Swimming: Ohio State’s U.S. Olympic Trials Competitors – Ohio State Buckeyes
6/25/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swim & Dive
COLUMBUS, Ohio On the cusp of the start of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trails Swimming (the trials run June 29 to July 6), let’s meet the 14 competitors who comprise one of the largest contingents of Ohio State swimmers ever to attend an Olympic Trials competition.
In the bios that follow you’ll read about:
- A Buckeye who would like to work at Yellowstone National Park, one who is an aeronautical engineering major and another who is working toward dental school;
- What each of these student-athletes has to say about attending Ohio State and what they think of the spectacular McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion; and
- Their thoughts on competing at the Olympic Trials.
Note: A handful of swimmers spoke on camera to OhioStateBuckeyes.com. Meet them at the links above.
Andrew Bretscher Greencastle, Ind.
Andrew is a 20-year-old junior who is majoring in environmental science … he will swim in the 100 butterfly at the Olympic Trials … he completed his first season swimming as a Buckeye in 2007-08 after transferring from Auburn … Bretscher earned honorable mention All-America status as part of Ohio State’s 200 and 400 medley relay teams at the 2008 NCAA championships … the 400 medley relay team set a new school record of 3:11.04 at NCAAs … he scored points for the Buckeyes at the Big Ten championships in the 100 butterfly and as part of four relays, including the 200 and 400 medley relay teams that each finished fourth … his :47.78 time in the 100 fly was the team’s fastest.
More from the pool deck on Andrew Bretscher…
- Someday he would like to be a park ranger at a big national park like Yellowstone, perhaps or work for an environmental agency.
- The Olympic Trials “will be the biggest meet of my life,” he says. “I was really excited when I got the cut. Just to get a chance to compete against these guys and make an Olympic Team, that’s really a dream for any swimmer.”
- He says the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion is a great pool to swim in. “There are 10 lanes. We have plenty of room to train. There are lots of spectator seats. Everything is new. There is an awesome scoreboard. I just love it.”
Jake Busch Toledo, Ohio
Jake is a 21-year-old construction systems management major who was voted an Ohio State team captain as a junior for the 2007-08 season … he will swim in the 200 freestyle at the Olympic Trials … Jake earned honorable mention All-America honors at the 2008 NCAA championships as part of the 800 freestyle relay team which set a new school record of 6:28.78 … he scored points at the Big Ten championships by making the 200 freestyle final (finishing 8th) and as part of the third-place 800 free relay and the 400 free relay … he was honored at the conclusion of the season with the program’s Coach John Bruce Award for commitment to excellence.
More from the pool deck on Jake Busch…
- Jake has been swimming competitively on a team since age four and, after going to the 1996 Olympic swimming trials in Indianapolis to watch, he decided he wanted to become a serious competitive swimmer.
- He says competing at the Olympic trials “is really a dream come true and very exciting. It took a lot of hard work and a lot of effort to get here. It’s a big accomplishment.”
- He also says that “it’s a great opportunity and a great experience to be a student at Ohio State University. They really take care of us well and my experiences here will be something I remember and share with others for the rest of my life.”
- He calls the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion “one of the fastest pools in the country…even in the world.”
Alex Chen Bowie, Md.
Alex is a 20-year-old junior who is majoring in aeronautical engineering … he is primarily a long-distance swimmer (he swam the 500, 1000 and 1,650 freestyle events as a sophomore this past season for Ohio State), but he made the Olympic Trials cut in the 400 freestyle.
More from the pool deck on Alex Chen…
- Alex is looking forward to feeling the spirit of the Olympic Games at the trials. “I’m really excited,” he said. “For the people who aren’t really Beijing qualified…those who are a tad under the notch, the trials will be cool because you get into the Olympic spirit. Plus this meet is going to be the fastest the U.S. will ever have.”
- He likes to tell the story that usually teams go on a winter training trip to compete in warm weather and at a nice facility. But because of the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion, “we have everything in Columbus that we need.” The team still takes a 10-day training and bonding trip to Florida, though.
