University of Minnesota Athletics
Always Improving: Sophomore Swimmer Adam Mitchell
3/22/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving
Mitchell began swimming competitively at age seven, after his family moved to Des Moines from Waterloo. "Ever since then I just built up and I've enjoyed it," he said. Fast-forwarding to his senior in high school, Adam was not recruited by many large, Division I colleges or universities where he could continue swimming the following year. In fact, he was near a decision to attend a smaller school before University of Minnesota associate head coach Kelly Kremer watched him compete at a state meet in Iowa. "I guess he liked what he saw," Mitchell offered modestly. "I was just honored that Minnesota was interested in me."
Since arriving at the `U' Mitchell has enjoyed his experience as a student-athlete. "I like the coaches and the atmosphere. The competitiveness is especially key in improving my swimming" he said. "It was exciting and I knew I was going to improve."
However, his new coaches were not alone in pushing Mitchell to reach his maximum potential. Former Gopher Todd Smolinski also helps Mitchell with his training, practicing at the Unversity Aquatic Center as a fifth-year senior. "I was like, `oh my gosh, I'm going to swim with Todd Smolinski," Mitchell revealed. Although over time he lost his star struck gaze and the two have since become friends and continue to push one another. Additionally, support of family, friends, and teammates, has been important for Mitchell to able to keep stress and nervousness to a minimum and to focus on what he loves to do: swim.
And swim he did. Since the start of his sophomore season, Mitchell earned two Big Ten Swimmer of the Week honors, as well as collegeswimming.com's National Swimmer of the Week accolades. His sophomore season started with a bang when he recorded the top time in the 200 individual medley of 1:50.16 against then No. 5 Florida. He went on to garner individual first-place finishes as well as a member of five first-place relay teams at the Georgia Invite. He followed with second-team All-Big Ten honors this year, helping the Golden Gophers to their third Big Ten Championship in four years.
The NCAA Championships take place this weekend in Long Island, New York. Adam has set an individual goal for himself of making the finals of the 200 IM. A goal for the team is to make the finals in the 800 freestyle relay, an event in which Mitchell will also participate.
Mitchell and the rest of the Golden Gopher squad will start the national championships Thursday, March 25 and continue on until Saturday, March 27.
Written by Media Relations Student Assistant Kristie Voss. She welcomes comments at gophers@umn.edu While others his age concentrated on learning to walk, Adam Mitchell was already learning to swim in a class designed for infants. Now finishing his second season as a Golden Gopher men's swimmer, Mitchell's experience has paid off. In just his sophomore season, Mitchell will make his first appearance at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships in Long Island, N.Y this weekend.
Mitchell began swimming competitively at age seven, after his family moved to Des Moines from Waterloo. "Ever since then I just built up and I've enjoyed it," he said. Fast-forwarding to his senior in high school, Adam was not recruited by many large, Division I colleges or universities where he could continue swimming the following year. In fact, he was near a decision to attend a smaller school before University of Minnesota associate head coach Kelly Kremer watched him compete at a state meet in Iowa. "I guess he liked what he saw," Mitchell offered modestly. "I was just honored that Minnesota was interested in me."
Since arriving at the `U' Mitchell has enjoyed his experience as a student-athlete. "I like the coaches and the atmosphere. The competitiveness is especially key in improving my swimming" he said. "It was exciting and I knew I was going to improve."
However, his new coaches were not alone in pushing Mitchell to reach his maximum potential. Former Gopher Todd Smolinski also helps Mitchell with his training, practicing at the Unversity Aquatic Center as a fifth-year senior. "I was like, `oh my gosh, I'm going to swim with Todd Smolinski," Mitchell revealed. Although over time he lost his star struck gaze and the two have since become friends and continue to push one another. Additionally, support of family, friends, and teammates, has been important for Mitchell to able to keep stress and nervousness to a minimum and to focus on what he loves to do: swim.
And swim he did. Since the start of his sophomore season, Mitchell earned two Big Ten Swimmer of the Week honors, as well as collegeswimming.com's National Swimmer of the Week accolades. His sophomore season started with a bang when he recorded the top time in the 200 individual medley of 1:50.16 against then No. 5 Florida. He went on to garner individual first-place finishes as well as a member of five first-place relay teams at the Georgia Invite. He followed with second-team All-Big Ten honors this year, helping the Golden Gophers to their third Big Ten Championship in four years.
The NCAA Championships take place this weekend in Long Island, New York. Adam has set an individual goal for himself of making the finals of the 200 IM. A goal for the team is to make the finals in the 800 freestyle relay, an event in which Mitchell will also participate.
Mitchell and the rest of the Golden Gopher squad will start the national championships Thursday, March 25 and continue on until Saturday, March 27.
Written by Media Relations Student Assistant Kristie Voss. She welcomes comments at gophers@umn.edu
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