The Michigan Daily - SPORTSMonday - Monday, March 27, 1995 - 5 swimmers prove 'M' sports are lust fn By Dan McKenzie Daily Sports Writer INDIANAPOLIS - The sight of Michigan swimmer Tom Dolan be- ing escorted out to the awards podium by a procession of ushers with the song "Simply the Best" blaring in the background might be described by e as hokey. V To most, collegiate sports mean Borges caps off career by achieving final goal In The Tank marching bands at foot- ball games or cheerleaders celebrating a basketball victory, not fancy award By Dan McKenzie Daily Sports Writer INDIANAPOLIS - It seemed that the first thing Michigan swimmer Gustavo Borges wanted to do upon being led into a press conference fol- lowing his national championship performance in the 200-yard freestyle was leave. Borges sat through the conference with a pained expression on his face. At times, he looked more interested in playing with the cap from the bottle of water that he had just opened than answering the reporters' questions. Borges is not one for the spotlight. Michigan coach Jon Urbanchek de- scribed his star pupil as "humble." Unfortunately for Borges, the spot- light is hard to avoid. He is a world- class athlete who claimed a silver medal in the 1992 Olympics, a world- record in the 400-meter relay and before this weekend, seven individual NCAA titles. But one thing was miss- ing - a national championship for the Wolverines. "I think our ultimate goal is to win the NCAA title for the team," Borges said. "I would give up all my indi- vidual titles in this meet to get a title for the team." Fortunately for Borges, he didn't have to do that. His three individual titles in the 50-yard freestyle, the 200 freestyle and the 100 freestyle propelled the Michigan swimmers to their first National Championship in 34 years. "He is the building block of this championship team," Urbanchek said. "He contributed more than he should have..We were always relying on him." Besides bringing his personal title count to 10 over the weekend, Borges gave the Wolverines a boost in other areas when they needed it. He single- handedly pulled Michigan's 400 med- ley relay team from fifth-place to sec- ond when he swam the anchor. Because the relays count for twice as many points, a poor finish would have caused a big decrease in the Wolverines' lead over Stanford. In- stead, Michigan finished that day in first place with a 25-point lead over the Cardinal. Borges' performance was made all the more impressive by the fact that it came on the heels of a trip down to Argentina where he represented Brazil in the Pan Am games. Four days before the NCAA Championships began, Borges was in the midst of a 25-hour journey back to Ann Arbor. The press conference dragged on. At one point, the questions came to a halt. Borges asked impatiently,""Is that it?" The answer to that question is yes, that's it. The NCAA Championships was the last meet for Borges as a Wolverine. But he walks away knowing he ac- complished everything that he could. He is an All-American and possibly the most dominant sprinter in NCAA his- tory. Butmost importantly, he has given the Michigan athletic program its first National Championship since he set foot on campus. ceremonies for swimmers. 'Especially at Michigan. The Wol- verine performances on the gridiron and the hardwood have aroused much frustration in Michigan faithful this year. Whether justified or not, many have wondered if the Michigan sports program is slipping from its expected level of excellence. Judging by the size of the Michi- gan cheering section at the NCAA Swimming Championships this week- *1, most of the grumbling fans weren't there to see the Wolverines cruise to an overwhelming victory en route to clinching a National Champi- onship. There was no riot on South Uni- versity celebrating the victory. There will be no pep rally. The swimmers will come back and go to class and receive few congratulations on achiev- * one of the most difficult feats in sports. What is it about football and bas- ketball that make them the only two sports worth bragging about? Anyone arguing that football and basketball players outwork the swim- mers has never gotten up before 6 a.m. to swim 10 miles. Not to mention that the swimmers' season began half- W through the football season and ed over a week after the last bas- ketball game. Those who argue that football or basketball are more exciting to watch have never seen Gustavo Borges carry his relay team to second place after beginning his leg in fifth. Not only are the swimmers some of the best athletes on campus, but they live up to the hype. They didn't a seemingly insurmountable lead in the final seconds. They didn't lose to a school that you couldn't locate on a map. Maybe one day you will know who they are. Maybe they will finally get the recognition that they have earned when they are