The Michigan Daily - Sports Monday - January 25, 1993 - Page 5 n women's swi I --I n Tb Blue tankers strive for lucky seven ~Wornen swimmers look to continue streak of Big Ten titles -- _ .. i ce .. _.__._ .. __ . , "---- ____. ti raw fnK 1 I a enge of recruiting dlndroesnt hidrBlue by Charlie Breitrose Daily Sports Writer Talent is something that all coaches search for when recruiting athletes. Michigan women's swimming coach Jim Richardson has landed a very tal- ented class this recruiting season. "Two of them are world-ranked and the other two are right behind them," Richardson said. But when you look at where these talented women come from, you will not find the traditional swimming hotbeds of California, Florida and Texas. Instead they hail from some of the colder regions of the nation, like Cincinnati and upstate New York. "You can draw a line from Northern California to Maryland, straight across the country," Richardson said. "Nobody below that line is coming north. "Unless they used to live here (the snow belt), or unless there is a really close tie to the school through the parents or through the coach of the insti- tution, a school in this part of the country cannot recruit as effectively as a sun belt school can." This is the case for most of the current Michigan swimmers who are from "below the line." Junior Stephanie Munson of Richmond, Va., cited her coach's advice as a major factor in her decision. "My coach in Virginia knew Jim; he thought that it was a good place for me," Munson said. Richardson had some help signing California native Nicole Williamson while being recruited three years ago. "Nicole's aunt went to the University of Michigan and her aunt did a good job of recruiting her," Richardson said. In addition, Williamson and Munson both had a desire to leave home. "Basically I wanted to get away from Virginia," Munson said. Although there are still plenty of talented swimmers in the northern sec- tion of the country, many of them choose to leave the chilly north for warmer climates. "I would say that at least 50 percent of (top prospects) are going south or west," Richardson said. "They're tired of the cold, the ice and the snow. This is their chance to get out - and they're getting out." Richardson said he concentrates his efforts on swimmers from the north who are interested in staying closer to home. "The really good swimmers we end up recruiting from the north are the ones that just don't want to go far from home. Being close to their families is important to them," Richardson said. Other Big Ten coaches have had similar experiences when recruiting. Both Richardson and Northwestern coach Kathie Wickstrand said they have found that it is not "smart" recruiting to try and pursue swimmers from the West and South unless they show some interest. "I think everyone we have that is from California, except two, sent us letters saying they were interested in Northwestern," Wickstrand said. "I think you can waste a lot of time going after people (from the warmer areas). Nine times out of 10 it's going to be a waste," Richardson said. Michigan does indepth research before it commits a lot of energy on a prospect. The effects of the disparity between the two halves of the country is ap- parent in the results from recent NCAA championships. Consider the number of schools above Richardson's line with top-10 finishes in the last 10 NCAA championships. "You take that line and see how many dots you have on the map above the line," he suggested. "And to my thinking I think you'll only have three places (with dots) above that line. You'll have: five dots at Michigan, one dot at Northwestern and I believe one dot at Minnesota." by Wendy Law Daily Sports Writer The Michigan women's swim- ming and diving team will shoot for its seventh straight Big Ten champi- onship title in its home pool at Canham Natatorium next month. But will the Wolverines rake in an easy jackpot as in years past? Despite having three aces in the forms of NCAA qualifiers Alecia Humphrey, Lara Hooiveld, and Kathy Deibler, Michigan swimming head coach Jim Richardson is play- ing his cards close to the vest for this one. "We will rest everyone (for Big Tens) except the three people who have made NCAAs, because those people are focusing on NCAAs," Richardson said. "So that places us rankings as of Jan. 20 Team Pts. 1. Florida 517 2. Texas 483 3. Stanford 479 4. UCLA 444 5. SMU 441 6. Georgia 409 7. Arizona St. 365 