- He singled out OSU’s Student Athlete Support Services Office’s tutoring program as being “a really important service” for Ohio State’s student-athletes.
Joe Doyle Centerburg, Ohio
Joe completed his collegiate eligibility at Ohio State in the spring of 2007 … he has continued to pursue his degree in welding engineering and to train under the tutelage of coach Bill Wadley … he will swim in three events at the Olympic Trials: the 50 and 100 freestyles, respectively, and the 100 butterfly … last August, he traveled to Bangkok, Thailand, for the World University Games where he competed in the 50-meter butterfly and both the 400 medley relay and the 400 free relay … Joe holds Ohio State records in the 50 freestyle, the 100 butterfly and as part of the record breaking 200 freestyle relay team.
More from the pool deck on Joe Doyle…
- Joe’s Olympic Trials qualifying time of :53.24 in the 100 butterfly is the 11th-fastest time heading into the competition.
- He isn’t sure what he wants to do when his competitive swimming career is over, but right now he is “thinking about moving out to California” the San Francisco area to live near his brother and see what opportunities arise.
- Regarding the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion, Doyle says “it is just a great facility to train in…from the dry-land training areas to having a lot of space because we have 10 lanes. Plus it’s fun to be around the guys here because everyone is in such a good mood.”
- More Doyle thoughts on McCorkle: “It is a really fast pool. That always helps in training because we are always training fast and feeling good heading into race day.
Joel Elber Brunswick, Ohio
Joel is a 20-year-old junior majoring in exercise science at Ohio State … he will compete in the 50 freestyle at the Olympic Trials … Joel scored for the Buckeyes at the 2008 Big Ten championships in the 50 free and 100 backstroke and as part of the 400 freestyle relay … his times in the sprint freestyles trailed only Matt Voelker among Buckeyes … he was presented with the program’s Skilken Award at the conclusion of the season which goes to the student-athlete who displays the most “spirit of giving.”
More from the pool deck on Joel Elber…
- He is thinking about going to physical therapy school or becoming a certified strength and conditioning specialist once he graduates.
- Because he wasn’t thinking about even making the Olympic Trials, he says making the cut is “really, really exciting to be included with the best swimmers in the United States.”
- Training at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion takes anxiety out of competing at big-time meets, Elber says. “Training in McCorkle makes every other facility you swim in feel like there’s nothing special about it. No other school has this facility. It is as big and nice as anywhere. So when I swim in a big meet, I can always think about how I swim in a pool like this all the time, so it’s no big deal.”
- He says that everywhere you go, “everyone knows Ohio State and everyone knows Ohio State athletics is the best in the country. To be a part of this is just awesome.”
Justin Farra Clarksville, Ohio
Justin is a 19-year-old sophomore majoring in political science … he will compete in the 200 individual medley at the Olympic Trials … he completed his initial season with the Buckeyes in 2007-08 … he owned the team’s second and third-fastest times in the 200 and 400 individual medley events, respectively.
More from the pool deck on Justin Farra…
- He is excited about the Olympic Trials, saying “they should be an excellent event to compete in and to see one of the greatest meets in the world.”
- “Everything is great,” about the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion, Farra said. “There is plenty of lane space. The pool is excellent. The bleachers are great. The staff is very helpful.”
Michael Hulme Bozeman, Mont.
Michael is a 19-year-old sophomore who is undeclared on a major … he will swim in the 400 individual medley at the Olympic Trials … he completed his freshman campaign with the Buckeyes in 2007-08 … he was the Buckeyes’ second-fastest swimmer in the 400 individual medley.
More from the pool deck on Michael Hulme…
- His club team coach in high school was Buckeye assistant coach John Klinge, who is in his last week with the team as he has recently accepted his first head coaching position to lead the Purdue his alma mater women’s team. (Good luck, John!)
- Michael has taken numerous political science courses and he is somewhat interested in politics, but he is still undecided on a major to pursue.
