In Summer 2006, Ann Arbor-area swim clubs joined swimmers, leadership and resources to become Club Wolverine Swimming, Inc. CW’s goal is to serve the needs of area swimmers from developmental instruction, to age-group, national and international competition.
History:
For more than 30 years, Club Wolverine had been the summer training program for University of Michigan swimmers. The legendary Denny Hill started the program so area swimmers could train for national level competitions. In 1983, Jon Urbanchek began directing the program while also taking over as head coach of men’s swimming at Michigan. Having sent more than two dozen athletes to the Olympics in his 40 years of coaching, Urbanchek credits the CW program as key to developing a long list of national and international success. Athletes such as Mike Barrowman, Tom Dolan, Tom Malchow, Eric Namesnik, Chris Thompson and many others achieved Olympic success under Coach Urbanchek.
In 2004, Coach Bob Bowman became head coach of the Michigan men’s program and coached the Club Wolverine High-Performance athletes through the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, before leaving to return to the North Baltimore Aquatic Club. He built on the success of coaches Hill and Urbanchek. As the long-time coach of multiple Olympic Gold medalist and world record holder Michael Phelps, Bowman continued the CW tradition of developing world-class swimmers, including 2008 Olympic medalists Peter Vanderkaay (1 Gold, 1 Silver), Eric Vendt (1 Gold), and Allison Schmitt (1 Bronze), in addition to Michael Phelps record setting 8 Gold Medals.
In late 2005, Coach Bowman tapped Wolverine Aquatics Head Coach Eric Namesnik to expand the CW collegiate/national program into a full-spectrum age-group swim program. "Snik," a two-time Olympic silver medalist (1992, 1996) and a former Michigan assistant coach under Urbanchek, was an ideal choice to lead Ann Arbor age-group swimming programs under the unifying banner of Club Wolverine.
By the time a tragic car accident ended Snik’s life in early January 2006, his vision for the future of swimming in Ann Arbor was clear.
Ann Arbor age-group swim clubs, including Wolverine Aquatics and Ann Arbor Swim Club, remained committed to a full-spectrum program from development to national team. Even after Snik’s death, the clubs continued the work of bringing this vision to reality.
The CW Elite Team is currently coached by Mike Bottom (Michigan Men’s and Women's Head Coach), and Peter Linn (Eastern Michigan University Men’s and Women’s Head Coach).
Wolverine Aquatics
Founded in Ann Arbor, the age-group program known as Wolverine Aquatics was formed in 1997 on the premise of "teaching competitive swimming with a focus on the individual, at all levels."
Research, biomechanics and kinesiology formulated a technique-oriented focus that began with Wolverine Aquatics first head coach Jason Lancaster and was further developed by Bethany Williston. Head Coach and engineer Joe Plane elevated training and skill development during the program’s evolution.
Ann Arbor Swim Club
During the short-course season just before the reorganization, the Ann Arbor Swim Club proudly celebrated its 50th anniversary as an age-group swim club. Founded in 1956 by the legendary RoseMary Mann Dawson, daughter of one-time Michigan swimming coach Matt Mann, II, AASC also traces its roots back to Michigan swimming.
In its 50 years the club saw many changes in the sport of swimming and saw its numbers swell from about 60 in the late 1950s to about 300 by 2006. AASC was ranked a two-time Silver medal club by USA Swimming for its performances during 2004-05 and 2005-06.
