For both programs, how is recruiting for next season? Signing period over or has it started yet?

Here are the women's signees: http://www.aggieathletics.com/pressRelease.php?PRID=12156

They only lose three swimmers so I guess they can't sign very many.

Appears to be 4 great swimmers joining the women's team ...what about the men?

...concerning the men's program, since A&M is loaded up on talent beyond our borders, isn't it time to focus on Texas and American high school swimmers?

Maybe they are trying to and just not having much luck...

I'm sure Holmes is trying like crazy to get Texas kids. We know Bill Byrne prefers that. But A&M's men's team doesn't yet have the rep to get the best to come here.

We have some solid swimmers from Texas on the roster and one possible star (Casey Strange). Holmes is doing what he can to get guys that can get to the NCAAs and move us up the rankings.

It was interesting by the way that Texas' men's team was universally considered to be a big disappointment at NCAAs this year. A number of their best swimmers did not make finals nor did they swim faster than they did in Big12s. Very unusual and I bet Eddie doesn't let it happen again.

Do divers on the women's team get scholarships? Seems like women's diving would be a priority since the B12 title was nearly lost due to tu dominating the diving.

together swimming and diving are alloted X number of scholarships...it is up to the coaches how they are broken up between the swimmers and divers...most usually get a percentage of a scholarship (as opposed to certain people getting full rides and everybody else nothing)

good luck to A&M swimming....Auburn is still gonna win it all though

If you look at the Men's roster, nearly all of this years guys are either International, or from Texas.

[This message has been edited by texagg09 (edited 5/4/2007 2:23p).]

I think they have 9.9 scholarships for each of the swim teams. Same number as baseball?

I'm pretty sure the women have a couple more than the men due to Title IX...got to counteract those 85 football scholarships...

men have 9.9, but that is including diving. women have like 14.9 i think?

Who has signed on to the men's program?

quote:

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The Longhorns also struck at the heart of Aggieland when they poached Jonathan Jackson out of College Station.

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Did we even stand a chance with this guy?

Who has A&M signed?

http://www.collegeswimming.com/news/2007/may/15/ranking-classes-6-texas/

There have been no announcements yet...they must be waiting to send one complete list out once they have everyone they are wanting

Any insight on Jonathan Jackson?

One might think A&M would have definitely wanted Jackson but when the two-time U.S. Olympic coach comes calling can you fault the kid?

I heard from someone on the team that they have two Europeans coming in that are ranked among the best in the world for their age group in certain events. They also have a breaststroker that has to sit until Jan. (has been here since this Jan.) that could be as good as the Jacobos. Again, it seems since Holmes has been at the helm that they wait until the absolute last second to release signees. I would assume they do that to try and scoop up everyone they can until the last second.

[This message has been edited by Look Out Below (edited 5/16/2007 2:15p).]

Some of the people that don't understand the power of Eddie Reese just need to look at the Jonathan Jackson thing. Holmes just doesn't yet have the cred to get guys like this. It's too bad about Jackson because he is a freestyle sprinter and would fit well with the Aggie history of strong sprinters.

Same story as 10 years ago when Bryan Jones won the 50 and 100 at state, then bolted over to Austin.

The only recruiting comparison that comes to mind is Mike Krzyzewski at duke basketball, and that doesn't even really compare.

One of the problems with Eddie Reese is that he's not only a damned fine coach - he's a nice guy. I've met him. I just can't dislike him.

I can dislike Barnes, or Mack, or other Texas coaches. But Reese is THE MAN.

His brother, Randy (TXLA coach), on the other hand......

Thanks for the good information ...I guess when the kids watch the World Championships and see Brendan Hansen, Ian Crocker, Aaron Piersol, etc., etc. and Reese on the deck ...well that is hard to recruit against!

wow. what great insight.

here's an idea. why don't you tell us if Jonathan was interested in coming to A&M, Mrs. Jackson (aka bogustrumper)? although i've never heard anyone refer to their son as "this guy".

hey dumbass ...I have no idea who the "guy" was interested in...I think it is too bad the men's program missed out on a local kid...that is all

wtf are you talking about fool?