8. California 349 9. Michigan 339 10. Arizona 337J at a bit of a disadvantage at the con- ference meet because we'll be the only team there with some people who are unshaved. All three of them are former Big Ten champions from years past, so I think that we're go- ing to have to swim very, very tough at Big Tens to be competi- tive." Richardson has other concerns as well, in the forms of top rival Northwestern and his own team's lack of balance. "I think that on paper, Northwestern has every event cov- ered," Richardson said. "They have both depth and quality. There were a lot of people at the beginning of the season who felt that on paper, Northwestern had the team to beat this year. I think they have a lot more balance than we do. So we have to do well wherever we're swimming. That sounds pretty sim- ple, but we just don't have a well- balanced team for Big Tens. We're going to be weak, very weak in some areas. In compliance with the Big Ten squad limit, the Wolverines will be taking 21 or 22 swimmers and 4 or 5 divers to the conference meet. Almost half of their roster will be tied up in the breaststroke and back- stroke events, leaving them weak in the sprint and the shorter distance freestyle events. Despite Northwestern's prowess, Richardson does not count out the other players at the table. Ohio State, Minnesota, and especially Penn State could pose as obstacles for Michigan. "I think Ohio State is better this year than they were last year," Richardson said. "I think Minnesota is very good this year. Penn State is certainly much better than they were last year. They beat us. They took advantage of our weakness. We are not a very good sprint and freestyle team and the meet went to the final relay and they beat us with their freestyle relay." Whatever the factors in play for Big Tens, both the women swim- mers and divers look forward with anticipation to the meet. "I'm excited about it," captain Mindy Gehrs said. "I think we'll do well. For myself, I'd like to win the 200 and 400 IM (individual medley) at the meet." Captain and diver Margie Stoll said she is also looking forward to Big Tens. "I'm very excited," Stoll said. "It's the last Big Tens that I'll be a part of. We have a very good, very strong diving and swimming team. I personally think we can win. So I'm excited for it myself. I would like to at least be in the top five people on the one-meter and three-meter." According to Stoll, the divers have been training very hard since October and have been mentally and physically preparing themselves for Big Tens. "We've been working hard really since October," Stoll said. "Our Christmas training is very tough and intense training. We came back on December 27. We have two work- outs a day, probably for a total of four hours. And then closer to Big Tens, we do more quality work. We do less number of dives, but better HEATHER LOWMAN/Da;Iy Beth Jackson competes in the Speedo Cup earlier this season. Michigan. hosts the 1993 Big Ten Championship in February. quality of them to mentally prepare ourselves for the meet." Joining Stoll at the Big Tens will be divers Jennifer Rotondo, Cinnamon Woods, Carrie Zarse, and Martha Wenzel. If Stoll has one disappointment about the Big Tens, however, she said it is the absence of tower diving at the competition. "There's no platform diving this year," Stoll said. "It's kind of a dis- appointment. It was in the Big Tens for two years and I was the Big Ten platform diving champion in 1991. So I'm kind of disappointed that I don't get to compete in it again. But I guess that's one less worry." Richardson shares this sentiment. "If they hadn't thrown out tower diving," said Richardson, "this meet wouldn't be such a close one. It's going to be a barn burner." Michigan also has plans extend- ing beyond the Big Tens - namely improving upon last year's seventh place finish at the NCAAs. With three definite qualifiers and more to come, Richardson has a specific goal for this year's competition. "I think with respect to NCAAs," Richardson said, "the goal is cer- tainly to finish in the top 10, and beyond that, then as high as possi- ble." However, the Wolverines will face the same heavy competition at this meet. Is the same old story," Richardson said. "It's the top three - Stanford, Texas, and Florida. After that, I think UCLA looks re- ally good this year. They could per- form this year. SMU and Arizona fall fifth and sixth. After that I think we fall in