Club Wolverine Team Accomplishments - Since Fall 2006
2006 Long Course National Champions
2006 Long Course State Champions
2007 Short Course National Champions
2007 - American Record – Men’s 800 Free Relay - Yards
2007 12 and Under Short Course State Champions
2007 13 and Over Short Course State Champions
2007 Long Course National Champions
2007 Long Course State Champions
2007 USA Swimming Gold Medal Club
2007 USA Swimming Zone Camp Qualification- 1 Attendee (Adam Seroka)
2008 12 and Under Short Course State Champions
2008 13 and Over Short Course State Champions
2008 - American Record – Men’s 500 Free – Yards
2008 - National High School Record – Girls 200 Free - Yards
2008 40+ Olympic Trial Qualifiers; 9 Gold Medals, 1 Silver Medal, 1 Bronze Medal, 7 World Records
2008 Long Course State Champions
2008 USA Swimming Gold Medal Club
2008 Level 4 (Highest Level) USA Swimming-Club Recognition Program -(1st year offered)
2008 USA Swimming Zone Camp Qualifiers- 5 attendees (Hanna Cowley, Anna Demonte, Willa Wang, Victor Zhang, Andy Jensen)
2008 USA Swimming Open Water National Camp-5 attendees
2009 12 and Under Short Course State Champions
2009 13 and Over Short Course State Champions
2009 USA Swimming Gold Medal Club
2009 USA Swimming Sectional Champions-Miami of Ohio site
2009 Long Course State Champions
2009 USA Swimming Zone Camp Qualifier-3 attendees (Avery Evenson, David Boland, Adam Whitener)
2009 USA Swimming National Select Camp-1 attendee (Anna Demonte)
2009 USA Swimming National #1 800 Free and 400 Medley Relays-13-14 Boys
2009-6 USA Swimming World Championship Team members
2010 USA Swimming Gold Medal Club
2010 USA Swimming Zone Camp Qualification-1 attendee (Josh Ehrman)
2010 Michigan Short-Course State Meet Runner-Up: 12&Unders
2010 Michigan Short-Course State Meet Champion: 13&Overs
2010 Michigan Long-Course State Meet Runners-Up
2010 Canada Cup Champions
2011 Michigan Short-Course State Champions: 13&Overs
2011 Canada Cup Champions
2011 Michigan Long-Course State Champions: Open
2011 Michigan Long-Course State Meet Second Runners-Up:14&Under
2012 USA Swimming Zone Camp Qualification-1 attendee (Matt Orringer)
2012 Michigan Short-Course State Champions: 13&Overs
2012 Michigan Short-Course State Meet Runner-Up: 12&Unders
2012 30+ Olympic Trials qualifiers; one Olympic Team Qualifier (Connor Jaeger 1500 free)
2012 14 & Under LC State Meet Champions
2012 Central Zone Sectional Meet: Runners-up
2013 12 & Under State Meet: 2nd Runners-up
2013 Open State Meet: 2nd Runners Up
2013 USA Swimming Zone Camp Qualification-1 attendee (Katie Orringer)
2013 NCSA Junior Nationals-7th place for boys (broke all 5 relay state records for 17-18 year olds)
2013 NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL RECORD-BOYS 200 MEDLEY RELAY-YARDS
2013 USA Swimming Sectional Meet Champions-Long Course-Miami of Ohio site
2013 14 & Under LC State Meet Champions (state record girls 13-14 400 medley relay)
2014 USA Swimming Silver Medal Club
2014 Michigan Short-Course State Champions: 12 & Unders
2014 Michigan Short-Course State Champions: 13 & Overs
2014 USA Swimming Zone Camp Qualification-2 attendees (Daniel Keith, Michael MacGuillavray)
2014 Long Course State Champions: 14 & Under
2015 Michigan Short-Course State Champions: 12 and Unders
2015 Michigan Short-Course State Champions: 13 & Overs
2015 Long Course State Champions: 14 & Under
2016 Michigan Short-Course State Champions: 12 & Unders
2016 Michigan Short-Course State Champions: 13 & Overs
2016 Michigan Loung-Course State Champions: 12 and Unders
2016 Michigan Loung-Course State Champions: 13 and Over
2016 National Junior Team Member (Cameron Craig)
2016 18 and Under Top 100 World Ranking (Cameron Craig 7th in the 100 Fly)
2016 USA Swimming Silver Medal Club
2017 Michigan Short-Course State Champions: 12 and Unders
2017 Michigan Short-Course State Champions: 13 an Overs
2017 USA Swimming National Select Camp (Sophia Tuinman)
2017 Michigan Loung-Course State Champions: 12 and Unders
2017 Michigan Loung-Course State Champions: 13 and Overs
2017 Summer NCSA Junior National 9th Place Team Finish
2017 USA Swimming Gold Medal Club
2018 Michigan Short-Course State Champions: 12 and Unders
2018 Michigan Short-Course State Champions: 13 and Overs
2018 USA Swimming Zone Camp Qualification-3 attendees (Winne Jalet, Hannah Jyawook, Drue Theilking)
2018 Michigan Loung-Course State Champions: 12 and Unders
2018 Michigan Loung-Course State Champions: 13 and Overs
2018 Summer NCSA Junior National Champions
2018 Summer NCSA Junior National Championship Female Performance of the Meet (Casey Chung)
2018 Summer NCSA Junior National Championship Coach of the Year (Gunnar Schmidt)
2018 USA Swimming National Select Camp (Casey Chung)
2018 18 and Under Top 100 World Ranking (Casey Chung 48th in the 100 Back, Sophia Tuinman 67th in the 200 Back)
2018 USA Swimming Silver Medal Club
2019 Michigan Short Course State Champions; 12 and Under
2019 Michigan Short Course State Champions: 13 and Overs
2019 Gulf Coast Speedo Sectional Chmpions: Girls
2019 USA Swimming Zone Camp Qualification-4 attendees (Lily Cramer, Lucy Mehraban, Ben Kurniawan, Hannah Bellard)
