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1/23/2003
Men’s Swimming and Diving A squad at its peak, the men’s swimming and diving team is aiming to win a third-consecutive Big Ten title and earn a fourth-straight top-10 national finish. The Gophers return four senior all-Americans: breaststroker Jeff Hackler of Alpharetta, Georgia; freestyle sprinter Allen Ong of Ipoh, Malaysia; distance freestyler Matt Taylor of Shorewood, Minnesota; and Todd Smolinski of St. John, Indiana. The team also returns a half-dozen other all-Americans from their relays and three other individual honorees, including sophomore Terry Silkaitis, a butterfly standout from Skokie, Illinois, who as a freshman was team co-MVP last year, along with Hackler. While the Gophers enjoy an imposing lineup, so does Michigan, the conference’s other powerhouse. The Wolverines finished one place behind Minnesota in last year’s NCAA meet and this year boast perhaps the best freshman class in the nation.
Women’s Swimming and Diving Senior Keri Hehn of Fargo, North Dakota, a 2002 first-team all-American, leads the Gopher women’s swimming and diving team. Hehn and fellow senior Dana Baum of Carson City, Nevada, a 2002 honorable-mention all-American, are the veterans on an otherwise young team looking to return to contention for the Big Ten team title they won in both 1999 and 2000. Women’s Tennis Junior Valerie Vladea of Kirchener, Ontario, a two-time all–Big Ten performer, is ranked one of the top 80 players in the nation. Vladea and senior Michaela Havelkova of Liberec, Czech Republic, comprise a top-30 doubles team. The Gophers also gained two transfers and have
Men’s Tennis The Gopher men’s tennis team returns five of seven starters from a team that finished 22nd in the nation last year. Senior Thomas Haug of Zurich, Switzerland, a returning doubles all-American, and junior Aleksey Zharinov of Novosibirsk, Russia, are both ranked among the top 100 college singles players. The University of Illinois, the 2002 NCAA runner-up, returns four ranked singles players and looks to be a top-five national team. New Baseline Tennis Center Opens The Baseline Tennis Center, the less-heralded half of the complex that also houses Ridder Arena, has already hosted the Big Ten Men’s Indoor Singles Championships, while the women’s Minnesota Court Classic is set for February and a dozen dual meets will be played at the new facility in the spring. For the Gopher men’s and women’s tennis players and their coaches, the center’s primary
"I can’t even begin to explain how this will help out our program," says men’s head coach David Geatz. "It’s very difficult to sell your program [to prospective recruits] when you don’t have a facility on campus. And practicing, we won’t have to waste so much time commuting. We will always be able to practice without being kicked off the courts." Tennis center facts: - Named for the Baseline Club, the U of M tennis booster organization - 18 maroon and gold courts—10 inside and eight outside - 30-foot ceilings - Slightly cushioned surface designed to prevent injuries by causing less stress on the athletes’ knees and other joints - Chair-back seating, bleachers, electronic scoreboard, sound system, concession stand, and clubroom for matches or private events -
Men’s Gymnastics One of the most decorated Gopher athletes of all time will finish his Gopher career in 2003. Clay Strother of Jasper, Texas, owns four NCAA men’s gymnastics individual titles, winning the pommel horse and floor exercise in each of the last two years. In addition to Strother, the Gophers return sophomore Guillermo Alvarez of Denver, who was 12th in the NCAA all-around finals, and Big Ten vault champion Eric Steele, a junior from Knoxville, Tennessee. Fred Roethlisberger, now in his 32nd year as head coach, has his own goals for the team. "I’d like to win another Big Ten title before I retire," he says. "I’ve won them in the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s." But with a program still threatened with elimination (along with both golf teams) if supporters
Women’s Gymnastics Junior Annie Laatsch of Lakeville, Minnesota, a returning first-team all-American in the floor exercise and Big Ten champion in the uneven bars, is leading a Gopher squad that has made five consecutive trips to the NCAA regionals and been a mainstay near the top of the Big Ten. Coaches Jim and Meg Stephenson, the 2002 Big Ten Coaches of the Year, have some rebuilding to do, but the Gophers should once again be among the best in the conference and nation. Versatile all-arounder Mary Skokut, a junior from Carmel, Indiana, returns and will be joined by freshman Laura Johnson of Albuquerque, New Mexico, who was one of the nation’s best junior all-around and vault gymnasts. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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