winning gold medals for their countries in the Olym- pics. Like the lyrics to the song say, they simply the best. The ceremony for the winners at the NCAA Champion- ships wasn't hokey at all. It was the swimmers' turn to be in the spotlight. It is something they have worked hard for and deserve. So go ahead and brag about the swim team to your friends at other schools. The swimmers were there for you. On you say the same thing to them? NCAA Honor Roll Swimmer of the Year Tom Dolan Coach of the Year Jon Urbanchek Michigan junior Jan Wenzel was helped by the crown in his first NCAA Championship appearance. v Large crowd urges on Wolveries By Nicholas J. Cotsonika The fans had T-shirts made, dis- LS&A sophomore Tracy Solow Daily Sports Writer tributed cards with a block 'M' on one never considered it either. The fan INDIANAPOLIS - Amid pools side and "Go Blue" on the other. They goes to all the meets because "the of cardinal, orange and tan, there was also brought in a trumpeter to play the student body just doesn't understand a sea of maize and blue at the NCAA fight song. the tradition this program has. Any Men's Swimming and Diving Cham- _41_time you have tod many banners on pionships over the weekend. peopl needto your wall and you need to start on the Michigan had the largest and loud- other side, you've got a good thing est contingent of supporters by far. Its Co e and w se - going. People need to come and see rousing choruses of "The Victors," what it's all about." chants of "Let's go Blue" and shouts what (swimming of "M-I-C-H-I-G-A-N" electrified the isflla ou f air in the Indiana University-Purdue W alAb u University at Indianapolis Natato- - Tracy SoloW rium LS&Asohmr Donned in an array of Wolverinesohmr apparel -- most notably "Decade of They even went as far as to have Dominance" T-shirts which- cel- flags for each foreign Wolverine's ebrated Michigan's 10-straight Big country. Ten titles - about 400 parents, Michigan alumni who were in the alumni, students and women's swim- stands included gold medalist and -- mers cheered the Wolverines to a world record-holderMike Barrowman National Championship. of the class of '92. captains of the -f Michigan sophomore Tom Dolan, 1948 team Charlie Moss and Gus who was named Swimmer of the Year, Stager, 1953 swimmer Dr. F. Wallace said the crowd helped the team's per- Jeffries and 1961 captain Frank formance. Legacki. "They had a big impact on how we Athletic Director Joe Roberson did," Dolan said. "Coming out of the and his wife also attended. backstroke (during his American "These swimmers are just a bunch record-breaking 400 individual med- of great kids with great parents," ley swim) I could hear them. I knew Roberson said. "I don't know how then that I was on pace for the record, (Michigan coach Jon Urbanchek) does and it made me go even faster." it, being from a northern school." Canham Natatorium Aquatics Di- The women' steam knows how. The rector Mark Lambert, Fritz Seyferth, team unity instilled by the coaches in- Mary Walker, Steve West's father Tho- spired co-captain Anne Kampfe and 22 mas and the Michigan coaches are cred- of her teammates to pile into five cars ited with bringing the group together for the trip to Indianapolis, saying only, _......::::__ and organizing fan participation. "we didn't even think of not coming." Michigan's Steve West placed fifth in SARA[MANDaily the 200-yard breaststroke at the NCAA Championships Saturday night. CHAMPIONS Continued from page 1 Gustavo Borges will be a part of Wolverine lore for years to come. They led Michigan to the title, top- ping all individual performers with 60 points each. Dolan set three American records. Thursday night, he smashed the 500-yard freestyle mark by al- most three seconds with a time of 4:08.75. He obliterated the 400 in- dividual medley record the next night, coming in two seconds under the previous mark at 3:38.18. And Saturday evening, the 1650 record fell to Dolan, who swam the event in 4:29.31. "Tom's just a god right now," Stanford senior Brian Retterer said of the Michigan sophomore. "What- ever he does seems to be right." Borges couldn't do much wrong Final NCAA Championship Standings 1. Michigan 561 7. S. Methodist 218 2. Stanford 475 8. Arizona 211.5 3. Auburn 393 9. Minnesota 211 4. Texas 346 10. S. California 189 5. California 234 11. Miami (Fla.) 169 6. Tennessee 230 12. Louisiana State 116 either. He won his fourth straight 100 freestyle title Saturday night (:43.40) and also finished first in the 50 free (:19.59) and 200 free (1:34.61). But his most spectacular perfor- mance came when the Wolverines didn't win. In the crucial 400 med- ley relay Thursday night, Borges carried his team the way he has carried them for four years. When freshman Jason Lancaster touched the wall sending Borges out on the relay's anchor leg, Michi- gan was a distant fifth. But Borges