- The Olympic Trails “are going to be a phenomenal experience,” he says. “I’ve been swimming for 10 years and the Olympic Trials are one of those things that you think about as a kid as being something you want to experience. A lot of people have this as a dream but never achieve it. I think it is pretty special that I’m going to be competing.”
- Michael appreciates the amenities at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion, such as “having [non-chlorinated] air that you can breathe…having lots of lane space. It’s a lot easier to get up and get going to the 5:30 a.m. practices when you are coming to this facility.”
Elliott Keefer Loveland, Ohio
Elliott is a 19-year-old sophomore who is majoring in history at Ohio State … he is one of just four Buckeyes competing in multiple events at the Olympic Trials … he will compete in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke events … Elliott scored for Ohio State at the 2008 Big Ten championships by making the finals in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke events, finishing sixth and fourth, respectively … he was one of two Buckeyes to be presented at the end of the season with the Mike Cochran Award, which goes to the “most promising freshman).
More from the pool deck on Elliott Keefer…
- Elliott says “it feels great and I am just so excited to go to the Olympic Trials. It’s going to be amazing to see all the great stars and to swim with them. This will be a great experience for us all down the road, at later meets like NCAAs, Big Tens.”
- He also says “the greatest thing about being a student-athlete at Ohio State is all the support you get…from the coaches to your friends to our Student Athlete Support Services Office (SASSO). SASSO is a great environment. The people there help you out. They provide study tables, tutors and an environment you need to succeed in.”
- Regarding the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion, he says “this is the place to be if you want to swim fast.”
Jill Lockhart Muncie, Ind.
Jill is a 20-year-old junior who is majoring in strategic communications … she will compete in the 200 backstroke at the Olympic Trials … this season she scored at the Big Ten championships in three events: the 200 backstroke and as part of the 400 medley relay, which finished eighth, and the 200 medley relay … she had the team’s fastest 100 backstroke time of the season and the second-fastest 200 backstroke time.
More from the pool deck on Jill Lockhart…
- Jill would like to someday work in sports public relations.
- Regarding the Olympic Trials, she says: “They are pretty scary to think about and I’m actually nervous, but I’m also very excited because I think it is going to be a lot of fun.”
- Jill is a true Buckeye. “I love the school and I love representing Ohio State athletics every day,” she said. “I love the pool, the people and the coaches.”
- She says the size of the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion, the privacy the team gets when training and its location on campus are all “great things” about the pool.
Mark Neiman Cherry Hill, N.J.
Mark is a 20-year-old junior majoring in operations management … he will swim in the 1500 freestyle at the Olympic Trials … he scored in two individual events at the 2008 Big Ten championships: the 500 freestyle and the 1,650 freestyle … he was the team’s second-fastest swimmer in 2008 in the 1,000 and 1,650 freestyle events, respectively.
More from the pool deck on Mark Neiman…
- Mark says competing at the Olympic Trials “is going to be awesome. It’s a big moment in my life…the biggest so far and it’s just great.”
- He also says the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion “is fast. I have not swam in a faster facility.”
Andrew Olson Allison Park, Pa.
Andrew is a 20-year-old junior who is majoring in industrial systems engineering … he will swim in the 200 freestyle at the Olympic Trials … he swam to two honorable mention All-America honors at the 2008 NCAA championships as part of the 400 and 800 freestyle relay teams, respectively … the 800 free relay set a school record at NCAAs with a time of 6:28.78 … Andrew scored at the Big Ten championships in 2008 as part of the third-place 800 freestyle relay team.
More from the pool deck on Andrew Olson…
- Andrew is stoked for the Olympic Trials. “I’m really looking forward to the Olympic Trials. It’s going to be by far the biggest and fastest meet of my life. I thought NCAAs were fast this year but this is going to be so much more competitive and I am totally excited to go.”
- He’s pumped about being an Ohio State student-athlete, too. “I feel honored, lucky and very fortunate to be a part of Ohio State athletics. I couldn’t ask for a better training facility, better coaches, trainers and academic support, too. Getting an engineering degree from Ohio State is probably going to be the biggest accomplishment of my life.”
