Seven swimmers go to Division I competition, results mixed

Swimming Coach Dick Michaels is still wondering if he is going to have any company when he goes back to Miami University in February for the Division III Nationals. He had to make reservations ahead of time, because there is only one hotel in Oxford, Ohio.

None of the six men and one woman who swam qualified for nationals at last weekend's Miami University Invitational.

Sophomore Matt Soellner, who qualified last year, was the only swimmer that knows he has national qualifying potential.

But 75 yards into the finals, the bonus heat of the 200-yard butterfly, Soellner swallowed water and paused momentarily to get the water out of his lungs, before he finished the race in 22nd place.

"I was pretty upset afterwards," Soellner said. "But what can I do?"

Soellner had gone a 1:58.2 twice in the preliminaries, to qualify he needed to go 1.56.99 for B-cuts.

In the 500-yard freestyle, Soellner swam a 4:45.1, two seconds away from the qualifying times.

"He swam the race, really perfectly," Michaels said. "For him to make national cuts in December, he has to have summer training and be right on. There are some people that can make cuts without being perfect, but he is not good enough, yet."

This summer Soellner's training was minimal as he had surgery to remove what appeared to be a tumor on his chest.

Last year, Soellner swam a 1:54.75 at Case Western Reserve University's Last Chance Meet after falling short at Miami University and Conference.

With two months more training Soellner should be able to qualify again.

"My gut feeling was that he was not going to make cuts," Michaels said. "I have not seen him workout better than last year." Last year he needed a whole season of training in order to qualify.

Captain junior Josh Davis shaved because he is going to India for winter term. Miami was possibly his last meet of the season. He swam an average 100-yard breaststroke time, finishing in 1:01.87. He holds the varsity record in the event with a time of 1:00.56.

In two freestyle events he swam fast, finishing with a time of 48.99 in the 100-yard freestyle. He swam a speedy 4:53 in the 500-yard freestyle, but according to Michaels it was clear after the race that he had too much energy left.

It's not an event that he swims regularly. In previous years Davis has been a breaststroker, but Michaels thinks that freestyle might be Davis' focus when he gets back for his senior year. Davis' presence as a hard-worker and a captain will be missed during Winter Term, but he will be back training in February.

First-year Paul Pitcher, who has taken over Davis' role as breastroker, only duplicated his high school bests in the stroke. He swam a 1:02.0 in the 100-yard, and a 2:16.0 in the 200-yard breaststroke.

Captain junior Clayton Woodson swam one lifetime best and almost a second. He swam a 53.56 in the 100-yard butterfly - 1 second from his lifetime best - and a lifetime best of 22.83 in the 50-yard freestyle.

"I can swim faster," Woodson said. Woodson hopes to better his lifetime bests untapered over Winter Term.

Woodson, sophomore Jeremy Steinhauer and junior Wayne Miller competed in the meet off a short, one-week taper, which is better than no taper at all, but not as good as a three-week taper, especially for sprinting events.

Miller swam a lifetime best of 2:03.53 in the 200-yard butterfly, but a disappointing 55.02 in the 100-yard butterfly.

Sophomore Jeremy Steinhauer swam a 1:48.01 in the 200-yard freestyle and a 4:59 in the 500-yard freestyle, both times according to Michaels were "not good for him."

Sophomore Clara Stemwedel the lone Yeowoman at the meet had two good swims off her week taper. She swam a 2:05 in the 200-yard freestyle and a 5:27 in the 500-yard freestyle, both faster than her times at this meet last year for which she had a full, three-week taper.

Swimming against Division I schools was a humbling experience for the team.

Some of Michigan's women, third in the nation last year, are built, 6' tall and 170 pounds, all muscle, Michaels said.

Woodson told Michaels: "Every time I am standing down there [with the women], I find myself standing on my toes and pushing my chest out."

Woodson and the rest of the teams will spend a week at Clearwater, Fla. at the beginning of Winter Term putting as many yards in as possible. The teams then return for four dual meets and the end of the season championships.