Three Munster swimmers commit to Big Ten schools

BY RYAN METZ

Times Correspondent

Hanging on the wall in the coaches' office at Munster is a plaque indicating which former swimmers have gone on to swim at the college level.

Three more name tags need to be added, as seniors Nina Damjanovich and Murray Crabtree have committed to Indiana, Joe Wulf has committed to Ohio State. All three signed their letters of intent to join the Big Ten programs this week as the early signing period began.

"This speaks well of our program that the hard work can be a means to something greater for them," Munster girls coach Terry Specyal said. "The names on the wall can be a great motivator and even something that we can't necessarily provide at times, knowing that the only way they're going to get there is through the work."

The Munster boys swim team is ranked No. 1 in the state in the preseason poll, and the girls are No. 9.

Damjanovich committed the day after her official visit to IU head coach Ray Looze and the reigning Big Ten champions.

"I love IU and when I went down on my visit and talked to the team and coaches I thought it was a perfect fit," said Damjanovich, who swims backstroke, sprints and relays for the girls team. "I'm going to have to step it up, and I'm really looking forward to being apart of the success that they have and hopefully helping (it)."

Wulf, who swims sprints and breaststroke, met the coaches at Ohio State in Seattle at the junior national meet before his official visit and liked the truthful, old-school approach to coaching.

"It seemed like I connected with the coaches the best at Ohio State and then became friends with the kids on the team," Wulf said. "The facilities are some of the best in the nation."

Munster boys coach Matt Pavlovich thinks both Wulf and Crabtree have promising careers ahead of them.

Crabtree is a tall, strong athletic swimmer who participates in backstroke and relays for Munster.

"Murray has improved quite a bit and with his big body should only get better," Pavlovich said. "He's an all-around great swimmer and has worked harder than he ever has before. We're looking to do some big things at the state meet this year with the help of these guys along with some other great seniors and juniors."

Published in the Northwest Indiana Times on Nov. 14, 2009.