'M' honors Olympic heroics

By Benjamin Singer

Daily Sports Writer

The flame is out in Sydney and NBC is back to its regularly scheduled programming, but the celebration for Michigan's Olympians didn't end until last weekend. Before the University Board of Regents' meeting got underway, they honored the athletes who represented not only their country this summer, but also the University.

Present at the meeting were 12 Michigan athletes and coaches whose services at the Olympics ranged from competing to coaching to umpiring in the gold medal round of baseball. The Michigan representatives combined for nine medals with four golds. A total of 19 Wolverines were recognized, including those who could not make the ceremony.

Tom Dolan, who earned his second gold in the 400-meter individual medley and a silver in the 200 IM this summer, briefly addressed the regents after Kathy White (D-Ann Arbor) introduced each honoree.

"It's neat to have the link that we do," Dolan said during his speech. "No matter what flag goes up when you win a medal, we've all been teammates at one time or another. Thank you for allowing us to be here today and be a great part of the family that is Michigan."

The camaraderie of the Wolverines was evident not just in Ann Arbor, but during the games in Sydney. Among the athletes from around the world was a handful of Michigan men and women to make everyone with a connection to the University feel a little more at home.

"It's just like a family," Michigan swimming coach and U.S. assistant coach Jon Urbanchek said. "That's a great support when you have some friendship and fellowship and everybody is cheering for everybody."

Of the nine medals, six came from men's swimming.

"I think it's a big tribute to Jon Urbanchek and the program he has developed," Michigan senior and 1,500-meter freestyle bronze medalist Chris Thompson said. "The fact that they all swim under Jon and they all have that link shows what an incredible coach he is."

Thompson and former Michigan swimmers Dolan and Tom Malchow, who won the 200-meter butterfly, were with a familiar face in Urbanchek at the events.

"There's not a whole lot you can do once you get to the games. It's the preparation," Urbanchek said. "But I think they felt more secure, perhaps. More at ease when you know your home coach is there with you supporting you and if you have any problems, there's someone you can rely on."

A couple of medal winners were new to the Michigan family. For Samantha Arsenault and Bernice Orwig, some of their first experiences in building ties to Michigan were through the Olympics.

"Jon and the guys were there during the meet and they were supportive," said Arsenault, the 800-meter freestyle relay gold medalist. The freshman started her classes at Michigan just last week. The idea of the Michigan family is "hitting me more now," she said.

Orwig, who was on the U.S. water polo team for the silver medal, is just beginning her career at Michigan as an assistant for the new women's varsity team in the same sport.

Michigan's assistant softball coach Jennifer Brundage was one of the few Michigan Olympians who did not play in the water. She was thirdbaseman for the gold medal U.S. softball team.

"We're Michigan family," Brundage said. "It doesn't really matter what sport you play because we're really all on one team."