Mike Bottom was announced rather late in the recruiting season as the head coach for the newly-combined Michigan men’s and women’s programs, which perhaps contributed to a bit of a meager class on the women’s side. Bottom bolstered that this week as he secured a verbal commitment from Australian swimmer Claudia Goswell from the Barker Aquatic Swim Club.
She’s coached there by Angus Barnes, and is primarily a sprint freestyler: something the Michigan women really need to build up their relay core. She has long course bests of 26.80 in the 50 (23-mid in yards) and 57.8 in the 100 free (51-low in yards); that 100 time ranks her among the top 5% of Australian 17-year olds in the event last year, according to her profile on the New South Wales website.
One would imagine that Goswell will be well-utilized in Bottom’s very impressive sprint-training system, and will probably develop an additional stroke to contribute to a 200 medley relay. Those sprint freestyles are what will be most important however: as of now, Michigan’s fastest 100 freestyle this year is a 50.11 from Zoe Mattingly, which ranks just 18th in the Big Ten. The positive signs for the Maize & Blue is that Mattingly is just a freshman, as are three of the team’s 5-best in the 100 free.
See the video above for a good shot of Goswell’s stroke from underwater.