MADISON, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin swimming program will be well represented at the 2015 FINA World Championships, as head coach Whitney Hite and alums Ivy Martin and Michael Weiss will all be in Kazan, Russia, for swimming events that run Aug. 2-9.
Hite will be part of the USA Swimming coaching staff, while Martin and Weiss each qualified for spots to compete on the U.S. roster.
It was last fall that Hite was announced as one of three chosen to serve as a men’s assistant coach for the USA at the World Championships. The highest level of competition in swimming this year, the World Championships are one of the largest events prior to the Olympics.
“It’s something that you dream about being a part of,” Hite said. “I think it is a great honor and I am proud to help the United States go over and swim as fast as we can and compete at the highest level. There’s a tradition in the world of USA Swimming and it’s an honor to be a part of that elite team. I’m honored to be part of a staff that’s a who’s who in the coaching world.
“As a coach, in some regard, it just means I’ve had a lot of talented athletes that are making me look pretty good. I’m appreciative of the athletes.”
Two of those athletes who will be joining Hite on Team USA are former Wisconsin standouts Martin and Weiss. Each was named to the national team last fall, as Weiss earned a spot on the team for the third time in his career and Martin a second time. Martin qualified for the national team roster in the 50 Freestyle, while Weiss earned spots to compete in the 800 Freestyle and 800 Free Relay.
Weiss just finished competing with the United States at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, where he won a silver medal in the 800 Freestyle Relay, and bronze medals in both the 200 Freestyle and 400 Freestyle Relay.
Martin competed with Team USA last summer at the 2014 Pan Pacific Championships in Gold Coast, Australia. She recently capped her illustrious collegiate career at the University of Wisconsin this past spring. A native of Madison, the All-American and Big Ten champion highlighted her senior campaign by winning all seven events she competed in at the 2015 Big Ten Championships. She was named Big Ten Swimmer of the Meet for the second-straight season.
Having finished training in Croatia this week, Team USA departs for Kazan, Russia on Wednesday.
Swimming news courtesy of Wisconsin Swimming & Diving.
Obviously Coach Hite has a connection to be on this roster. If you look at his track record at Wisconsin he lost 4 coaches in 4 years! Lots of turnover in Cheddarland doesn’t bode well for Wisconsin Swimming! Rumor has it he’s off to Texas anyway!
Nothing against Coach Hite, but just curious how he made the cut? One individual in one individual event and another relay swimmer only? Did it help that he was Frank’s coaching tree, like Rick Demont? I see how Rick earned his spot on the staff but the selection of Hite baffles me!
With Bob Groseth and Greg Rhodenbaugh being named to the Pan Am staff, it is pretty obvious that to earn a spot on an international coaching roster, it is more important to be one of Frank’s friends than it is to be a quality coach producing multiple athletes making these teams.
Georgia Tech has 3 Alums who will compete at Kazan(Gal Nevo-Israel, Andrew Churcuti-Malta and Nico Van Duijn-Switzerland) and current team captain in open water,Yuval Safra-Israel
making worlds for the US and making it for small countries are two very different things.