Barrett: Longhorns Sign Euro Finalist Ganiel

Yesterday, following a Wall Street Journal article about NCAA teams “training the enemy”, Casey Barrett from CapAndGoggles.com wrote an editorial about his feelings on foreign swimmers in the collegiate college ranks. The article in itself is a very thought-provoking read, but here’s a jewel that shouldn’t get lost in the rest of his points:

Israeli breaststroker Imri Ganiel (1:00.9 in the 100) just recently signed at Texas.

Those who follow college swimming closely are probably sitting and staring at their monitors or smartphones in disbelief right now.

This signing, later confirmed by the University of Texas, puts Imri Ganiel as the best breaststroke recruit in the class of 2012, and he might also be one of the best swimmers period. The exact timing of his signing isn’t known, but when he broke through to place 5th at last week’s European Championships with a 1:00.91 in the 100 breaststroke, it became obvious that he was a stud. He also goes a 2:15.76 in the 200 breaststroke.

Those times put him on pace to be an All-American in his first year in Austin (he’ll turn 20 this year, so a bit older than your average freshman). That’s a big piece in what has been a relatively small announced class for Eddie Reese in Austin.

But that’s not the only reason why jaws dropped. Ganiel is an Israeli national, who lives and trains in, and competes for, that country internationally. Texas doesn’t have a single international on their swimmer from last year, or the year before. In the 2009-2010 season, they had a swimmer named Branden Whitehurst from the U.S. Virgin Islands – they have their own Olympic Committee, but they are still American citizens (and Whitehurst went to High School in Jacksonville).

Many related to the Texas men’s program makes it a point of pride to have a literal All-American team. These feelings of keeping scholarships for Americans are of course are not limited to the Longhorns, but their history moreso than any other major program is to not sign international athletes.

Ganiel’s reception is a paradigm-shifter in Austin, especially if he has the big success he seems destined for. Regardless of the reasons, competitively this is a big addition for the Longhorns. Two of their three breaststrokers from last season (Eric Friedland and Matt Hoyland) are graduating, and Nick D’Innocenzo (who was a 53.30 last season) will be a senior.

They lost a big class in the fall, but some of their young swimmers (Ritter, Cooper) are already exceeding expectations after one season.

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TXEX
12 years ago

EXLONGHORN is 100% correct. Eddie isn’t against having foreigners on the team. He just doesn’t recruit them and doesn’t offer them much, if any money. However, if an extremely talented kid wants to come swim for him and sacrifice scholarship money to help the team and improve personally Eddie won’t deny him.

Neptune
12 years ago

When it comes to Texas this year I think that the Olympic prep is being overlooked. Willing to bet Texas trained harder than normal and rested less ham normal for NCAA’s. On the other Cal swimmers are less likely to contend for Olympic roster spots in the US and have a huge foreign influence and those swimmers don’t have the same trials dilemma as the US swimmers do so I think they approached the college season like that was their biggest meet of the year.

Neptune2029
Reply to  Braden Keith
12 years ago

Those swimmers basically had to swim the Olympic standard and their meets were within a month or so of NCAA’s. When your roster is full of swimmers trying to make the US Olympic team you are battling not only the timing, but a huge difference in competition. It is also different to go through a full taper, go back to training, then full taper again three months later.

completelyconquered
12 years ago

Pretty sure Josh Ilika swam for Texas and for Mexico in the Olympics.

Jcoach
Reply to  completelyconquered
12 years ago

Pretty sure Ilika went to USC – no?

EXlonghorn
12 years ago

I find this entire conversation pretty amusing. I don’t normally get into these so called debates, but this one hits a little closer to home than most. Having swam for UT myself and being a part of 3 National Titles while swimming under Eddie and Kris, one of which was won with a foreign swimmer at NCAA’s…ironically an Israeli swimmer, but I also grew up with Dave Durden and swam with him prior to his own collegiate career. I just don’t understand why or how so many people can believe they know so much about either one of these coaches or their programs, unless you have actually been a part of one! Eddie is not against foreign swimmers, he just… Read more »

Micah
12 years ago

I understand that there may be some sort of family connection that is certainly not establishing a trend.

The New Auburn
12 years ago

So wait – does Cal being the new Auburn mean that Cal is the new team that Texas is going to lose to every year?? Is that supposed to somehow be an insult?

predicta57
Reply to  The New Auburn
12 years ago

Certainly not….. Dave wouldn’t walk away from his job at the height of his career for a club position.

predicta57
Reply to  The New Auburn
12 years ago

Weren’t his skills somewhat honed at Auburn?

Calbearfan
12 years ago

Interesting how my comment was morphed into saying Eddie is a bad coach. I actually think he is one of the greats and has put his stamp on the sport in a big way. My comment was to all the Texas fans/alumni/current team members who make such a big deal of having only Americans. I just find it interesting that no longer holds true. I say good for them- we can finally put the “anti-foreigner” rhetoric to rest.

Predicta57
Reply to  Calbearfan
12 years ago

I agree…. after Eddie recruits several dozen more foreigners, we can finally put this to bed ….. 🙂

Chris DeSantis
Reply to  Calbearfan
12 years ago

As I mentioned above, this was not true a long time ago, when Michael Halika of Israel swam for Texas over a decade ago.

Bossanova
12 years ago

Not surprising that a school (in conservative Texas) that traditionally only recruits Americans would recruit an Israeli. It’s political.

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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