Bob Bowmanコーチ

Bob Bowmanコーチは北京オリンピック後に、現在のミシガン大学のコーチから古巣のNorth Baltimore Aquatic Clubに戻るそうです。


Bowman Returning to North Baltimore Aquatic Club as CEO

April 17, 2008

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan men's swimming head coach Bob Bowman announced that he will be leaving the program following the Beijing Olympics to assume chief executive officer responsibilities at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club and will prepare swimmers for Olympic and international competition. Bowman will continue in his capacity as U-M head coach, including with the Wolverine Swim Camps, and as the Club Wolverine high performance coach through the 2008 Olympic Trials in Omaha, Neb. (June 29-July 6).

"This is a professional business opportunity that I felt I needed to pursue," Bowman said. "It has been a privilege and honor for me to coach at the University of Michigan, and my four years here have been extremely meaningful. I have enjoyed working with the student-athletes and representing the University, and I plan to continue a close relationship with U-M for a long time to come."

"I am sorry to see Bob leave, but this was an unexpected, rare business opportunity that he could not pass up," said U-M director of athletics Bill Martin. "This has been an exciting time for Michigan swimming, and I'm happy that he was able to conclude his tenure here on a high note with a Big Ten championship. I look forward to continuing a relationship with him."

Bowman concluded his fourth season as U-M's head coach in March, guiding the Wolverines to the 2008 Big Ten Conference title and a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Championships. In four seasons, he compiled a 30-8-1 record in dual meets, including 21-1-1 against Big Ten opponents.

The Wolverines finished among the top eight nationally all four years during Bowman's tenure, including sixth-place finishes in 2005 and 2008. At the Big Ten Championships, U-M finished third in 2005 and 2006, missed capturing the Big Ten title by just four points in 2007, and improved on that runner-up finish by winning the 2008 championship in front of a home crowd at Canham Natatorium. Twice Bowman earned Big Ten Coach of the Year honors (2007 co-recipient, 2008), and he mentored three swimmers to six NCAA individual titles.

Contact: Bruce Madej          (734) 763-4423

MSU 2008 Big Ten Preview

MSUのwebにBig Tenの事前情報が出ています。今シーズンの成績があまりよくない勝のことは残念ながら一言も触れられていませんでした。
結果の記事には是非大きく掲載してもらえればと思います。

Spartans Head To Big Ten Men's Swimming & Diving Championships

2008 Big Ten Mens Swimming & Diving Championships set for Feb. 28-March 1 at Michigan

Printer-Friendly Format   E-mail this article Senior Adam Schmitt leads the MSU men's swimming & diving team to the Big Ten Swim Championships this weekend in Ann Arbor.

Feb. 27, 2008

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - The Michigan State men's swimming & diving will take its most talented team in years to the Big Ten Men's Swimming & Diving Championships this weekend. The three-day event begins with the 500 free, 200 IM and 50 free preliminary rounds on Thursday, Feb. 28 at noon at Michigan's Canham Natatorium.

"I feel like right now, this is the best team we've had in a long time," head coach Matt Gianiodis said. "But we'll see how we get through the weekend."

The Spartans are led by senior Adam Schmitt, who is the team's top performer in the sprint freestyles and IM events. Schmitt owns the team's top times this season in the 50 free (20.89), 100 free (44.77), 200 free (1:38.34) and the 200 IM (1:51.78). His 1:38.34 200 free performance, which was set Jan. 25 against Oakland, is a Busbey Natatorium record. With the clock ticking on his Spartan career, Schmitt is poised to score in multiple events at the league meet.

"This is his last Big Ten meet, and he's a leader now," Gianiodis said. "He needs to swim like a leader, and I think he will."

Freshman L. Colby Ward and sophomore Krzysztof Olszewski are the team's top distance swimmers. Ward owns MSU's best times in the 500, 1,000 and mile free, while Olszewski is second in each event. Olszewski is also at the top of MSU's 400 IM list with a time of 4:04.93.

Freshman kevin Puskaric and sophomore Marcus Poteete lead MSU in the breaststroke and butterfly, respectively. Puskaric is at his best in the 200 breast, where his 1:59.14 top time is good enough to make the NCAA `B' qualifying standard. Poteete, an Olympic Trials qualifier, has clocked a team-best 49.68 in the 100 fly this season, and 1:52.14 in the 200 fly. Both times are just short of the NCAA `B' standards.

Sophomore Jon LaRocque is the team's top backstroke swimmer. He set team top times in the 50 back (23.91) and 100 back (51.22) at the Ohio State Invitational in November, and posted a team-best 1:52.48 in the 200 back in the season finale against Oakland on Jan. 25. The Spartans also have two strong divers in sophomores Ivan Zalessov and David Garry.

Michigan State will need top performances from everyone on the team, as the Big Ten Championships field is a tough one. Seven of the nation's top 18 teams in the latest CSCAA poll are Big Ten squads, and an eighth team is among those receiving votes. No. 4 Michigan, No. 7 Indiana and No. 8 Minnesota highlight the 10-team field.

"It's a really strong field. I think it's the strongest field in the country without a doubt," Gianiodis said. "There are seven teams ranked, and I feel Wisconsin (receiving votes) is a top 25 team."

Competition begins with preliminary rounds at noon each day. Minnesota is the reigning Big Ten champion.

Swimmers adjust to early-morning finals (Detroit Free Pressの記事)

Detroit Free Pressに今回のグランプリでの夕方予選、午前中決勝のトライについて記事が出ています。
Michael Phelps選手、Kaitlin Sandeno 選手やKatie Hoff 選手が午前中のFainalに向けてコーヒーを飲んだり、体を温めるため帽子やブーツを履いたり、5:30からwake-up swimをするなど、早朝の行動を通常と変えてよい結果を出していることや、Ryan Lochte選手やDavis Tarwater選手が前日夕方の予選より決勝タイムを落としてしまったことなどが書かれています。
Ann Arbor Newsの記事によるとKaitlin Sandeno 選手はいつもより熱いシャワーを浴び、オートミールを食べて、重ね着をして体温を上げているとのこと。
Phelps選手は木曜日の夜にPistonsのゲームを見ているうちに寝てしまい、金曜日の朝は目覚ましが鳴る前に起きたとのことで、「普段の午前中よりしっかり体が動く。この大会は午前中に速く泳ぐ経験をすることができる良いチャンスを与えてくれている。」とコメントしています。

Detroit Free Pressの記事
Swimmers adjust to early-morning finals

May 18, 2007

By JO-ANN BARNAS

FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER

Michael Phelps woke up at 6 a.m. Friday and did something unusual. He drank a cup of coffee.

When Kaitlin Sandeno got out of bed, she put on a cap and her Ugg boots in an attempt to raise her body temperature. On the way to the pool, she cranked up the music in her car.

Katie Hoff said she went for a “wake-up swim” at 5:30 in the morning.

For many of the swimmers who qualified out of their preliminaries Thursday night and advanced to Friday morning’s finals at the Eric Namesnik Memorial Grand Prix, gearing up for their races proved to be a little harder than they thought.

The results showed that some adjusted better than others.

The four-day meet at Canham Natatorium in Ann Arbor is the first event of the season in the United States to mimic the time format that will be used at the 2008 Beijing Olympics: preliminaries in the evening, finals in the morning.

