but break it into 150/75/50, adjusting the rest to increase intensity as we progress.”

Set 3 “We also do 40 x 50 regularly at pace (pacing from mile to 200 speeds) on 1:00,” adds Wright. “Claire holds 27 seconds for 200 pace, 28 for 500 pace and 28-29 for a mile pace. The goal is to be closer to 200 pace, but sometimes she only gets to 500 pace based on the time of year.” *** “These sets are done starting with 1 easy/1 fast and getting progressively faster as the season goes on. Ultimately, we end with 20 fast and reducing the number as we start meet prep,” says Wright. v Michael J. Stott is an ASCA Level 5 coach, golf and swimming writer.

His critically acclaimed coming-of-age golf novel, “Too Much Loft,” was published in June 2021, and is available from store.Bookbaby. com, Amazon, B&N and book distributors worldwide.

PROGRESSION OF TIMES SCY

2018-19

2019-20

2020-21

500 Free

5:00.28

4:50.85

4:43.97

1000 Free

—

9:56.20

9:42.50

1650 Free

17:12.48

16:43.60

16:15.53

LC

2018-19

2019-20

2020-21

400 Free

4:25.95

—

4:18.86

800 Free

9:13.19

9:15.22

8:46.94

1500 Free

17:28.93

—

16:49.60

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PARTING SHOT

Patrick Callan of Michigan gets to show off his Olympic Rings tattoo while competing at the 2022 Men's NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships. [ Photo by Peter H. Bick ] BIWEEKLY

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