WKU All-American Schwingenschlogl, Laemmler Transfer To Mizzou

Two of the biggest stars from the recently dismantled Western Kentucky swim team, Faban Schwingenschlogl & Nadine Laemmler, will be transferring to the University of Missouri to train under Greg Rhodenbaugh. The pair came to Western Kentucky together from the Bavarian Region of Germany for the second semester of the 2013-2014 season. Schwingenschlogl is an NCAA All-American breaststroker and Laemmler is an NCAA qualifier in the backstroke events. They ended up at Western Kentucky together because they had been dating for several years and wanted to go to school in America together. Now that WKU’s program has been suspended, they are once again moving together.

Both Schwingenschlogl and Laemmler will also be competing for Germany this summer at the 2015 World University Games.

Rhodenbaugh has been at Mizzou for the past five years and has developed a lot of talent over that time. He has done particularly well with his male breaststrokers and female backstrokers. Sam Tierney and Igor Kozlovskij have both been under 53 seconds in the 100 breaststroke, with Tierney earning NCAA All-American honors. On the women’s side, Dominique Bouchard, Hannah Stevens, Cassie Cunningham, and Danielle Barbiea have all been under 53 seconds in the 100 backstroke over the last few years.

Prior to his time at Mizzou, he spent 11 years as an assistant under legendary swimming coach Frank Busch at Arizona, where he was the primary coach for the breaststroke and IM groups. During his tenure as a Wildcat, Rhodenbaugh was a part of the 2008 men’s and women’s national championship teams, and coached many Olympians.

Fabian Schwingenschlogl, Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany

• Eligibility Remaining: 2 years
• Birthday: August 15, 1991
• Best Events:
  • 51.66 100 breaststroke
  • 1:53.25 200 breaststroke
  • 1:45.41 200 IM

Since joining Western Kentucky’s swim team during the 2013-14 season, Schwingenschlogl has become a 2x NCAA All-American for his back-to-back top 8 finishes at the NCAA Championships in the 100 breaststroke, and earned NCAA Honorable Mention All-American honors in the 200 breaststroke this year as well.

His impact will be felt immediately, both individually and as a member of the medley relays. During the 2015-16 season, he would have been their second fastest 100 breaststroker. Sam Tierney finished two places ahead of Schwingenschlogl at the 2015 NCAA Championships. He will fill the hole left by Tierney, who graduated at the end of this year, and help them continue to grow even with the loss of their top two breaststrokers.

In the 200 breaststroke, he will be filling a huge void left by their graduating seniors. The fastest returning 200 breaststroker will be incoming sophomore Jordy Groters. His best time this season was only 1:58.77, however.

In the 200 IM, he will be right with the pack. He would have been their fourth fastest 200 IMer this year, but their 2nd, 3rd, and 4th IMers were all between 1:44.9 and 1:46.3. Having the opportunity to train with other swimmers his speed should benefit them over the next two years.

Nadine Laemmler, Wackersdorf, Bavaria, Germany

• Eligibility Remaining: 2 years
• Birthday: May 19th, 1994
• Best Events:
  • 53.13 100 backstroke
  • 1:53.91 200 backstroke
  • 1:58.65 200 IM

Nadine Laemmler competed at the NCAA Championships for the first time this season, and will add depth to Mizzou as a backstroker and IMer. During the 2015-16 season, she would have been second on their team in the 100 backstroke, second on the team in the 200 backstroke, and third on the team in the 200IM.