The meet’s first day official concluded Friday morning with Michael Phelps and Kaitlin Sandeno of Club Wolverine leading the way with each posting victories in two individual events.

Phelps, eight-time 2004 Athens Olympic medalist, won the men’s 400-meter freestyle and 200 individual medley, while Sandeno continued her comeback with victories in the women’s 400 free and women’s 200 IM.

She said she followed Club Wolverine coach Bob Bowman’s guidelines to adjust to the time change, including taking her warm-up more seriously.

“Not that I slack, but I kind of (usually) just goof around with warm ups,” said Sandeno, three-time 2004 Olympic medalist who moved a year ago to Ann Arbor to train. “But today I really tried to do everything Bob said. I’m a little bit more mature now and I know I can’t get away with stuff I used to when I was 17 or 18 years old. I’m just trying to get prepared for 2008 and hopefully I’ll be in Beijing. This is the way we’re doing it, so start early and play around with it.”

Sandeno also anchored Club Wolverine’s A team to victory in the women’s 4x100 freestyle relay.

In his first meet since winning seven gold medals at the World Swimming Championships last month in Melbourne, Australia, Phelps said he fell asleep watching the Pistons’ game Thursday night and, for the first time in a while, woke up before his alarm went off Friday morning.

“I was much more awake than I normally am in the morning,” Phelps said. “This event is really going to give us a good chance to be able to experience having to swim fast in the morning.”

Phelps’ time in winning the 400 free (3:55.33) was more than three seconds faster than his prelim time Thursday night (3:58.64). His time improved even more in the 200 IM — 2:02.46 on Friday morning compared to 2:06.95 in posting the top prelim time Thursday night.

But not all the athletes went faster. Ryan Lochte’s time in taking fourth in the 200IM final (2:07.67) was slower than his prelim (2:07.61). Davis Tarwater was nearly three seconds slower in the finals of 400 free than he was in his prelim. He was seventh.

Sandeno was one of two swimmers in the women’s 400-free final to beat her prelim time.

Asked if he was able to ascertain much information out of Friday’s morning finals, Bowman said: “Not too much yet. It shows that a lot of people were not ready to swim – they didn’t get significantly faster. Some people did. It seems like the very top swimmers (did), but I think we have to get everybody a little more excited about being more aggressive in the morning.”

In other finals results: Vanessa Garcia won the women’s 50 free in 25.93 seconds. Eastern Michigan’s Derrick Roe, who joined Club Wolverine three weeks ago, won the men’s 50 free in 23.52. Club Wolverine’s B team in the 4x100-free relay (anchored by Peter Vanderkaay) defeated Club Wolverine’s A team (anchored by Phelps).

The meet continues later today with prelims in six events.

Ann Arbor Newsの記事

Adjusting to different routines
Swimmers alter their schedules to prepare for Beijing in 2008

Saturday, May 19, 2007

BY JOHN HEUSER

News Sports Reporter

Routines went by the wayside for some of the world's best swimmers Friday morning.

Kaitlin Sandeno awoke at 6 a.m. without an alarm, "which is really weird for me.'' Same with Michael Phelps, the world record-holder in four individual events.

"I haven't woken up before the alarm in a long time,'' he said.

Phelps, who abstains from coffee in the morning, had a cup before heading to Canham Natatorium from his Ann Arbor condominium. Sandeno took an extra-hot shower, ate a bowl of oatmeal and piled on the clothes to help raise her body temperature to the point it normally reaches later in the day.

At Canham, Sandeno warmed up with unusual vigor, the better to prepare for her 400-meter freestyle and 200 individual medley championship races at the Eric Namesnik Memorial Grand Prix.

Instead of being slotted for afternoon or evening, the finals at the Namesnik event - which continues through Sunday - are being contested in the morning.

"We're all there yawning with our coffee and our bagels, trying to get ready,'' Sandeno said. "Mentally, when I come into the finals, I want to be feisty, really fired up, really pumped up.''

Although Sandeno admitted it was a bit of a chore altering her normal race schedule, she approached the change matter-of-factly.

"Hopefully, I'll be in Beijing, and this is the way we're doing it (there),'' Sandeno said.

Beijing, the site of the 2008 Summer Olympics, will also feature the flip-flopped racing - preliminaries late in the day, finals early - to accommodate the wishes of television network NBC, which will provide live prime-time championship swimming coverage to audiences in the United States.

If Friday's results are any indicator, Sandeno adapted well to the change. The two-time Olympian won both her individual races, then anchored the first-place 400-freestyle relay. Phelps, too, appeared to have little difficulty with the new schedule.

Less than 48 hours after returning to Michigan from an intense three-week training camp in Colorado Springs, Colo., Phelps took first in his individual races, the 400 freestyle and the 200 IM.

"I didn't have any trouble getting up and going for it,'' Phelps said. "... As a whole, I think it was a good experience for us to have this because it's something that's completely different than what we're used to.''

In the third individual event final contested Friday, the 50 freestyle, Vanessa Garcia from Team Puerto Rico won the women's race. Club Wolverine's Derrick Roe, an Eastern Michigan student, won the men's sprint.

More travel on the way

Despite travels in recent months to Australia for the World Championships, to China and to Colorado, Phelps won't stay put in Ann Arbor long. In June, he and several other Club Wolverine members are scheduled to fly to Europe for the Mare Nostrum swim tour that will make stops in the French city of Canet, Barcelona and Monaco.

"There's a group of us heading over there,'' Phelps said. "Traveling around Europe a little bit and swimming a little bit.''

Kelly impresses

Pioneer High School graduate Margaret Kelly, who just completed her freshman year at Michigan, made a positive impression Friday, finishing second to Sandeno in the 200 IM and placing fourth in 50 freestyle. She set personal bests in both events.

"We've been training so hard, I really didn't expect to go those times,'' said Kelly, who also contributed to Club Wolverine's 400 freestyle relay, swimming lead off.

Future Wolverine

Daniel Madwed, 18, who attended high school for three years in Stamford, Conn., transferred as a senior to a school in Towson, Md. where he will take his last final exam Monday.

"I wasn't getting what I needed from my old team, so I decided to pack up and move,'' said Madwed, who is living with his grandparents in Towson and swimming with the North Baltimore Aquatic Club.

Madwed will remain with the club - where Phelps got his start under current Michigan men's coach Bob Bowman - through the Olympics. After that, Madwed plans to move to Ann Arbor and begin classes at Michigan.

Madwed said he believes he can make the U.S. Olympic squad in 2008, perhaps in his top event, the 200 butterfly. The final for that event at

the Namesnik Grand Prix will be held Sunday. Madwed placed fourth in Friday's 400 freestyle.

John Heuser can be reached

at jheuser@annarbornews.com or 734-994-6816.

