Rochester, Michigan’s Oakland University is having a great deal of success with their recruiting season this year. The three latest signees come from northern European countries: Tony Eriksson (Finland), Paul Huch (Germany), and Patrik Lofgren (Sweden).
Tony Eriksson
Tony Eriksson swims with Järvenpään Uintiklubi in Järvenpää, Finland, where he has been coached by Jari Nordblom for the last 10 years.
A fly/free specialist, Eriksson is Finland’s newly-crowned national champion in the 200m fly, having just won the event at the Finnish Short Course National Championships in Espoonlahti last weekend. There, Eriksson was fourth in the 50m fly (24.50), second in the 100 fly (54.05), first in the 200 fly (2:02.33), and fourth in the 200 free (1:49.70). Eriksson has 26 Finnish national age group medals and he broke four NAG records (15-16 boys) in 100 free and 100 fly. His top times are:
| Event | LCM | SCM | LCM-to-SCY | SCM-to-SCY |
| 50 fly | 25.26 | 24.50 | 22.12 | 22.07 |
| 100 fly | 55.97 | 54.05 | 49.16 | 48.69 |
| 200 fly | 2:07.00 | 2:01.99 | 1:51.89 | 1:52.72 |
| 200 free | 1:53.85 | 1:49.70 | 1:39.68 | 1:38.82 |
| 100 free | 51.94 | — | 45.35 | — |
| 50 free | 23.79 | — | 20.71 | — |
“I decided to apply for American universities so that I can study and swim on top level, which is very difficult in Finland. The number one reason for choosing Oakland is that they already have two Finnish swimmers and they both have been very happy there and they are both excited to get more Finnish swimmers there. I have heard a lot of great things about American college swimming and about the team spirit in Oakland. The facilities and academic programs are excellent. So excited to be a GOLDEN GRIZZLY!”
Eriksson was selected to swim for the Finnish national team at the Nordic Championships in Sweden from December 12-14, 2015.
Paul Huch
Paul Huch is a backstroker from Ingolstadt, Germany. He swims for the SC Delphin Ingolstadt, and represented the club at the 2013 German Short Course National Championships last November. Huch’s top times include:
| Event | LCM | SCM | LCM-to-SCY | SCM-to-SCY |
| 50 back | 26.6 | 25.3 | 23.42 | 22.79 |
| 100 back | 57.7 | 54.9 | 50.90 | 49.45 |
| 200 back | 2:07.0 | 1:52.25 | — | |
| 50 free | 23.7 | 23.5 | 20.63 | 21.17 |
| 100 free | 52.4 | 51.4 | 45.76 | 46.30 |
| 50 fly | 25.5 | 25.5 | 22.34 | 22.97 |
| 100 fly | 56.9 | 56.4 | 49.99 | 50.81 |
Huch told SwimSwam he believes he has a lot of improving left in him, “I think my LCM and SCM times can be much faster, than what I swam so far.” He added:
“Oakland is one of the best universities in the US, not just because of their academic program, but their swim program as well ! I am glad, that I commit to Oakland and swim for Oakland ! The Golden Grizzlies are awesome !”
Patrik Löfgren
Patrik Löfgren hails from Mölnlycke, Sweden, where he swims for Mölndals Allmänna Simsällskap. Löfgren swam for the Swedish junior national team last year at Nordic Junior Championship on Faroe Island and prior to that he was on the Swedish youth national team and competed in Turkey, Denmark and Finland. A finalist at both the Swedish unior and senior national championships, Löfgren’s best times are:
| Event | LCM | SCM | LCM-to-SCY | SCM-to-SCY |
| 200 IM | 2:06.85 | 2:03.29 | 1:51.39 | 1:51.07 |
| 400 IM | 4:34.95 | 4:24.33 | 4:01.93 | 3:58.13 |
| 200 back | 2:09.66 | 2:02.42 | 1:54.64 | 1:50.28 |
| 200 fly | 2:11.14 | 2:05.12 | 1:55.62 | 1:52.72 |
“I am really excited to join the Golden Grizzlies and look forward to start at Oakland University in the fall of 2015.”
