In the complex world that makes up college swimming, the NCAA championships are the stuff of which legends are made - and of which hearts are broken.
The Michigan men's swimming and diving team's shot at glory comes this weekend in Minneapolis. While fifth-ranked Michigan would like to recapture the glory of its 1995 national championship squad, the Wolverines will have their work cut out for them.
"Realistically, I believe we will finish anywhere between fourth and sixth," Michigan coach Jon Urbanchek said.
The Wolverines will have 10 swimmers making the trip to Minnesota. Senior captain John Piersma won the 100, 200 and 500-meter freestyle races at the Big Ten championships last month.
Piersma will not be alone in the 500 free at the NCAAs, as six other Michigan swimmers will join him in the event - Tom Malchow, Andy Potts, Owen von Richter, Chris Rumley, John Reich and Mike McWha.
Many Michigan swimmers will compete in other distance freestyle events. Piersma, Malchow, Rumley and Reich will compete in the 200 free and the 800. Derya Buyukuncu join Piersma, Reich and Rumley on the 100 free relay team.
Potts, McWha, Reich and Rumley will swim the 1650 free - an event Potts won at the Big Ten meet.
Buyukuncu, the 1996 Big Ten swimmer of the year, is the best hope for the Wolverines in the backstroke events. Buyukuncu has swept the 100 and 200 backstroke at the Big Tens the past three years. He will be joined by senior Toby Booker and junior Ryan Papa.
The butterfly events will be spearheaded by Malchow - Olympic silver medalist and Big Ten champion in the 200 butterfly. He leads the Wolverines into the butterfly events along with von Richter and Buyukuncu.
Potts and von Richter will be the only Wolverines in the 400 IM, but Michigan will have an entry in the 400 medley relay. Buyukuncu, von Richter, Malchow and Piersma will swim in this event.
"On paper, we are probably the sixth-best team, just like the women's team," Urbanchek said. "We don't swim on paper, though."
AP PHOTO
The Michigan men's swimming team hopes to make some waves at the NCAA tournament in Minneapolis this weekend. Although the Wolverines won the national championship in 1995, capturing the title this time might prove to be too difficult.