MSU vs Oakland

金曜日の夜は、今シーズン最後の対抗戦がありました。Division2のOakland Universityとの大会でしたが、残念ながら負けてしまったようです。コーチの話によりますと、相手はこの試合のためにテーパーしてきたようです。

勝は200Fr、100Fｒ、100Flyと4×100Frリレーに出場しました。20OFrのタイムは先週より0.05秒だけ上がってましたが、Big TenやNCAAを考えると、もう少しあげておいて欲しいところです。

200Fr  1:39.69
   23.58-49.10 (25.52)-1:14.62 (25.52)-1:39.69 (25.07)
今シーズンのベストで、昨年テーパー無しの大会のベストが
   1:39.99(23.31-25.38-25.80-25.50)
でしたので、ほんの0.3秒ほどの向上ですが、後半は強くなっているようです。前半をもう少し上げておいて欲しいところでした。

100Fr  46.70
    22.57-46.70 (24.13)
このタイムは昨年のテーパー無しの大会のベスト
    22.39-46.38 (23.99)
より少し遅いタイムです。コーチの話では、筋肉が付いて回復が遅くなっているのも影響しているようです。

100Fly  52.37
    23.98-52.37 (28.39)
後半ガタ落ちのタイムです。

4×100Frリレー 3:05.23
1) Schmitt, Joe
    22.69-47.18 (47.18)
2) Lessard, Jon   
    1:09.32 (22.14)-1:33.60 (46.42)
3) Koba, Sho
    1:55.66 (22.06)-2:19.45 (45.85(23.79)) 
4) Vadney, Jason
    2:41.33 (21.88)-3:05.52 (46.07)
リレーでは少し後半のタイムを上げてきたようです。

次回の大会は地区大会になるBig Tenです。この大会でNCAAの標準タイムを切って、何とか出場権を得て欲しいと思います。

大会結果

MSUのHPの記事

Women's Swimming And Diving Concludes Regular Season With Win

Spartan women defeat Oakland, men topped in final meet.

Printer-Friendly Format   E-mail this article Adam Schmitt turned in three first-place performances against Oakland.

Jan. 19, 2007

Final Stats

ROCHESTER, Mich. - The Michigan State women closed out the regular season with a victory over host Oakland on Friday night, 170-128, while the men dropped their final dual, 164-136.

Junior Adam Schmitt turned out three first-place finishes, topping the competition in the 50 (20.77) and 100 freestyles, and adding a third win in the 200 IM, with a time of 1:53.35.

Megan Reponen led the way for the women claiming victory in the 100 (58.70) and 200 (2:09.43) butterfly.

Kryzstof Olszewski also had two wins, leading the way in the 1000 freestyle with a time of 9:39.57 and in the 500 freestyle (4:35.29). In addition, Olszewski placed second in the 200 butterfly (1:56.57).

Julie Kahn, Sarah Biasello and Betsy DeJonge each turned in two top-three finishes for the women. Kahn touched the wall in 53.22 to claim first in the 100 freestyle, and then turned in a second-place effort in the 200 freestyle (1:56.04). Biasello finished the 100 breastroke in third place (1:07.13), and then ended the day with a win in the 200 breastroke (2:24.11). Mara Loniewski out touched the competition winning the 200 freestyle (1:54.61). Loniewski also claimed second in the 500 freestyle in 5:07.80. DeJonge ended the season in second in the 50 freestyle (24.63) and third in the 100 freestyle (54.01)

For the men, Sho Koba had a first and second-place finish. Winning the 200 freestyle in 1:39.69, and coming in second in the 100 freestyle (46.70).

Other top finishers were Sasha Lewerenz who won the 100 backstroke (57.42), Matt McNichols who took second 200 freestyle (1:43.37), and Emma Schaefer who placed second in the 200 IM (2:10.25).


On the boards, the women had another successful day sweeping both the one- and three-meter boards. Katie Edwards grabbed first on the three meter with a score of 288.75, she was followed by teammates Alycia Mokedanz (264.07), and Allie Sayers (256.05). On the one-meter, Schmidt claimed top honors with a 256.15, Sayers came in second (251.92), and Edwards rounded out the top three (249.75)

For the men, Ivan Zalessov finished the day in second on both boards, posting a score of 310.72 on the three meter, and 289.27 on the one-meter. David Garry took third (263.40) on the three meter, and Matt Akerley placed third (269.85) on the one meter.

Michigan State had 12 other swimmers turn in a total of 17 third-place finishes. The Michigan State women closed out the season with a record of 3-5-1, while the men end the dual season 1-6-0. The Spartans will have a break in action, before heading to the Big Ten Championship meet. The women will compete at the Big Ten Meet from Feb. 8-11 in Minneapolis, Minn., while the men will head to Ohio State to compete Feb. 16-19.

MSU vs Purdue

先週末のPurdueとの大会の結果です。 チームとしてはまたもや負けてしまいました。ちなみにPurdueは現在Division1のランキング19位です。

勝は200Fr、500Fr、100Frに出場したようです。
(その後、MNさんより連絡があり、100Frは別の選手が泳いだそうです。直前での変更だったので、リザルトシステムの名前が替わっていたなったようです。)

200Fr
1:39.74
今シーズンのベストタイムです。Big tenまで更に調子を上げていって欲しいところです。

100Fr
47.59
このタイムでは駄目ですね。
(このタイムは勝が泳いだのではなく、別の選手のタイムでした。)

500Fr
4:36.34
このタイムももう一つです。

大会結果

MSUのHPの記事

Michigan State Swimming And Diving Drops Final Conference Dual
Spartan men and women both fall to Purdue.

Printer-Friendly Format   E-mail this article Freshman Sho Koba swam to victory in the 500 freestyle against Purdue.

Jan. 13, 2007

Final Stats

EAST LANSING, Mich. - In their final home meet of the year, both the men and women's swimming and diving teams fell to the Purdue Boilermakers on Saturday. The men fell by a score of 202-98, while the women were beaten 187.50-110.50.

Swimming strongly for the men was junior Adam Schmitt, who recorded victories in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:39.62, and the 100 freestyle, clocking in at 45.02. . In addition to Schmitt, freshmen Sho Koba swam to victory in the 500 yard freestyle, touching at 4:36.34, while freshmen Matthew Massman also picked up a win in the 50 freestyle with a time of 16.24

Meanwhile, swimming to victory for the women were sophomore Marlys Fuqua in the 1000 freestyle (10:26.12), and senior Megan Reponen in the 200 butterfly (2:06.28).

Second-place finishers for the Spartans were: Krzysztof Olszewski in the 1000 freestyle (9:28.60) and 200 IM (1:57.88), and Mara Loniewski in the 200 freestyle (1:54.91).

In the 200 freestyle Koba grabbed second behind teammate Adam Schmitt with a time of 1:39.74, while Garrett Ruhland also took runner-up to teammate Matthew Massman in the 50 freestyle (16.33).

Also in second place were, Sasha Lewerenz in the 100 (57.59) and 200 (2:07.18) backstroke, Julianne Kahn in the 100 (53.37)and 50 (24.52) freestyles, Jason Vadney in the 200 butterfly (1:55.59), and Laura DeFord in the 200 breastroke (2:24.73).

With the loss, the men's team drops to 1-5, while the women fall back to 2-5-1. Both the men's and women's team will conclude their regular season on Jan. 19 at Oakland University.

MSU vs Ball State

先週の大会の結果です。

1000Fr
9:44.50

100Fly
51.14 ベスト更新


大会結果

MSUのHPの記事


Men Swim to Victory Over Ball State; Women Manage Tie

Men sweep both the one- and three-meter boards, while Katie Edwards sweeps both events for the women.

Printer-Friendly Format   E-mail this article Senior Diver Matt Akerley captured first for the Spartans on the three-meter board.

Dec. 9, 2006

Final Stats

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State men's swimming and diving team picked up its first win of the season at home against Ball State (196-137) on Saturday, while the women ended the day splitting points (150-150) with the Cardinals.