- Andrew also says that no pool can compare to the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion. “It is the best pool I’ve ever been too by far. No pool can compare…well may be the temporary pool they built at Omaha for the Olympic Trials will compare, but that’s just temporary.”
Sam Pelkey Muncie, Ind.
Sam is a 20-year-old biology/pre-dentistry major at Ohio State … he will swim in the 100 and 200 breaststroke events at the Olympic Trials … he is coming off a fine sophomore season at Ohio State … he was named one of two outstanding swimmers on the team and was presented with the Bill & Mae McCorkle Award … he set a school record in the 100 breaststroke (1:56.66) and he made the finals at the Big Ten championships in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke events, finishing as Big Ten runner-up in the 200 and placing seventh in the 100 … he qualified for the NCAA championships at both distances in the breaststroke.
More from the pool deck on Sam Pelkey…
- Sam is following in the footsteps of his mentor, an age group coach who swam at Indiana and became a dentist. After competing for Ohio State he is hopeful of getting into Ohio State’s dental program.
- Competing in an Olympic Trials has always been one of Sam’s goals and dreams. “I’m really excited about the trials and I’m just ready to go over there and have a great experience,” he said.
- “It is amazing being a student-athlete at Ohio State,” said Sam. “This is the biggest athletic department and the biggest school. There’s nothing that you can’t have here and there is nothing that you can’t accomplish.”
- He calls the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion “the greatest facility I have ever swam in. There is nothing better than climbing into this pool at 5:30 each morning.”
Phil Seleskie Hastings, Minn.
Phil is a 19-year-old sophomore who hopes to be enrolled in Ohio State’s welding engineering program next year … he will swim the 200 individual medley at the Olympic Trials … Phil scored at the Big Ten championships in two individual events: he made the finals in the 100 backstroke (sixth) and was ninth in the 200 backstroke … for his efforts, he shared the program’s Mike Cochran Award which goes to the most promising freshman on the team.
More from the pool deck on Phil Seleskie…
- Phil enthusiastically endorses the Olympic Trials: “I’m so excitied to go and compete and watch all of the fastest swimmers in the world. This will be the most competitive atmosphere in swimming. It’s going to be ridiculous!”
- He describes swimming in the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion as “glorious” and “to train in one of the best facilities in the nation is phenomenal.”
Matt Voelker Arlington, Ohio
Matt, who is 23, completed his eligibility with the Buckeyes this spring and he expects to graduate in summer 2009 with a degree in family resource management and a specialization in consumer affairs … he will swim the two sprints at the Olympic Trials: the 50 and 100 freestyles, respectively … Matt had a terrific senior season for Ohio State, earning honorable mention All-America honors in the 50 freestyle and on three relays (200 medley relay; 400 medley relay; 800 free relay) … he set a school record in the 200 freestyle (1:35.91) … he made the finals in both sprint freestyle events at the Big Ten championships, finishing fifth in both races … he also scored points at Big Tens as part of four relays … a team captain as a senior, Matt shared the program’s Bill & Mae McCorkle Award which goes to the team’s outstanding swimmer.
More from the pool deck on Matt Voelker…
- Matt isn’t a big talker, but he had this to say about the Olympic Trials: “It’s been eight years of work to finally get to this point. After this I’m done forever. I feel good about the trials being now, though, because right now I’m the best swimmer I’ll ever be.”
- And he had this to say: “Even though I don’t seem like it and I don’t get too worked up and use my energy and focus about it, I am excited about going to the trials. It is an honor.”
- Matt said the fall is an especially nice time to be an Ohio State student-athlete because “all your friends who have graduated come back to campus to go to football games and you get to see them.”
- The McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion is the “best pool in the nation,” he said. “It is 10 lanes…50 meters…and it is the deepest pool. We have the best bulkheads. It is so vast in here and the air quality is outstanding…it never smells like chlorine.”
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