BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS: MEN'S SWIMMING
in the recruiting process that we would be a championship team. And they car-
ried that forward all four years. Everyone who came in behind them understood
that that is the expectation.
"And it is great, because it's not something that puts pressure on people. It's
an expectation in a way that it's like Christmas. Christmas is coming. It's time to
open presents, so get ready. There's an excitement about Big Ten Champion-
ships, other than putting a lot of pressure on themselves about it."
The Wolverines now have their focus on the NCAA Championships March 27-
29 in Austin, Texas, where they will have a chance to defend their 2013 national
championship.
Michigan will bring 13 qualifying swimmers, which is slightly fewer than some
top teams, such as Texas (16), Cal (16) and Florida (15), but the swimmers they
are bringing are dynamic enough to give them a chance.
"I don't think you should ever be confident going into NCAAs, because it is
such a crazy meet," Jaeger said. "There are so many things that can happen at
something like that, you can't predict it. We are confident in what we have done
this year, and in our abilities to race as a team. And we're excited with the op-
portunity we have ahead of us. We see ourselves in a fight."
— Andy Reid