"It's good to get the first win of the season for the guys, of course," Spartan head coach Matt Gianiodis said. "I thought we performed much better on the men's side than we did the women's side, although our divers were solid again for the women, and we had a couple people perform pretty well."

The women opened Saturday afternoon's non-conference meet against Ball State with victories in the first three events, but after the Cardinals evened the score, the meet literally remained even, with a final score of 150-150.

The MSU women (2-4-1) started off the day victorious in the 200 medley relay. Sasha Lewerenz, Laura DeFord, Megan Reponen and Eve Brusie, recorded a time of 1:48.83. Swimming in the 1,000-yard freestyle for the first time this season, Heather Kiluk recorded a victory with a time of 10:35.63. Jennifer Korn also came away with a win, swimming her second-best time of the season in the 200-yard freestyle (1:55.26).

Katelyn Edwards once again dove to victory on both the one- and three-meter board, sweeping the events for the fifth time this season, scoring 275.18 and 279.38, respectively. Alicia Mokedanz followed up in second place on the one meter, with a score of 257.77.

In the 500-yard freestyle, Marlys Fuqua touched first at 5:06.93, posting her best time of the season. Megan Reponen won the 100-yard butterfly, with a time of 58.66.

The Spartan men (1-4) opened the meet with an impressive win in the 200-yard medley relay. Gabe Strickler, Matt McNichols, Marcus Poteete and Adam Schmitt recorded a winning time of 1:34.65. Krzysztof Olszewski followed up the win, with a victory in the 1,000-yard freestyle, finishing in 9:25.71.

In the 100-yard backstroke, Adam Schmitt turned in a time of 53.05 to win the event. Marcus Poteete followed up with a victory in the 100-yard breaststroke, clocking in at 59.31.

Jason Vadney was the first to touch in the 100-yard freestyle at 47.00. In the 200-yard breaststroke, Marcus Poteete clocked in at 2:11.85, good for first place. In the 100-yard butterfly, Sho Koba was victorious, with a time of 51.14.

For the divers, the Michigan State men took the top three spots on the three-meter board, with Matt Akerley leading the way with a score of 273.83. He was followed by David Garry (270.75) and Ivan Zalessov (261.75).

The Spartans also swept the one-meter board. This time David Garry led the Spartans to victory, scoring 264.97, followed by Akerley (264.15) with Zalessov rounding out the top three with a score of 261.14.

"By and large, we underperformed today, but we'll see how we do," Gianiodis said. "The next month is going to be critical for our season."

Both the men's and the women's teams take a break from competition until after the New Year. MSU will pick back up with a men's and women's combined meet against Purdue at home on Jan. 13 at 2 p.m.

Spartan Swimming And Diving Hosts Ball State

今週末は、土曜日にインディアナのBall State Unversityとの大会です。

MSUのHPの記事

Spartan Swimming And Diving Hosts Ball State
MSU set for final meet before holiday break.

Printer-Friendly Format   E-mail this article Women's swimming and diving looks to pick up its third win of the season against Ball State.

Dec. 8, 2006

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State men's and women's swimming and diving team will face Ball State at the Charles McCaffree Pool at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Ball State Breakdown
The Ball State women are off to a 3-1 start in dual meets, and most recently took first at the House of Champions Invitational. The Cardinals easily defeated the six participating schools, finishing the meet with a team score of 976, over 200 points ahead of second-place Northern Colorado (706).

The Ball State men started slow, opening the season with a 1-2 record in dual meets, but picked things up at the House of Champions Invitational. The men also had the meet in hard with 938.5 points, which was also a 200-plus point advantage over the second-place team, Western Illinois (628).

For his efforts at the House of Champions Invitational, freshman swimmer Ben Karwoski was named MAC Swimmer of the Week on Dec. 4. Karwoski took home three first-place finishes, winning the 500 free (4:42.33), 200 free (1:45.34) and 200 butterfly (1:57.06). He was also a member of the 800-yard free relay that placed first after clocking in at 7:11.71.

A Former Spartan
Ball State is led by co-head coach Laura Seibold-Caudill, a former MSU diver, and the daughter of MSU swimmers. Siebold-Caudill was a three-time national finalist in one- and three-meter diving, and was honored as an All-American for her efforts in 1973, 1974 and 1975. Seibold-Caudill, who won the East-West Diving Championships while at MSU, was invited to participate in the 1976 U.S. Olympic Team Diving Trials. An eight-time U.S. Diving National Qualifier from 1972-76, she also competed in the U.S. Pan American Team Trials and the U.S. World Game Trials in 1975.

The Last Meeting
In their last matchup on Dec. 10, 2005, in Muncie, Ind., the Spartans swept the Cardinals, with a 128-115 win by the men and a 137-106 win by the women. The Spartan men took six first-place finishes, while the women came away with seven. The women's diving team also was successful against the Cardinals, coming away with a 1-2-3 sweep of the one- and three-meter events.

The Spartans were honored for their efforts last season against Ball State by the Big Ten, picking up both the male and female Swimmer of the Week, as well as the male Diver of the Week. Now-junior Adam Schmitt was honored for capturing first in both the 200 IM and the 200 medley relay.. Senior diver Matt Akerley picked up his first career honor for his second- and third-place finishes on the one-and three-meter boards, respectively. Then-senior Rachel Hagerman was honored as the female Swimmer of the Week.

Spartans Compete At U.S.Open
MSU sent nine swimmers to the U.S. Open Nov. 30 - Dec. 2. The men's 800-meter freestyle relay led the way for the Spartans with a seventh-place finish. The group was led off by freshman Sho Koba, followed by Adam Schmitt, Jason Vadney and Gabe Strickler. Individually, Schmitt was the top swimmer, picking up a tie for 34th in the 100-meter freestyle, finishing in 52.95. Other Spartan swimmers who competed at the USA Swimming sanctioned meet were: Heather Kiluk, Sasha Lewerenz, Jonathan LaRocque, Krzysztof Olszewski and Marcus Poteete.

Top Notch
Following nine meets, 34 Spartans have placed in the top three individually, and 16 different MSU athletes have sat atop the leaderboard. Junior Adam Schmitt leads the male swimmers in victories, winning seven times this season, while Sasha Lewerenz leads the women, also with seven victories.

Ivan Zalllesov has had the most success on the boards for the men, with two wins, while Katie Edwards is the reigning female diver with five victories this season. Edwards has swept both the one- and three-meter boards three times this season, against Akron, Illinois and at the Northwestern Invitational.

Break Out Performers
The Michigan State freshman class has proven themselves on numerous occassions, with the men and women gathering 64 top-three finishes between them. Of those 64, 18 have been first-place finishes. Sho Koba is the top male swimmer with seven top-three and one first-place finish. Ivan Zalessov leads the men in diving, garnering six finishes in the top three, and two wins. Mara Loniewski and Sasha Lewerenz lead the femaile swimmers, placing in the top three, 10 times each. Lewerenz has captured seven wins, while Loniewski has six.

Battling Back
Jason Vadney and Betsy DeJonge are each returning to the pool after a red-shirt season, and both are making waves already this season. In his first meet of the season, Vadney placed in the top-three in three events, while winning the 100 butterfuly. His second and third-place finishes in the 100 and 200 freestyles came behind teammates Adam Schmitt and Sho Koba. Against Princeton, Vadney garnered third in the 200 butterfly.

