Michigan Signs Seven to NLI For 2021-22
11/18/2020 3:48:00 PM | Men's Swimming & Diving
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's swimming and diving program announced the signings of seven prep standouts to National Letters of Intent for the 2021-22 season on Wednesday (Nov. 18). The signees include Brendan Fitzpatrick (Dubai, United Arab Emirates), Cameron Gammage (Stockbridge, England), Gal Groumi (Hod Hasharon, Israel), Connor Hunt (Ridgefield, Conn.), Cameron Luarde (Fort Wayne, Ind.), Parker Nolan (Chicago, Ill.) and Jacque Wenger (San Diego, Calif.).
"Looking at the class as a whole, it's very exciting," said head coach Mike Bottom. "The guys we have coming in cover a wide variety of events and will be able to fill in the areas where we're losing points. They're all hard workers with high ceilings. We look forward to having them here next fall."
"We recruited Cameron to continue the ascension of our diving program," added diving coach Mike Hilde. "The most exciting thing about him is the versatility. He's a well-rounded, three-event diver with a ton of experience at high-level meets. We expect great things from him."
Brendan Fitzpatrick | Breaststroke | Dubai, United Arab Emirates (Nord Angila International School Dubai/Speedo Swim Clubs)
Fitzpatrick will add depth to the team's breaststroke training group. A member of the French Junior National Team who holds seven junior national records, Fitzpatrick won four bronze medals for France at the 2019 European Youth Olympic Festival in Azerbaijan, including third-place finishes in the 100- and 200-meter breaststroke. He won both events at the 2018 COMEN Cup in Cyprus, and also won the 100-meter breaststroke at the 2019 RBC Canadian Swimming Championships in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
TOP TIMES (LCM): 100 BR (1:01.83), 200 BR (2:16.89), 200 IM (2:10.32)
Cameron Gammage | Diving | Stockbridge, England (Peter Symonds College/Southampton Diving)
Gammage is primarily a springboard diver from England. A junior national champion in Great Britain and a Scottish junior champion, he represented England at the 2019 European Junior Championships, finishing 10th on three-meter and 11th on one-meter. Gammage performed well at the 2020 British Diving National Championships, finishing seventh on three-meter and 12th on one-meter. He's also been a member of the Great Britain Junior Elite Squad since 2016.
TOP SCORES: 3M (365.00)
Gal Groumi | Freestyle/Butterfly | Hod Hasharon, Israel (Mosenson/Hapoel Ironi Hod Hasharon)
Groumi comes to Michigan all the way from Israel, where he holds several junior records. One of the more versatile swimmers in the class, Groumi won bronze in the 200-meter IM at the 2019 European Junior Championships, also placing sixth in the 100-meter butterfly. At the same event in 2018, he won a gold medal as part of Israel's 400-meter freestyle relay. At the 2019 FINA World Championships, Groumi swam on the 800-meter freestyle relay during preliminaries, recording the fastest split of the foursome.
TOP TIMES (LCM): 100 FR (49.57), 200 FR (1:48.81), 100 FL (52.93), 200 FL (2:04.44), 200 IM (2:00.48), 400 IM (4:28.35).
Connor Hunt | Distance | Ridgefield, Conn. (Ridgefield/Ridgefield Aquatic Club)
Hunt, a distance swimmer, comes to Ann Arbor following in the footsteps of old teammate, AJ Bornstein, a junior on the 2020-21 squad. Hunt won the 200- and 500-yard freestyles at the 2019 CIAC Boys Open State Championship, though he has been even faster in long course. At the 2019 Speedo Junior National Championships, Hunt was fifth in the 800-meter freestyle, earning an Olympic Trials cut in the process. Four months later at the Speedo Winter Junior Nationals (East), he was seventh in the 1,650-yard freestyle. Hunt also claimed an Olympic Trials cut in the 1500-meter freestyle this past March at the Connecticut 2020 Long Course Senior Invitational and was a silver medalist in the 5K swim for the Boys 14-15 age group at the 2018 FINA World Junior Championships in Eliat, Israel.
TOP TIMES (SCY): 200 FR (1:38.64), 500 FR (4:25.79), 1650 FR (15:09.20), 200 FL (1:48.76), 400 IM (3:54.63)
Cameron Luarde | IM/Breaststroke | Fort Wayne, Ind. (Homestead/Summit City Aquatics)
Luarde is primarily an IM and breaststroke swimmer from Indiana. Last year, he took seventh in the 400-meter IM at the 2019 Speedo Junior National Championships, and was 14th in the same event at the 2019 Winter Junior National Championships. Earlier this year, Luarde took seventh in both the 200-yard IM and 100-yard breaststroke at the 2020 IHSAA Boys State Championships. He is a four-time U.S. Open qualifier and has an Olympic Trials cut in the 200-meter breaststroke. Additionally, Luarde is the fifth swimmer in the last three years to sign from the Hoosier State (Wyatt Davis and Jake Mitchell in 2019, Jack McCurdy and Noah Yarian in 2018).
TOP TIMES (SCY): 100 BR (56.00), 200 BR (2:01.36), 200 IM (1:47.82), 400 IM (3:53.40)
Parker Nolan | Freestyle/Butterfly | Chicago, Ill. (St. Ignatius College Prep/Chicago Wolfpack Aquatics)
Nolan is primarily a sprint freestyle and butterfly swimmer. He is five-time Illinois state record-holder and four-time NISCA All-American. At the 2018 IHSA State Championships, he was fourth in the 50-yard freestyle and seventh in the 100-yard freestyle. Nolan made the finals for both the 50- and 100-yard freestyles at the 2019 Speedo Winter Junior Championships, and was top-eight in four events at the 2019 NCSA Summer Championships. Additionally, Nolan is a three-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American.
TOP TIMES (SCY): 50 FR (20.52), 100 FR (44.69), 200 FR (1:39.36), 100 FL (48.94)
Jacque Wenger | Backstroke/IM | San Diego, Calif. (Westview/Rancho San Dieguito)
Wenger will add depth to the team's backstroke training group. As a sophomore, Wenger won the 100-yard backstroke and was fourth in the 200-yard IM at the 2019 CIF San Diego Section Championships, qualifying for the 2019 CIF State Championships. He finished 20th in the 200-yard backstroke at the 2019 Speedo Winter Junior Championships (West), setting five new personal bests. Wenger was also a 2019 USA Swimming Scholastic All-American.
TOP TIMES (SCY): 100 BK (49.69), 200 BK (1:47.37), 200 IM (1:51.65), 400 IM (3:56.52)
Players Mentioned
