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First-year head coach Bob Bowman is wasting no time in pulling together a talented Arizona State University class of 2020; in addition to Nils Lervik, Sydney Kao, and Zachary Poti, he has now received verbal commits from Joe Molinari and Cameron Craig for 2016-17.
Joe Molinari swims for Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics and attends Serra High School in San Mateo, California. At 2015 Summer Juniors, Molinari competed in the 200 free, 100/200 back, 100/200 fly, and 200/400 IM. Though it was a charged weekend, Molinari picked up best times in all but one event; he finished seventh in the 400 IM and 17th in the 200 fly, earning 2016 Trials cuts in both. His top times include:
| SCY | LCM | |
| 200 IM | 1:48.76 | 2:07.77 |
| 400 IM | 3:51.87 | 4:26.57* |
| 100 fly | 49.39 | 55.58 |
| 200 fly | 1:48.02 | 2:01.68* |
| 100 back | 49.86 | 58.49 |
| 200 back | 1:47.15 | 2:05.50 |
| 200 free | 1:39.77 | 1:54.39 |
Molinari is a true IMer and can get the job done in any stroke. Interestingly he is even proficient at the longer end of the freestyle range, qualifying for Summer Juniors in both the 400m and 800m distances. The Sun Devils will likely look to Molinari to score at Pac-12s in the 400 IM, where he’s already B-final eligible, and the 200 IM and 200 fly, where he’s right on the B/C-final border.
Cameron Craig, a senior at Monroe High School in Monroe, Michigan, is a back/fly specialist with Olympic Trials in the 100m distance of both disciplines. As a sophomore, Craig won the 100 fly at the 2014 MHSAA Boys Division I Championships and set the Division I record in the 100 back in prelims, although he was runner-up in finals.
Craig swims for Southern Michigan Aquatic Club. At Summer Juniors in San Antonio, he placed 16th in the 50 free, fifth in the 100 free, sixth in the 100 back, and seventh in the 100 fly. Although he missed his Trials cut by 1/100 in the 100 free, he did achieve the standards in the 100 back and 100 fly. His top times include:
| SCY | LCM | |
| 50 free | 20.93 | 23.56 |
| 100 free | 44.98 | 50.70 |
| 200 free | 1:38.40 | 1:52.08 |
| 50 back | 24.02 | 26.48 |
| 100 back | 48.90 | 55.86* |
| 200 back | 1:47.47 | 2:07.27 |
| 100 fly | 48.59 | 54.73* |
| 200 IM | 1:49.19 | 2:06.52 |
Craig will enter ASU with back and fly times capable of scoring at Pac-12s and as he continues to develop, he should be a force on the Sun Devils’ relays as well.
*2016 Olympic Trials qualifying times
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Wow, ASU is definitely rebuilding hopefully bob has a better shot and training a multitude of college athletes were he has struggled with coaching others besides phelps. Not bashing just saying it will be interesting to see.
If anyone thinks Bowman is going to be doing any significant coaching on deck is living in a unicorn society.
His focus is MP and his business interests with MP and a chance to make some extra money from ASU. He may set the agenda – but assistants will be working with the swimmers while he takes all the credit.- but this is what happens when lightening strikes and puts a MP in your lap to set off your career.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see him establish another “North Baltimore” in Mesa as well – build another western empire of the hopes of finding a diamond in the rough. Evidently he knew the well was dry in Baltimore –… Read more »
As a swimmer in Bowman’s university pool of athletes I can personally attest he is on deck every practice giving undivided attention to us as a team. Bob has never missed a training session for non-collegiette reasons and has expressed his passion for coaching ASU’s team both verbally and in action. Other than the separate sessions he has for Michael and his training partners Bob devotes every moment making sure his athletes are succeeding both in and out of the pool.