DeJonge also has been strong, garnering a top-three finish in the 50 freestyle in four of the Spartans six meets this season. DeJonge has earned second three of the four times, including a tie for second against a tough field at Notre Dame.

Spreading Holiday Cheer
The men's and women's swimming and diving program will be making the holiday's brighter for Lansing families, as they donate their time to help at the Salvation Army. The group will team up with the Lansing area Salvation Army Distribution Center for the second year in a row to provide toys for those in need. MSU will be on hand Friday, Dec. 15 from 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. at the Salvation Army Distribution Center, located at 3305 South Pennsylvania Ave.

Up Next...
The Michigan State men and women will continue with Big Ten match-ups against Purdue on Jan. 13, 2007, in East Lansing. The meet is scheduled to start at 2 p.m.

US Openの結果

今年のUS Openの結果はあまり芳しくありませんでした。今回の結果と過程をしっかり解析して次につなげて欲しいです。

11月30日
800Frリレー  7:47.23 7位
1) *Koba, Sho 19
     27.36-56.57 (29.19)-1:26.16 (29.59)-1:55.25 (29.09)
2) Schmitt, Adam J 20
     2:22.51 (27.26)-2:52.66 (57.41)-3:22.39 (1:27.14)-3:51.89 (1:56.64)
3) Vadney, Jason C 21
     4:18.29 (26.40)-4:47.81 (55.92)-5:17.91 (1:26.02)-5:48.06 (1:56.17)
4) Strickler, Gabe R 18
     6:14.65 (26.59)-6:44.68 (56.62)-7:16.08 (1:28.02)-7:47.23 (1:59.17)

12月1日
200Fr 1:56.65 43位
     26.53-55.44 (28.91)-1:25.94 (30.50)-1:56.65 (30.71)

12月2日
100Fr 54.81 75位
     26.43-54.81 (28.38)

400Frリレー 3:35.15 13位
1) *Koba, Sho 19
     26.17-54.53 (28.36)
2) Strickler, Gabe R 18
     1:20.95 (26.42)-1:49.40 (54.87)
3) Vadney, Jason C 21
     2:14.88 (25.48)-2:42.82 (53.42)
4) Schmitt, Adam J 20
     3:08.34 (25.52)-3:35.15 (52.33)



MSU HPの記事 その1

U.S. Open Update

Men's relays highlight first two days.

Printer-Friendly Format   E-mail this article Junior Adam Schmitt was a member of the seventh-place 800-meter relay team at the U.S. Open

Dec. 1, 2006

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Swimming against some of the nation's most elite and Olympic swimmers, the Michigan State men's 800-meter relay team captured seventh place against a tough field on Thursday, posting a time of 7:47.23.

MSU freshman Sho Koba got the group started, posting a team best 1:55.25; he was joined by Adam Schmitt, Jason Vadney and Gabe Strickler to garner the seventh-place finish.

Also competing on Thursday, in the long-course 200-meter IM, Marcus Poteete and Jon LaRocque finished in 60th and 65th-places, respectively, while Schmitt, a junior from Grand Haven, Mich., grabbed 43rd in the 50 freestyle.

Vadney, Poteete, Kris Olszewski, Sasha Lewerenz and Heather Kiluk also gained valuable experience, swimming in time trials at the U.S. Open.

On Friday, Kiluk, MSU's varsity record holder in the 400 IM, finished the event in 64th, with a time of 5:13.95.

The men's 400-meter medley relay captured fourth in the second heat of the preliminary race to grab 20th place overall; the group of LaRocque, Poteete, Vadney and Schmitt turned in a time of 4:02.55.

The U.S. open will continue Saturday, with preliminary races beginning at 9 a.m. The finals are scheduled for 6 p.m. Complete results can be found at usaswimming.org.




MSU HPの記事 その2

Swimming Finishes Out Final Day At U.S. Open

Adam Schmitt posts top-35 finish in 100 freestyle.

Printer-Friendly Format   E-mail this article Adam Schmitt was one of nine MSU swimmers to compete at the 2006 U.S. Open

Dec. 2, 2006

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Adam Schmitt led the Michigan State men's swim team, in the third and final day of the U.S. Open, finishing the 100-meter freestyle in a tie for 34th place as he touched the wall in 52.95.

Sho Koba (54.81) and Gabe Strickler (55.15) also competed in the event, finishing 75th and 77th, respectively. U.S. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps had the fastest preliminary time out of the 91 competitors, with a 50.56.

Kris Olszewski swam to a third-place finish in the first of six heats in the 1500 freestyle. Olszewski posted a time of 16:11.36.

"We went down for the experience and exposure for our program," said MSU head coach Matt Gianiodis. "We had a lot of freshman on the trip, so it was good for them to swim in such a competitive environment. Our men's 800 meter-relay ended up in seventh in the long-course pool yesterday, so we'll see how well they can do the rest of the season."

The Michigan State men's and women's swimming and diving teams compete against Ball State on Dec. 9 in the final home meet of 2006 at the Charles McCaffree Pool in the IM West Building. The meet is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.       

MSU Swimmers Set For U.S. Open

木曜日から始まるUS Openに向けて、勝は前日の水曜日から、会場となるPurdue UniversityのBoilermaker Aquatic Centerに向かいます。

MSUのHPやUS SwimmingのHPにUS Openの記事が出ています。USA Swimmingの記事によると、アメリカのオリンピアン20人が出場するそうです。その中にはLenny Krayzelburg選手もいます。Lenny Krayzelburg選手にとっては、アテネオリンピック後初となるメジャー大会とのことです。

また、勝のリレーの出場種目は、400Frリレーと800Frリレーとなるそうです。

MSU Swimmers Set For U.S. Open
Nine Spartans have met the time standard to compete at national event.

Printer-Friendly Format   E-mail this article Nine MSU swimmers to compete at 2006 U.S. Open

Nov. 28, 2006

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Nine Michigan State swimmers have met event time standards and will compete at the 2006 U.S. Open from Nov. 30 - Dec. 2. The Spartans will face top competition from across the nation, including Olympians and U.S. National team members. The meet will be hosted by Purdue University and will be held at the Boilermaker Aquatic Center in West Lafayette, Ind. Heats will begin each day 9:30 a.m., with finals scheduled for 6 p.m.

The MSU women will be represented by sophomore Heather Kiluk (Libertyville, Ill.) and freshman Sasha Lewerenz (Rochester, Mich.). The men's team will have seven swimmers competing: Gabe Strickler (Midland, Mich.), Jonathan LaRocque (Bay City, Mich.), Krzysztof Olszewski (Torun, Poland), Adam Schmitt (Grand Haven, Mich.), Jason Vadney (Taylor Mill, Ky.), Marcus Poteete (Santa Cruz, Calif.), and Sho Koba (Ann Arbor, Mich.).

The U.S. Open is one of three domestic meets that USA Swimming sanctions each year. Swimmers will compete at the 50-meter or Olympic distance.

All-session passes are on sale for $25 for adults and $15 for students and children by calling the Purdue Athletic Ticket Office at (765) 494-3194 or (800) 497-7678. Individual session tickets will be available at the Boilermaker Aquatic Center on the day of the event. Tickets for preliminaries are $4 for adults and $3 for students and children. Finals tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students and children.

