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Michigan swims well but cannot repeat as champion

AUSTIN, Texas -- A common formula for success in coaching is to work with what you have.

Members of the media often encourage coaches to speculate as to "what would have happened" had a certain absent player been available.

Although he would never admit it, at this past weekend's NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships, Michigan coach Jon Urbanchek must have pondered the impact that numerous athletes from last year's winning squad might have had on his current team's performance.

Urbanchek brought only 11 athletes down to the Lone Star State, his team lacking entrants in seven different events (two sprint freestyle races, two breastroke events and three diving competitions).

The weekend culminated with the defending champions finishing a distant third (358 points) behind winner Texas (479) and runner-up Auburn (443.5). Urbanchek undoubtedly must have considered how the meet's events might have gone differently, had the Wolverines still possessed eight-time All-American sprinter Gustavo Borges, breaststroker Steve West, diver Abel Sanchez and freestyle/IM swimmer Owen von Richter.

As a result of these athletes' absence, Michigan's 11 swimmers were all forced to step it up for the team to compete with the other top programs, all of which possessed a full lineup.

These men certainly lived up to their end of their bargain.

Before the meet, Urbanchek stressed that while his team was not entered in a lot of events, it would dominate the ones in which it competed. As predicted, Michigan excelled in the distance events, the butterfly, the individual medley races and the backstroke.

"We swam as well as we could with the 11 guys we had," Urbanchek said. "I got 110 percent from the guys we had."

Indeed, of Michigan's 11 swimmers, only two failed to score any points in their events.

In the distance freestyle, the squad's premiere event, Michigan's performance was nothing short of domination. In the 500 freestyle, the Wolverines captured the first, second, fifth and 11th places. In the 1,650, Michigan grabbed the first, sixth, 10th, 17th and 19th places.

In addition, the team's 800 freestyle relay team of Tom Dolan, Jason Lancaster, Chris Rumley and John Piersma broke a 12 year-old American record, as well as setting new NCAA, U.S. Open and pool standards with a time of 6:20.89. It was Michigan's fourth consecutive national title in that event.

"We own that event -- our name is permanently on that trophy," Urbanchek said about the Wolverines' perennial dominance in the relay.

In one respect, the Wolverines' lack of depth definitely worked against them. The champion Longhorns illustrated the benefits of a deep team by becoming only the third squad ever, and the first in 13 years, to capture the team title without winning an individual event.

"Without a doubt, our depth was real important," Texas coach Eddie Reese said. "If you can get two in the top eight, or four in the (consolation final), that's not just depth -- that's good depth. We knew we were good in every event."

On the other hand, Michigan's lack of depth gave it an opportunity to showcase its swimmers, four of whom are headed to Atlanta this summer.

At the top of the lineup was Dolan, the Wolverines' money man and arguably the best swimmer in the world.

This weekend, Dolan showcased his talent, versatility and durability in capturing three individual events in addition to the relay title, all in record-breaking times.

He set new Jamail Texas Swimming Center records with his time in the 400 IM (3:41.44), 500 free (4:12.77) and 1650 free (14:38.37), without really being challenged. The only reason Dolan failed to set new American records in these events is that the previous standards he had set were simply too difficult to attain without the benefit of an opponent pushing him.

Dolan's performance at the NCAAs placed him at a level with highly esteemed company. His three individual wins, along with those same three victories last year, made him the first swimmer to win three individual events in back-to-back years since Olympic gold medalist Matt Biondi accomplished the feat, back in 1986-87.

"It's definitely a great honor to be mentioned in the same sentence as such a great swimmer as Matt Biondi," Dolan said. "It's been a great couple of years for me at Michigan."

Although Dolan was the only individual event winner for the Wolverines, six other Michigan swimmers earned All-America berths. Of those six, Tom Malchow, Piersma and Lancaster combined to earn four second-place finishes.

Piersma, fresh off his Olympic qualifying performances in the 200 and 400-meter freestyle races at trials, again exhibited his skills in this stroke at the NCAAs. In addition to swimming a strong leg for the 800 freestyle relay team, he finished runner-up in both the 200- and 500-yard events.

Malchow also made his first appearance since qualifying for the Olympics. The freshman captured the 200 butterfly at the U.S. Trials and finished second this past weekend in the same event with a time of 1:44.64.

"It was a great experience swimming at my first NCAAs," Malchow said. "I'm happy with my 200 fly. I was hoping to win it, obviously. It hurt me a little bit."

Derya Buyukuncu, who is headed to Atlanta this summer on the Turkey national team, earned two All-America berths in the backstroke. He placed fourth in the 200 back and sixth in the 100.

Freshmen Andy Potts, Lancaster and Rumley were all trying to overcome disappointment after failing to make the U.S. Olympic team. The three turned in All-America performances in Austin.

Potts finished fifth in the 400 IM and sixth in the 1650 free.

In addition to contributing to the record-setting effort of the 800 free relay team, Lancaster and Rumley both turned in good races of their own. Lancaster placed second in the 100 fly, third in the 200 IM and seventh in the 200 back.

Although Rumley was disqualified from the 200 free, he earned individual All-America honors for his fifth-place finish in the 500.