swam a personal-best split (:41.85) to pull the Wolverines (3:11.68) into second place behind Stanford (3:07.28), which set an American record. "Gustavo has been the softest, kindest and smartest champion and a quiet leader," Urbanchek said. "He goes out for the team and that kind of performance is how he leads." Borges can have both because of his team's depth. Dolan and Borges combined for 120 points, but Michi- gan tallied 561 as a team. In every race Dolan won, there were three other Wolverines on the awards stand. Michigan scored 127 points in those events alone - with- out Dolan. Freshmen Owen von Richter and Lancaster both finished in the top 10 in individual scoring, von Richter tied for seventh and Lancaster for 10th. In total, 10 Wolverines scored. "We need guys who barely made the meet to not only be here, but to contribute," Urbanchek said. "That was the difference between us do- ing well and dominating the meet." The only mistake the Wolver- ines made all weekend was clerical, Urbanchek said. Michigan's 400 freestyle relay team was disquali- fied after junior Chris Rumley's name was entered for Borges'. Stanford women's coach Richard Quick noted the error from the stands and turned in the Wolverines, costing them a possible 40 points. "It's takes a Stanford person to do that," Urbanchek said. "They're smarter than you think and they're always looking out for something like that." The Cardinal was frustrated how- ever. Its string of three straight Na- tional Championships was stopped by Michigan, despite a stellar perfor- mance by Stanford captain Retterer. He set two American records of his own and set another as part of the Cardinal's 400 medley relay team. He finished third in individual scoring, but that couldn't fend off dismay. To Retterer's chagrin, the NCAA title went to a team from the snow belt, a team that wasn't Stanford or Texas, a team that hadn't won a championship in 34 years. The hated Michigan Wolverines are No. 1. "My goal for this year was to win the team title," Retterer said. "It's disappointing that we didn't, but only in that we lost to Michigan." URBANCHEK Continued from page 1 coach in Michigan history into the wa- ter. Urbanchek led the warm-up-clad Wolverines into the pool on his own terms, just as he led them to the NCAA title. Many years and many coaching complishments separate the sent Urbanchek from one who captained the 1961 Wolverines to an NCAA Championship. At that time, the Wolverines had won-three of the last four national titles, losing nnn.toT TVC other notch in Urbanchek's coaching bedpost to some, but in reality it is the goal he has struggled to attain since he began coaching Michigan swim- ming in 1982. At that time, the Wolverines were third in the Big Ten and 16th in the NCAA. However, they had a 6-0 dual-meet record to brag about, be- ginning Urbanchek's dual-meet dy- nasty: He has bragging rights to a 107-12 (.899) regular-season record at Michigan, losing only two home meets in 13 seasons - both to Stanford. Eddie Reese, a 17-year coach at all over the world to the Olympics over the years, including current Wolverine and 1992 silver medalist Gustavo Borges, the 1995 Wolverine team captain. But despite serving as an assis- tant on the past three U.S. Olympic teams, the 1996 head a coaching po- sition went to No. 2 Stanford coach Skip "I think he's the best coach in this country," Barrowman said. "I've seen the coaches in this coun- try and I know what they're capable of. I've also been working with Urbanchek for 10 years, and I think he's undoubtedly the best," he said. Although Urbanchek's laid-back style of coaching has long been re- spected by coaches and swimmers alike, it was the crowd who said it best in Indianapolis this weekend. As the team accepted its trophy and the swimmers were flailing their arms around with pride, Urbanchek just stood in front and gloated. 4YT... L...S TT... L. I IT... ~ A AM Ann Arbor. He coached at Long Beach State and Anaheim (Calif.) High School. But coaching high school water polo is not much compared to some of Urbanchek's more recent accomplish- ments. Last summer, he coached seven Wolverines and the entire U.S. team at the World Championships in Rome. In the Wolverines' decade of domi- nance,l0 years of Big Ten titles, Urbanchek has brought home confer- ence Coach of the Year honors in six seasons, including the last three. his talents. "He's great at teaching kids how to pace," Kimball says. "He trains those kids so well in distance. I don't see anybody doing the job he's doing right now. He's done a great job for so many years." But in typical fashion, Urbanchek points to his captains, Gustavo Borges and Marcel Wouda for their leader- ship. In addition to bringing distance and IM talent to Michigan, Urbanchek has altered a tradition set by former coach Gus Stager by changing the practice routine to year-round.