Ann Arbor Newsの記事

今日、Ann Arborからの出張者が新聞を持ってきてくれました。先週3月30日の新聞に勝の記事が載っていたためです。勝の大きな写真と三つの記事が載っていました。

一つは、
Winning, and learning
Koba dominates in pool, assimilates into American life
という題目で、勝がアメリカの生活になじんできたことや、両親と離れて暮らすことで、食事や睡眠時間についてうるさく言われなくなって、生活が楽になり楽しんでいると書かれています。そうでもないとは思いますが。
また記事の中でAnn Arbor Newsの Swimmer of the Yearを２年連続で獲得したことも記載されています。

二つ目は、
Pioneer shows championship mettle
Pioneers defend state title after a dominating performance in 2005
という表題で、Pioneer HSのState Championに関することが書かれており、勝のことも少しコメントがあります。

三つ目は、
FIRST TEAM
という内容で、今年Ann Arbor近郊で活躍した11名の水泳選手がFirst teamとして取り上います。ちなみにSecond teamとして更に10名の選手の名前があがっています。

Winning, and learning
Koba dominates in pool, assimilates into American life

Thursday, March 30, 2006
BY JEFF ARNOLD
News Sports Reporter

Between the knit ski cap fitted snugly around his head and the purple Pioneer High School varsity jacket embroidered with his recognizable three-letter first name, Sho Koba has adjusted to life as an American teenager.

Three years after arriving in Ann Arbor from Japan, Koba has integrated into his new surroundings, spending his free time at the mall and comparing dream cars with his school classmates.

But in the pool, where perhaps he feels more comfortable than in any other setting, Koba has managed to separate himself from the rest of his competition. His performance in the final year of a standout Pioneer career capped by another pair of individual Division 1 state championships has earned him the title of Ann Arbor News Swimmer of the Year for the second consecutive time.

"He really is kind of a special person that only comes along once in a while,'' Pioneer coach Denny Hill said.

In the pool, Koba's numbers speak for themselves. During his final state championship appearance, Koba defended his state titles in the 100- and 200-yard freestyle, breaking his own state record in the 200. He also anchored Pioneer's 400 freestyle relay that set a new state mark.

Away from the pool, Koba has learned to integrate his Japanese heritage with an American lifestyle. Two months ago, when his parents returned to Japan after spending three years here, Koba chose to stay behind as a preparation exercise for his upcoming college career at Michigan State University.

"I just wanted to finish high school here, and just study more English before I go to college and learn more American stuff,'' Koba said.

Koba's indoctrination to the American way of life has been aided by teammate Jason Hass, who has filled the role of Koba's brother in a household where he is otherwise an only child.

Together, Hass and Koba have blended their two cultures, becoming closer while learning more about the other through a series of differences. Hass has learned to eat healthier while introducing Koba to such American favorites as fried fish.

Koba still finds humor in Hass' first experience with wasabi, where Hass learned first hand how spicy the traditional Japanese sushi condiment is when used in too big of a quantity.

Koba has also turned Hass onto flexibility exercises which keep him limber throughout the swim season. He has also taught Hass limited phrases in Japanese while becoming more comfortable with his English.

Koba's parents regularly check in with him, making sure he is getting enough sleep and eating healthy. But thanks to an American family, Koba's life has become easier and more enjoyable.

Koba will soon get his first lesson in fishing when he travels with Hass and his father to a lake in Jackson where they will fish for bluegills, sunfish and bass.

"I'll just learn from Jason,'' Koba said. "We'll go to the lake, and if I catch a fish, I'll just leave it without picking it up. But I want to go.''

As educational as Koba's life has become, having someone with different values and likes and dislikes has also been a new experience for Hass.

"I've tried to understand what he likes,'' Hass said. "He teaches me about things he grew up with, and I teach him things I grew up with. It's fun having a brother. I like it.''

Jeff Arnold can be reached at jarnold@annarbornews.com or 734-994-6812.

Pioneer shows championship mettle
Pioneers defend state title after a dominating performance in 2005

Thursday, March 30, 2006
BY JEFF ARNOLD
News Sports Reporter

All season long, the expectations were in place based on both tradition and past experience.

After the Pioneer High School boys swim team had cruised to the Division 1 state championship in 2005 with more than 100 points separating the Pioneers from the rest of the field, the bar had been set at an even higher level.

Not just to again finish on top, but to do so in an even more convincing fashion.

"Every year is a different story,'' Pioneer coach Denny Hill said. "You don't know who's going to come out of the woodwork, you don't know who's going to be real good.''

For the second consecutive year, the Pioneers' season ended at the top of Michigan's swim world, claiming another state title - this time by 18 points ahead of runner-up Birmingham Brother Rice. In all, the Pioneers captured three events, including two by Sho Koba and a record-setting performance in the 400-yard freestyle relay.

Pioneer also got a pair of second-place finishes by senior Chris Buck and one by Jason Hass to swim to the championship.

"I think, individually, we wish we could have gone faster,'' Hass said. "But we did what was needed. We won as a team, and that's all that matters.''

Without comparing this title to any other his program has swam to in the past, Hill said he will remember this year's team for its ability to achieve at a championship level when called upon to do so.

"This was a tough year for them because whatever they did, it wasn't going to be good enough,'' Hill said. "But I think they proved that they are the best team in the state, and I think that's what they should go away with.''

Jeff Arnold can be reached at jarnold@annarbornews.com or 734-994-6812.

FIRST TEAM
Thursday, March 30, 2006

Chris Berloth (Huron) - Berloth placed eighth in the 200-yard individual medley at the Division 1 championships and fourth in the consolation finals of the 100 butterfly.

Ryan Bordine (Milan) - The junior tied for fifth in the 100 freestyle at the Division 2 championships after qualifying for the state meet in five events.

Chris Buck (Pioneer) - The senior recorded a second-place swim in the 50 freestyle at the D-1 championships while finishing as the state runner-up in the 100 freestyle. Buck also swam the lead leg in the record-breaking 400 freestyle relay, helping lead the Pioneers to their second straight team title.

Pat Buck (Pioneer) - The junior placed third in the 100 backstroke and won the consolation championship in the 200 IM at the D-1 championships. Buck's time in the 100 backstroke also was within All-American time standards.

Sean Cleary (Chelsea) - The senior was the area's top diver in state competition, placing fourth at the D-2 championships. Cleary was 6-0 in Southeastern Conference competition and was 13-1 overall.

Jason Hass (Pioneer) - After winning a pair of conference titles at the SEC championships, Hass turned in a second-place finish in the D-1 100 butterfly and a fifth-place finish in the 200 IM. Hass also swam on the Pioneers' 400 freestyle relay.

Sho Koba (Pioneer) - The senior defended his D-1 state championships in both the 100 and 200 freestyle. In the 200, Koba broke his own state record with a swim of 1 minutes, 38.16 seconds. Koba also anchored Pioneer's 400 freestyle relay, which also broke a state record the Pioneers set in the D-1 preliminaries.

Kirk Kumbier (Dexter) - The junior placed fifth in the 100 breaststroke at the Division 2 meet while also finishing second in the consolation finals of the 200 individual medley.