[This message has been edited by bogustrumper (edited 6/26/2007 10:04a).]

So is the identification correct? There was no direct denial. I have no idea, just peaked my curiosity.

yikes... talk about striking a chord. i was just testing the waters. turns out i might have bene close.

I live well east of Texas ...many miles away and
I don't know any of these people

...no chord struck other than confirming that you are way off base here however you are funny in a troll kind of way...

Curiosity waning...

Was hoping for some good controversy on the "other sports" board.

nothing to see here people, move on

better served over at collegeswimming.com

aint that the truth. i will continue to bother people... but only those that are less friendly to my school.

There is quite a bit of that on that web site. If you bother any of those folks they probably deserve it.

I'm new to the swimming world and all but ignored it when I was a student at A&M. I have family that is big into swimming now and the women's program excelling as it did caught my attention.

Obviously I want A&M to win in everything and naive as it might be I can't understand why we can't catch up to Texas in swimming.

Maybe it will take years but I'm ready for it to happen now. A&M has what it takes so now we just need the swimmers to develop that kind of program. I am sure it is a heck of a lot harder than that but I think it can be done.

Bogus - I am an ex-swimmer, and a current Masters swimmer. I have two high school children that are both swimmers. I live (essentially) in Austin. I have met a few A&M swimmers. I have been around Longhorn Aquatics in Austin and have watched their program for years.

If you go to the Texas Swim Center in Austin you will see maybe 10 national championship banners hanging in there. You'll see dozens of pictures of UT All-Americans on the wall in the lobby. And of course Eddie Reese is still coaching there as he has been since 1980 or so. He is a damn good coach. If he wasn't he wouldn't be the head coach for the Olympics for the second time.

I think Texas is past its peak. They haven't finished top five at the NCAAs in some time. They were a disappointment this year - many expected them to be top three. I'm not sure why they aren't quite as good. It may just be that Auburn has taken the top position and others have moved up. Note that Auburn's coach moved on though.

A&M's men's team is still a good ways away from matching Texas. I think we need continuing improvement and a continuing downturn at Texas for us to match them. Texas is incredibly deep - deeper than it looks at the Big 12 championships. Texas doesn't rest for the Big12s nor do they use all of their talent. They do this to keep their score down. Texas should beat A&M in every relay, especially the three freestyle relays.

I think A&M is improving. Holmes erased the deficit Byrne created for him. He still needs freestyle depth and a backstroker.

Another good explanation. I think you were talking about the women being past their prime. While the men might be as well, they have finished top 5 in 4 of the past 5 years. Not to mention the 3 championships in 2000-2002. With Eddie there, I don't think they will really drop too low for a long time. Jay has done way more than anyone could have expected him to. Great recruiting, training, and motivating from an outsider's perspective.

The UT women are another story with a couple coaching changes over the past couple decades they have opened the door for A&M to catch up. We may have done just that this year, but 1 conference championship (by a single point) does not necessarilly mean that we're there. Not to take anything away from the girls. I see that win as the biggest stride our entire athletic department has made. Great job ladies & Steve! Keep it up.

H2O - I actually meant the men for UT. I know this may be hard to justify. But Eddie has not had a top 5 finish in a while. He's in the middle of the top 10 now. No NCs in a long time. UT performed poorly at the NCAAs this year. Most of their guys swam worse tapered at the NCAAs than they did at Big12s (untapered). Eddie has basically refused to recruit foreign swimmers so he may be at a bit of a disadvantage compared with Auburn, Arizona, etc.

The women definitely slid during the last few years of Sterkel's time. So for the first time EVER, they are playing catchup to A&M. The new women's coach is just starting her 2nd year - we'll see how she can recruit. They don't have much depth and they don't have the freshmen/sophomores A&M had.

[This message has been edited by SpicewoodAg (edited 6/27/2007 11:15a).]