U-M Swimmers Help Club Wolverine to National Title

8/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving

IRVINE, Calif. -- Members of the University of Michigan men's swimming team helped U-M club team Club Wolverine to the 2006 ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships title (Aug. 1-5). Club Wolverine's 812 points bested Longhorn Aquatics' 598 for the victory in the five-day event. In addition, Club Wolverine won the women's and combined titles.

Junior Alex Vanderkaay (Rochester, Mich./Adams HS) and sophomore Matt Patton (Matthews, N.C./Butler HS) combined with former Wolverine Davis Tarwater (2003-06) and Club Wolverine's Klete Keller to win the 800-meter freestyle relay (7:26.35). Michigan had swimmers on each of the top three teams in the distance relay with sophomores Bobby Savulich (Edison, N.J./Saint Joseph HS), Evan Ryser (Katy, Texas/Taylor HS) and Sal Barba (Hudson, Mass./St. Johns HS) combining to finish runner-up, and incoming freshman Charlie Houchin swimming on the third-place relay with the YMCA of the Triangle Area.

The U.S. Nationals served as the selection meet for five major international meets. The top performers will represent the United States on a global level as part of Team USA at one or more of the following meets: 2006 Mutual of Omaha Pan Pacific Championships, 2007 FINA World Championships, 2007 Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool, 2007 World University Games and 2007 Pan American Games.

Tarwater, Peter Vanderkaay (2003-06), Phelps and U-M head coach Bob Bowman are in Victoria, B.C., with Team USA at the 2006 Mutual of Omaha Pan Pacific Championships, which began Thursday (Aug. 17) and run through Aug. 21. Bowman is serving as an assistant coach on the Team USA men's staff. Vanderkaay will swim the 400-meter freestyle (Aug. 19) and 1,500-meter freestyle (Aug. 20). Tarwater finished fifth in the 200-meter butterfly (1:58.22) on Thursday behind Phelps' world-record swim of 1:53.80.

Vanderkaay will also swim the 800-meter freestyle relay (Aug. 20) as part of the same quartet that captured gold at the 2004 Olympics, joining Phelps, Klete Keller and Ryan Lochte.

Phelps qualified in seven events for the Pan Pacific meet: the 200-meter freestyle; 200-meter backstroke; 100- and 200-meter butterfly; 200- and 400-meter individual medley; and 800-meter freestyle relay.

2006 U.S. National Championship Results
Preliminary time in parentheses if faster than finals time
"CW" denotes Club Wolverine

400-meter Freestyle 1. Klete Keller, CW 3:44.27 2. Peter Vanderkaay, CW 3:46.81 8. Matt Patton, UM/CW 3:53.12 9. Charlie Houchin, YMCA 3:52.89 34. Johnny Austermann, UM/CW 4:00.38 100-meter Breaststroke 1. Brandan Hansen, Longhorn Aquatics 59.13* 11. Scott Spann, Longhorn Aquatics 1:02.94 (1:02.93) 15. James Barone, CW 1:03.83 (1:02.95) 41. Grant Burtch, UM/CW 1:04.97 400-meter Individual Medley 1. Michael Phelps, CW 4:10.16 3. Erik Vendt, CW 4:12.69 6. Alex Vanderkaay, UM/CW 4:22.68 (4:22.05) 20. Dane Grenda, UM/CW 4:27.70 34. Daniel Wohl, CW 4:32.55 50. Shaun Weinberg, North Baltimore 4:42.14 400-meter Freestyle Relay 1. Longhorn Aquatics 3:24.14 3. Club Wolverine 'A' 3:26.76 (Bobby Savulich, Davis Tarwater, Evan Ryser Johnny Austermann) 10. Club Wolverine 'B' 3:31.98 (Curtis Dauw, Jason Piercey, Daniel Wohl, Sal Barba) 200-meter Freestyle 1. Michael Phelps, CW 1:45.63 2. Klete Keller, CW 1:46.62 3. Peter Vanderkaay, CW 1:47.73 24. Erik Vendt, CW 1:52.34 (1:51.90) 31. Charlie Houchin, YMCA 1:52.45 33. Bobby Savulich, UM/CW 1:52.59 63. Evan Ryser, UM/CW 1:54.74 66. Sal Barba, UM/CW 1:54.79 200-meter Butterfly 1. Michael Phelps, CW 1:54.32 2. Davis Tarwater, CW 1:57.00 4. Alex Vanderkaay, UM/CW 2:00.11 (1:59.92) 16. Matt Patton, UM/CW 2:03.82 (2:01.10) 29. Curtis Dauw, UM/CW 2:03.80 35. Dane Grenda, UM/CW 2:04.42 57. Daniel Wohl, CW 2:06.22 72. Charlie Houchin, YMCA 2:08.94 100-meter Butterfly 1. Michael Phelps, CW 51.51 4. Davis Tarwater, CW 53.27 44. Curtis Dauw, UM/CW 56.18 50-meter Freestyle 65. Evan Ryser, UM/CW 24.16 100-meter Freestyle 6. Klete Keller, CW 49.81 10. Peter Vanderkaay, CW 49.87 21. Davis Tarwater, CW 51.06 (50.97) 36. Bobby Savulich, UM/CW 51.59 65. Evan Ryser, UM/CW 52.37 84. Charlie Houchin, CW 52.88 200-meter Individual Medley 1. Michael Phelps, CW 1:56.50 9. Alex Vanderkaay, UM/CW 2:03.13 15. Dane Grenda, UM/CW 2:07.30 (2:05.86) 800-meter Freestyle Relay 1. Club Wolverine 'A' 7:26.35 (Davis Tarwater, Klete Keller, Alex Vanderkaay, Matt Patton) 2. Club Wolverine 'B' 7:32.63 (Bobby Savulich, Evan Ryser, Sal Barba, Jason Piercey) 3. YMCA of the Tria 'A' 7:33.93 (CHARLIE HOUCHIN, Eric McGinnis, Matthew Donch, Matthew McGinnis) 200-meter Backstroke 1. Aaron Piersol, Longhorn Aquatics 1:56.36 2. Michael Phelps, CW 1:57.09 32. Dane Grenda, UM/CW 2:06.67 200-meter Breaststroke 1. Brendan Hansen, Longhorn Aquatics 2:08.74* 6. Scott Spann, Longhorn Aquatics 2:16.48 (2:16.24) 26. Grant Burtch, UM/CW 2:20.67 1,500-meter Freestyle 1. Erik Vendt, CW 15:05.41 3. Peter Vanderkaay, CW 15:14.78 15. Matt Patton, UM/CW 15:34.74 22. Jason Piercey, CW 15:46.70 38. Johnny Austermann, UM/CW 15:57.42 83. Gunnar Schmidt, UM/CW 16:37.30 -- Klete Keller, CW DQ 400-meter Medley Relay 1. Club Wolverine 'A' 3:41.96 (Michael Phelps, James Barone, Davis Tarwater, Klete Keller) 6. Longhorn Aquatic 'B' 3:46.95 (Craig Chapman, SCOTT SPANN, Daniel Rohleder, Christopher Seitz) 9. Club Wolverine 'B' 3:49.49 (Matt Patton, Grant Burtch, Alex Vanderkaay, Bobby Savulich) * World Record