there with several teams - Georgia, ASU, USC, and Kansas. Kansas is good this year. I think Northwestern is going to be a sleeper of a team (also)." Michigan, though, has a lot of talent to draw from for this matchup. With three swimmers who were NCAA finalists last year - Gehrs, Humphrey, and Hooiveld- as well as such talent as Deibler, Beth Jackson, Kirsten Silvester, Karen Barnes, Tara Higgins, Val Hyduk, and Missy McCracken, Michigan's chances of improving this year are optimistic. The Wolverines will defend their Big Ten title Feb. 18-20 at Canham Natatorium. They will then prepare for the NCAA national champi- onships, which are hosted by Minne- sota, March 18-20. Aussie Hooiveld's arrival marked a g'day for tankers .li :::en by David Kraft They call it the land Down Un- der. And for Lara Hooiveld, that is exactly where she spends most of her time - down under. Under the water, that is. Since the ripe age of five, Hooiveld, a native of Brisbane, Australia, has seen the depths of pools all over the world. Australia. Holland. England. And now the United States. In only her second year on the Michigan women's swimming team, Hooiveld has already estab- lished herself as one of the top col- legiate breaststrokers in the coun- try. Last year as a freshman, she took home four first-place titles at the Big Ten championship, includ- ing the 100- and 200-yard breast- strokes. At the NCAAs, her 200 medley relay team placed sixth, set- ting a Big Ten and school record. Not surprisingly, she was named an NCAA all-American in five events. "She's very gifted," Hooiveld's coach, Jim Richardson, said. "I think she is probably one of the most powerful female swimmers that I've ever seen." Richardson is not the first coach to offer such praise. When Hooiveld began swimming, her coach Laurie Lawerence told her that one day she would be a world record holder. While not there yet, Hooiveld possesses a determination that may well help her acheive this challenge. "When she gets focused, whether it's a workout or competi- tion, don't even bother trying to set limits on what she thinks she's go- ing to do," Richardson said. Hooiveld is much quicker to crack a joke than to speak of her in- tense demeanor in the water. "In Australia, everyone is so much mc.e at ease and relaxed," Hooiveld says. "Over here, there's a set schedule for everything. It's so much different." Yet despite this and other differ- ences, Hooiveld feels she has been able to adjust quite well, something she attributes to Lawerence, who has also coached the Australian Olympic team since 1984. "Laurie was the most intense coach I've ever had so I got used to really competitive swimming right away," Hooiveld says. By age 12, Hooiveld was al- ready swimming in international competition. While at John Paul College (the name of her high school in Brisbane), Hooiveld's continuing training under Lawer- ence helped thrust her into the spot- light. At age 17, Hooiveld made the 1988 Australian Olympic team in two events and headed for Seoil Hooiveld competed in the Com- monwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand, in Jan. 1990, where she picked up a gold medal in the 400 medley relay. Shortly after, she went to Europe where she trained for six months under British Olympic head coach Terry Deni- son. "Terry is one of the best breast- stroke coaches in the world," Hooiveld said. "He really enabled me to swim my best." The results told the story as Hooiveld won the British and Scottish Games in con- vincing fashion. In Feb. 1991, Hooiveld enrolled at Queensland University of Tech- nology and continued training un- der former Lawerence assistant Ian Findlay. After several talks with coaches including Richardson and U.S. Olympic head coach Dick Shulberg, Hooiveld decided to at- tend Michigan. "Good academics and good swimming is what everyone told me," she said. "I'd seen her swim on TV at the Commonwealth Games and saw how quick she was," Richardson said.-"It didn't take a Ph.D. to real- ize she'd nrohah1v h verv iood :::: f1i": " v.::::.G/i."i. R tWQW J~ : J: i: ~ U~f:J b T*1 * 1 MT/F?: tfl fl1~f~ mrnn~ n*~ ---m -- ----- o buon TANKERS Continued from page 1 run both days. Senior Margie Stoll won the event the first day with her score of the 500 and 1000 freestyles. Gehrs and Jackson were the other swim- mers to win two races. Although they did not officially swim against Penn State, Michigan was challenged by the Nittany Lions N" I :