Ben VanderWeide, from Grand Rapids, Michigan, has signed with the Oakland Grizzlies for 2015-16.
“I chose Oakland University because I loved the coaches, the facilities, and the team. After the visit I was incredibly excited because I could see myself attending school for the next four years. It also met my academic needs with their business school. I cannot wait for my next four years as a Golden Grizzly!”
VanderWeide swims for Grand Rapids Novi Sad Aquatics and is a senior at Byron Center High School in Grand Rapids. At the 2014 MHSAA Boys Division 1 Swimming and Diving Championships, he finished 5th in both the 200 and 500 freestyles with times of 1:42.28 and 4:37.81, respectively. His best events, however, are at the longer end of the spectrum:
1650y free: 16:09.40 1500m free: 16:18.91
1000y free: 9:36.45 800m free: 8:39.12
500y free: 4:37.81 400m free: 4:09.47
200y free: 1:42.28 200m free: 1:57.51
VanderWeide had a particularly good long course season last summer, with drops in every event, including 20 seconds in the 1500. He will add immediate value to the Grizzlies’ efforts at Horizon League conference championships; his 1000 and 1650 would have been right on the A-final/B-final bubble last year, and his 500 would have made the B. The Grizzlies had four in the A-final of the 500 last year so VanderWeide will have an excellent group with whom to train.