Aaron Renton (Pinckney) - The senior capped his career by placing eighth in the 50 freestyle at the D-1 state championships after claiming Kensington Valley Conference titles in the 50 and 100 freestyle. Renton also holds the Pinckney school record in two individual events and was part of two record-setting relays.

Robert Steele (Pioneer) - Steele placed eighth in the 200 freestyle while rounding out Pioneer's 400 freestyle relay. Steele's time in the 200 freestyle qualified him within All-American time standards.

Scott Yarbrough (Tecumseh) - The SEC champion in the 100 breaststroke placed third at the D-2 state championships, putting the finishing touches on a solid season.

Top relay: Pioneer's 400 free relay (C. Buck, Hass, Steele, Koba) - The foursome capped Pioneer's team title with a record-breaking swim, breaking its own record set in the D-1 preliminaries.

Detroit Newsの記事

3月12日にDetroit Newsに出ていた記事です。
State大会の予選の後に私もインタビューされましたが、一言だけコメントが掲載されていました。せっかく10分くらい話をしたんですから、もっと載せてくれればいいのにと思いました。
「win_or_lose_teens_give_their_all__031206__the_detroit_news.htm」をダウンロード

'Sho Time'

Saturday was the final curtain call for "Sho Time" in Ann Arbor. And Sho Koba didn't disappoint.

A senior who moved to Ann Arbor from Japan with his family in the summer of 2003, Koba added three more state swimming titles -- and a pair of state records -- to his impressive list of career accomplishments, leading Ann Arbor Pioneer to its fourth championship in five years.

Koba, a 2008 Olympic hopeful for his native Japan, defended his titles in the 100- and 200-yard freestyle events, setting a Division I record (1 minute, 38.16 seconds) in the latter. He also anchored Pioneer's 400 freestyle relay team to victory, also in state-record time (3:06.77).

In the stands cheering was one tired but elated father. Hiro Koba and his wife, who moved to Ann Arbor after his job transfer to the Toyota Tech Center, returned home in January.

But Sho, whose sense of humor has made him a hit with his classmates, stayed behind, moving in with teammate Jason Hass and his family to finish out the school year.

"At the airport when they left, there was no hugging or anything like that -- their culture's a lot different than ours, obviously," said Pioneer coach Dennis Hill, who now has 27 state titles to his credit -- 14 of them with the Pioneer boys team.

"But there were definitely tears. It was a tough decision for them. But I think it has been good for Sho -- he has really matured, his English has improved tremendously, and he really has dealt with it well."

His father said much the same Friday, barely 24 hours after arriving in Detroit from Japan and a whirlwind week of business travel in Europe to watch his son's final high school meet.

"It is a good opportunity for him -- a learning experience before he goes to college," said Hiro Koba, whose son will attend Michigan State University on a swimming scholarship in the fall while also continuing off-season training alongside Michael Phelps & Co. in Ann Arbor.

Sho and his parents have stayed in touch through weekly phone calls and e-mails, but Saturday's celebration certainly offered a more personal touch -- and that meant the world to Koba.

"I'm very happy they were here to see this," he said, smiling.

Detroit NewsのState大会記事

Sunday, March 12, 2006
Swimming: Division 1

Pioneer repeats as champions
Ann Arbor school pulls away from Brother Rice midway through meet for 14th state title overall.strong>
Matthew A. Goricki / Special to The Detroit News
「pioneer_repeats_as_champions__031206__the_detroit_news.htm」をダウンロード

ANN ARBOR -- The Ann Arbor Pioneer boys swimming team did what it always seems to do on championship weekend.

Pioneer gained separation in the middle of the Division 1 meet and won its second consecutive championship and 14th overall Saturday at University of Michigan's Canham Nataroium..

Pioneer finished with 246 points, outperforming Birmingham Brother Rice (228) in the second half of the meet. Livonia Stevenson (201.5) was third.

After six events, Pioneer led Brother Rice by just 11 points heading into the 100-yard freestyle. Pioneer senior Sho Koba won the event (45.94 seconds) and teammate Chris Buck took second (46.30), helping Pioneer take a commanding 158-122 lead.

"It's a full meet because you have all these different events," Pioneer coach Denny Hill said. "We scored everybody except in the diving, breaststroke and 500 free. The meet goes like that with all the different events and the flow. That was very big for us, to get that big lead."

Koba also was part of two Division 1 records, winning the 200 freestyle (1:38.16) and anchoring the 400 freestyle relay (3:06.77).

"I just trained hard this year," Koba said. "Last year, I did pretty good. This year, I kept on trying to go the fastest. I set a goal time from the beginning of the season to go faster."

Pioneer easily won the finals last year, finishing 105 points ahead of the second-place team. Hill said the pressure on his team was elevated.

"I think the pressure this year was because they won so big last year," Hill said. "The pressure was on them all year. If they screwed up it really made you look bad. They held together pretty good and came out real nice."

Holland's Adam Dejong set the Division 1 record in the 500 freestyle (4:31.21).

Matthew A. Goricki is a free-lance writer.

Detroit Free PressのState大会記事

Detroit Free PressのState大会決勝に関する記事です。
「pioneers_claim_14th_state_swimming_title2006.03.11.htm」をダウンロード

Pioneers claim 14th state swimming title
March 11, 2006
Email this Print this BY WRIGHT WILSON

FREE PRESS SPECIAL WRITER
Denny Hill is familiar with the routine by now: take off shoes and socks, roll up pant cuffs, stuff wallet in coat, hand cell phone to assistant, empty pockets, remove watch, get dunked in pool.

Another recognizable part of the post-meet celebration for Hill, the Ann Arbor Pioneer swimming coach, includes accepting the state championship trophy. Hill and the Pioneers won their 14th state title Saturday at University of Michigan’s Canham Natatorium, their second straight and fourth in the past five years.

Pioneer scored 246 points, holding off challenges from Birmingham Brother Rice (228), Livonia Stevenson (201.5) and Northville (200).
“It sure doesn’t get old,” said Hill, in his 38th season as coach. “The trouble we had was that we were expected to win. People thought we were so good that anything we did wrong wasn’t going to work, so there was a lot of pressure.”

The three other contending teams were within striking distance, but the Pioneers went out with a bang, setting a Division 1 state record in the final race. Chris Buck, Jason Hass, Robert S teele and Sho Koba swam the 400 freestyle relay in 3:06.77, breaking their mark of 3:08.18 set in Friday’s preliminaries.

“I think we did pretty good,” Koba said.“I thought we could go fast, and to break the state record was our goal this year. Everyone went as fast as we can so we could get the title.”

Koba, who was voted swimmer of the meet, defended his individual championships in the 200 freestyle (a state-record 1:38.16) and the 100 free (45.94). Koba, a native of Japan, has won eight events at state since moving to Ann Arbor three years ago.

Buck made it a 1-2 Pioneer finish in the 100 free and was also runner-up to Grand Haven’s Joe Schmitt (21.15) in the 50 free.

Schmitt’s older brother, Adam, won the same event in 2004, but Joe said he didn’t draw upon his brother’s advice in order to swim well Saturday.

“I like to prep for it in my own way,” he said. “The 50 is all-out. I just try to get a good start, bury my head and keep going, so I can get a good time.”

Holland’s Adam DeJong set a state record in the 500 free for the second consecutive day (4:31.21).

