Pool to shine seven times over

Olympic medalists compete as 'M' hosts top-ranked Longhorns

By Kristen Fidh

Daily Sports Writer

Seven Olympic-medal winners will be in the pool. Two Olympic coaches will be on the deck. No. 1 Texas and the No. 12 Michigan men's swimming team will convene in Canham Natatorium tomorrow and Saturday for a dual meet in the midst of a heavy season.

Six of those medal winners come from Texas, which is favored to repeat last season's NCAA Championship.

"We tell our guys that it's easy to swim fast against lesser competition," Michigan's assistant coach Eric Namesnik said. "But the good teams rise up, and when the chips are down, the good swimmers step up there and face that challenge."

The teams are very similar - loaded rosters of talented swimmers, experienced coaching staff who share duties in assisting the American Olympic team and goals of racing at an impeccable level.

"At that level, it becomes very friendly, more so than the Big Ten level," Michigan coach Jon Urbanchek said. "There is a lot of camaraderie between the kids as they have lived together, trained together and competed under one flag instead of under just a university name. It makes it more fun."

Michigan's bronze-medal winner Chris Thompson competed two weeks ago for the first time since Sydney against Georgia and Florida and won each of his events. His performance this week is expected to score points for Michigan.

Excelling in the breaststroke, senior captain Scott Werner has been performing well all season. Unfortunately, his partner will stay dry tomorrow and Saturday due to injury. Junior All-American Jeff Hopwood and Werner are an extremely powerful duo in the breaststroke races, but Hopwood will be nursing a groin injury.

Junior Tim Siciliano will have a chance to race for the first time this weekend, as he has been dealing with a shoulder injury. Sophomore Garrett Mangieri, although suffering from a hand sprain, will also race, but under painful conditions.

Despite the injuries, the Wolverines are a strong team and they aren't planning to crumble under the pressure.

"We're not going to just sit here and let them roll all over us, swimming up and down the pool," Namesnik said. "If you are just going to curl up and give in to the competition, then you probably shouldn't be here."

The Longhorns, headed by Eddie Reese, are an award-decorated herd. Senior Nate Dusing is a 21-time All-American and a five-time NCAA champion. Likewise, Matt Ulrickson holds the title of Big 12 Male Swimmer of the Year.

Texas heads to Ann Arbor coming off a Big 12 meeting in Kansas where the team captured the conference relay title on Oct. 27.

"On paper, on land and in the water, Texas is favored to win this week," Urbanchek said. "The score might be lopsided, but I think the competition will be very keen.

"Besides that, where else are you going to see seven Olympians with medals all in one pool?"