U.S. OLYMPIC FESTIVAL : Swimmer Still Is Recovering From UCLA’s Decision

ST. LOUIS —  Todd Kannegeisser still can’t believe it.

Despite being one of the top swimmers at the Olympic Festival, Kannegeisser was speaking of betrayal and abandonment before practice on opening day.

When Kannegeisser said “anything can happen,” he didn’t mean that it was necessarily good.

Only two months ago, Kannegeisser didn’t know if his swimming career was over. Not because of an injury--that would be easier to accept.

It was because of UCLA’s decision to drop men’s swimming after the 1994 season.

“I couldn’t believe it when I read about it in the paper. It was a total shock,” Kannegeisser said. “In fact, I thought it must have been a misprint in our local (Sacramento) paper, so I called the coach and he told me it was true.”

What really got to Kannegeisser was the timing of the news. Not that news like that ever comes at a good time.

But Kannegeisser, 18, had learned in April of 1993 that he would receive a scholarship to swim for UCLA. He read the news in August.

“It was already August, so I really was going to go to UCLA for my freshman year no matter if it was the last year of the program or not. I guess I could have tried to go somewhere else, but I didn’t know.”

Then things got worse.

For the first time in his life, hard work did not pay off.

“I was working harder than I ever had in my life and I didn’t improve on my times,” said Kannegeisser, who swims freestyle sprints. “I just had a bad year. I mean, after Pac-10s, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. I was kind of stuck.”

Not improving his times meant there was little chance of another school offering him a full scholarship. More than a few swimmers have peaked in high school and coaches know that.

So Kannegeisser wasn’t sure where he could go.

Plus, he liked going to UCLA.

He thought about giving up swimming and staying at UCLA because his scholarship would be honored for another four years.

His roommate, Nick Shackell, was also on the swim team but wasn’t going to go under with the program.

“He started calling schools and we even went to visit New Mexico, Berkeley and Auburn after the season,” Kannegeisser said.

He liked Auburn the best, and fortunately, they offered him the most financial aid.

“You know what really impressed me the most? Their commitment to swimming,” Kannegeisser said. “They just built an $11.5-million swim facility, so you know they aren’t going to drop the program--at least not right away.

Although his year at UCLA was only average, Kannegeisser bounced back afterward by qualifying for the Olympic Festival team.

But Kannegeisser still is wary.

“Man, they took something away that I worked all my life for. But I’m hopeful.”

Festival Notes

Jennifer Parmenter of Granada Hills won a gold medal for the South team in the 200-meter backstroke in 2:18.39 She is expected to try the 400 individual medley today. . . . . Julie Varozza of Los Gatos won a gold in the 800-meter freestyle in 8:50.93.