Other individual champions included Northville’s Chris Keady in the individual medley (1:52.66), Lake Orion’s Brandon Figurski in diving (407.60 points), U-D Jesuit’s Tony Wahl in the butterfly (50.11), Zeeland’s Jordan Diekema in the backstroke (51.28) and Walled Lake Northern’s Roman Sandler in the breaststroke (59.36). Brother Rice won the 200 medley relay (1:35.67), and Stevenson took the 200 free relay (1:25.61).

Ann Arbor NewsのState大会記事

Ann Arbor NewsのState大会決勝に関する記事です。勝の写真も掲載されていました。
「MLive_2006.03.12.htm」をダウンロード

Koba's big day, record-setting final relay nets another title
Sunday, March 12, 2006
BY ROB HOFFMAN
News Sports Reporter

Any suspense whether Pioneer High School would capture its fourth boys swimming state title in the last five years disappeared Saturday afternoon when Chris Buck wrapped up the first leg of the 400-yard freestyle relay.

Pioneer entered the final event of the Division 1 swimming championships at University of Michigan's Canham Natatorium with a 10-point lead over second-place Birmingham Brother Rice. To win the title, all Pioneer needed was a runner-up finish in the 400 relay.

But that wasn't part of the agenda for Buck or any other member of Pioneer's team. The senior, who finished second in the 50 and 100 freestyles earlier in the afternoon, had a substantial lead by the end of his 100-yard leg. His teammates kept building on it until Sho Koba touched the wall at 3 minutes, 6.77 seconds - nearly 4 seconds ahead of second-place Northville and more than a second ahead of the state-record time of 3:08.78 set by the Pioneers at last year's state meet.

With its final flourish, Pioneer locked up an 18-point victory over Rice to win its second straight title and the 27th overall for Pioneer coach Denny Hill, who now has 14 boys titles and 13 girls titles.

"That's a lot of championships,'' said a sopping wet Hill, who celebrated the title by jumping into the Canham pool with swimmers, his wife Liz and his other assistant coaches. "Every one of them is special.''

The victory dip was part of a raucous celebration that included Pioneer swimmers waving a homemade "PHS'' flag on the medal stand, wild cheering fans slathered with purple body paint tooting horns and Koba donning a rubber Buddha mask that he had brought with him for luck.

But Koba, a Japanese transfer student who will swim at Michigan State University next year, really didn't need luck as he closed his prep career by once again showcasing his amazing speed.

Besides anchoring the 400 relay, Koba captured his second straight 100 free and third straight 200 free title. In the latter event, he also broke the state record for the third straight year.

"I wanted to go a little bit faster,'' said Koba, who was named Division 1 boys swimmer of the year at the end of the meet, "But it's still good.''

Describing Koba as "something else,'' Hill also had high praise for the other nine swimmers on his state team who helped push Pioneer into the lead for good by the fourth of 11 events.

Among other highlights were Buck's two runner-up finishes, Jason Hass finishing second in the 100 butterfly and fifth in the 200 individual medley and Chris Buck's younger brother Pat placing third in the 100 back. The only events without a top-eight Pioneer finish were the 500 freestyle, 100 breaststroke and diving.

"The kids were really competitive,'' Hill said. "We had some great swims where we almost didn't need them.''

Hill said his swimmers deserve a lot of credit for overcoming obstacles this season that included early season losses and trying to live up to the standards of the 2005 team, which won the championship by a whopping 105 points.

"The pressure was on them all year,'' he said. "They held together pretty well.''

No other local school finished in the top 10. Saline was highest with a 12th-place finish, followed by Huron (23rd), Pinckney (26th), South Lyon (30th) and Brighton (32nd).

Rob Hoffman can be reached at rhoffman@annarbornews.com or 734-994-6814.

Ann Arbor NewsのState大会予選の記事

Ann Arbor NewsのState大会予選に関する記事です。予選の結果順位が決勝になれば、Pioneerは2位に16点差で優勝できるようです。

Pioneer maneuvers into title position
Perennial state power solid in preliminaries from top to bottom

Saturday, March 11, 2006
BY ROB HOFFMAN
News Sports Reporter

Dustin Hennigar won't win an individual title when the Division 1 swimming championships wrap up today at the University of Michigan's Canham Natatorium.

But Friday's performance by the Pioneer High School senior has a lot to do with why coach Denny Hill's squad is in position to capture its fourth state title in the past five years.

Swimming in the first, and usually slowest heat, of the 50-yard freestyle, Hennigar dropped a nearly a second off his previous season-best time. His time of 21.98 seconds wound up being good enough to capture the 16th spot in the consolation final of the event - guaranteeing Pioneer some unexpected points in the event.

"I was kind of counting on it,'' he said. "We go into the state meet not seeded the best. But by the end of the day, it looks good for us.''

That was certainly the case Friday as Hennigar and other Pioneer swimmers either met expectations or did better during preliminary competition.

No scores were officially kept Friday. But if the times from the preliminaries were to carry over into today, Pioneer would beat its closest competitor Birmingham Brother Rice by 16 points.

"We feel pretty good, but it's still not over,'' said Denny Hill, who is trying to capture his 27th state championship and his 14th with the boys team. "It's so close that anything can happen.''

One thing that is unlikely to happen is anyone beating Pioneer senior Sho Koba, who is poised to capture his third straight 200 free and second straight 100 free title. His time in the 200 is more than a second better than the closest competitor, while second-seeded teammate Chris Buck is the only swimmer within a few strokes of Koba in the 100.

Buck, who is the top seed in the 50 free, also combined with Koba, Jason Hass and Robert Steele to claim the top seed in the 400 free relay by more than two seconds.

In all, Pioneer placed nine swimmers in event finals, three in consolation finals. The only events without a Pioneer entry are the 100 breast and 500 free. All three of Pioneer's relay teams are also in the finals.

Saline's Conor Christie had the most astonishing performance by a local swimmer. The junior was seeded second-to-last in the 100 breast and had to swim in the first heat with the slowest qualifiers.

Yet Christie proceeded to drop more than three seconds off his best time and grab the eighth and final spot in today's finals. Christie also is on the Hornets' 200 medley relay team that made the finals.

"That was exactly my goal time,'' said Christie, who credited his regained form to the team's training regimen prior to the finals. "I was so broken down all season, I never thought I'd do that.''

Rob Hoffman can be reached at rhoffman@annarbornews.com or 734-994-6814.

Detroit Free Pressの記事

Detroit Free Pressに勝の記事が載っていました。
「mick_mccabe_sho_time_is_wave_of_future.htm」をダウンロード

MICK MCCABE: Sho Time is wave of future

March 10, 2006

A little more than 2 1/2 years ago, Sho Koba didn't really want anything to do with the United States.

He was more than happy growing up in Japan and working toward a berth on his country's Olympic swimming team.

He was content to stay behind when his father was transferred to the metropolitan Detroit area but changed his mind when he thought it might be useful to learn the English language.

And now? Well, Koba had the opportunity to return to Japan when his father was transferred back, but it's tough to get the kid back on the farm after he's seen the big city, so to speak.

"I'm living with the family of a teammate," said Koba, a senior at Ann Arbor Pioneer. "I want to stay in America because I like the swimming program in the USA. There are many Olympians here."

In a couple of years, we will be able to count Koba among them.

This weekend may very well turn into Sho Time again as Koba sets his sights on four more Division 1 state titles. He'll swim two events as an individual and tw