Olympic Dreams

After what could only be called a dominating performance at the Big East Championships, senior Josh Schneider is now preparing for the NCAA swimming and diving championships.

At the Big East Championships, Schneider won and set UC meet and pool records in three events: the 50-meter freestyle, 100-meter freestyle and the 100-meter butterfly. It was the second year in a row he was the top-male performer at the championships.

Schneider just completed an undefeated season in the pool and was named Big East Swimmer of the Year for the second year in a row.

“Coming in to the year I set my goals high and didn’t want to lose,” Schneider said. “I felt like I could achieve that goal and not lose a race all year.”

He is a seven-time Big East Conference champion, a two-time All-Big East Conference honoree, College Swimming Coaches Association of America first-team Academic All-American and a two-time NCAA All-American honorable mention selection. It wouldn’t surprise anyone if he was an All-American selection this year.

Schneider will race in the 50-meter free, 100m free and 100m fly at this year’s NCAAs.

His time of 43 seconds in the 100-meter freestyle broke his own record and was the fourth-fastest time in the country this year.

His 19.08 in the 50-meter freestyle at the Big East Championships tied the best time recorded this year with California University Olympic gold-medalist, Nathan Adrian.

Most believe Adrian is Schneider’s biggest competition in the 50 and 100-meter freestyle events at the NCAAs.

“I believe [I can beat him],” Schneider said. “If I don’t believe in myself how can my family, coaches, friends and teammates believe in me?”

The great overall performance at the Big East Championships by Schneider helped the Bearcats team to a fifth-place finish; tying their best finish in school history.

“I just give it my all every time, no matter the conditions,” Schneider said. “Whether I am racing against my competitors or just the clock, I’m giving it everything.”

Before the season started, Schneider made some drastic changes to his technique.

Changes to his stroke and his training are the reason he was able to cut time from his results last season, Schneider said.

In the past year Schneider cut his 50-meter freestyle time by .35 seconds. He cut more than one second off his time in the 100-meter fly over the same period.

“This year it was like I turned on a commitment switch,” Schneider said. “I just woke up and told myself I was ready to commit to this level.”

Schneider’s will to compete was obvious in high school.

He graduated from Taylor High School on the west side of Cincinnati, where he earned
11 letters as a member of the swim, golf, football and track teams.

He won a state title swimming in the 50-meter freestyle, owns the track record for the 110-meter hurdles and the 300-meter and owns the Taylor record for pass receptions in a season with 46.

He had offers from Wright State, Duquesne and Eastern Michigan for football and track, but chose UC and swimming because he believes he can make it to the Olympics.

Schneider is up for the Big East 2010 Outstanding Sportsmanship of the Year award this season. The award recognizes those who have recently excelled off the field (or pool) with demonstrations of sportsmanship.

They have nominated three outstanding instances of sportsmanship from around the Big East.

Schneider was part a special scene where he was greeted with a warm and respectful welcome by fellow competitors on his way to collecting his 2010 Big East Most Outstanding Swimmer award.

It is part of National Sportsmanship Day and fans can vote for Schneider by visiting BigEast.org. The winner will be announced Sunday, March 7.

Following the NCAA Championships and graduation, Schneider will stay in Cincinnati to train and hopefully land an endorsement deal.

During the summer he hopes to work toward earning a spot on the U.S. national team and then travel to North Carolina where he will train for the 2012 Olympics in London.

The NCAA Championships begin Thursday, March 25, in Columbus, Ohio.