Published: March 29, 2016
A rare feat
West graduate puts himself among nation’s elite
Daily News
How unique is Matt McHugh? So unique that veteran Ohio State men’s
swimming coach Bill Wadley can’t think of another swimmer — or person —
like the 2013 West Bend West graduate.
“He’s a unique guy,” said Wadley, who has been the Buckeyes’ coach for
26 years. “He’s an impressive young man. He’s a standout.”
Wadley’s comments come on the heels of a performance he said is “darn
near impossible” to do, but McHugh “handled it like a champ.”
McHugh finished sixth in the 100-yard butterfly and eighth in the 100
backstroke at the NCAA Division 1 championship, which concluded Saturday
in Atlanta.
Those swims garnered McHugh All-American status in each race.
He became the first swimmer in Ohio State history to be named an
All-American in more than one stroke since 1971, and McHugh did it on
the same day.
“He’s
the only person in the meet that was a two-time All-American on the same
day in individual races,” Wadley said. “That’s what makes it special.
He was the only one that did that. It’s extremely hard. ... It’s darn
near impossible to do it at this level.”
McHugh was also honorable mention All-American in the 200 freestyle relay.
What impresses Wadley about McHugh, a junior construction management major at OSU, is his humility.
When asked what it meant to him to be an All-American in two events on
the same day, it was almost like he shrugged it off as he kept his
answer short.
“It’s cool to say I did that,” McHugh said, adding he didn’t believe he swam that fast.
“I was a little tired,” he said.
Wadley wasn’t surprised at McHugh’s response.
“He doesn’t put himself out in front of everybody,” Wadley said.
Instead, it’s McHugh’s swimming that’s doing more of the talking and
putting the former state champion in the same group as some of the
nation’s — and even the world’s — top swimmers.
“I hope one day he can represent Team USA in some capacity,” Wadley said. “He’s an Olympian in my mind.”
McHugh is a seven-time All-American at Ohio State, including twice in the 100 fly. He
holds two school records (100 back
and 400 free relay), and is among the top five in school history in the
100 fly, the 200 free relay, the 200 medley relay and the 400 medley
relay.
Once overweight
and slow with no clue how to be a competitive swimmer going into his
freshman year at West, McHugh is becoming one of Ohio State’s greatest
swimmers.
“He’s really done a lot of cool things in short order,” Wadley said. “There’s no doubt about it. He’s got a good work ethic.”
When McHugh arrived at his first swim practice at West about seven
years ago, he weighed 220 pounds and maintained what he described as an
awful diet. He joined the Spartans at the urging of his neighbor, Matt
Parks — a four-time state qualifier at West.
Four years later when he arrived at Ohio State, fresh off a state
championship in the 100 fly, Wadley and his coaching staff proceeded
with caution. However, it didn’t take long for them to recognize talent.
“He just went to work,” Wadley said. “He’s always been a ‘whatever you
want me to do coach’ kind of guy. He’s one of the hardest workers on
the team. He’s always worked hard, been humble.”
This season, McHugh won his second straight 100 fly Big Ten
championship, which was the first time the conference had a repeat
champion in that event since 2009-10, and won the 100 back title — the
program’s first title in that event since 2010.
“I had a really good year,” McHugh said. “I was pretty happy (with it).”
As good as McHugh has been, his coach believes he could be even greater.
“He has plenty of room to get better,” Wadley said. “I think he’s as good of a swimmer as there is out there.”
McHugh proved it, swimming against many of the best swimmers in the country and, in some cases, the world.
On Friday at the NCAAs, McHugh swam in preliminary races in the 100
fly and the 100 back. Once out of the water from the 100 fly where he
was fourth quickest, he had about an hour of rest before he got back
into the water for the 100 back. He was eighthquickest in that event.
A few hours later, McHugh was back at it in the championship final for both races, which were about an hour apart.
“It’s an amazing challenge to put forth four great performances at the highest level,” Wadley said. “It was pretty impressive.”
The biggest improvement McHugh has made since Day 1 of his freshman
year with the Buckeyes, Wadley said, is his ability to handle several
races on the same day — and do it at a championship level. “That’s not an easy task,” Wadley said. “There’s a reason why he was the only one to do it.”
“(You’ve) got to have the ability and have done the work, then you
have to do it back-to-back,” he added. “(The) NCAA meet will bring a
weak man to his knees. If they’re not mentally strong, you’re going to
be in trouble and it’s going to be a long weekend.”
Again, McHugh is doing this in about half the time of his teammates’ experiences.
“Most of the kids have been swimming since they were kids,” McHugh said.
McHugh was seeded in the top four in both the 100 fly and 100 back.
Wadley believes if McHugh swam one or the other at the NCAAs, he
probably would’ve won a national title.
But Wadley loves McHugh’s dedication to his teammates and it is why he considers McHugh to be one of the team’s leaders.
“He’s a great team player,” Wadley said. “He sacrifices his own individual performances to score for the team.”
This summer, McHugh will get a chance to see where he stands against
the world’s best at the U.S. Olympic Trials, June 26July 3 in Omaha,
Nebraska.
He will compete in three events — the 50 free, the 100 fly and the 100 back.
“(I’m) really getting into it without any goals, but to just do my best,” McHugh said.
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