Moment: Craig Caps Career with Records

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

April 6, 2020

After a season away, Cameron Craig returned to the Monroe High School swimming & diving team for his 2015-16 senior year – and ended his prep career with a performance that all expected from one of the nation’s top high school swimmers.

Craig set an all-MHSAA Finals record in winning the Lower Peninsula Division 1 200-yard individual medley in 1:45.42, then set another all-Finals best winning the backstroke in 47.33 on March 12, 2016. Both records still stand.

“This is my senior year and I just wanted to come and see everyone that I competed against as a freshman and a sophomore,” Craig said that day. “This is really a good way to end the year.”

Craig began his college career at Arizona State and currently swims at Ohio State.

Click to check out Second Half coverage of those 2016 LPD1 Finals – Rice 3-Peats at Meet Loaded with Stars – and see below for replays of Craig’s races with coverage from the NFHS Network.

Swim & Dive Community Jumping In to Get Oxford Back in Pool

By Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com

December 10, 2021

Many are reaching out to offer assistance to Oxford High School’s athletic teams, and the swimming & diving community is among those lining up to help the Wildcats return to familiar, and hopefully comforting, practice and competition routines for this time of year.

Meets for MHSAA boys swimming & diving teams began Dec. 4, but athletes are unsure when they will be allowed to return to the school to retrieve needed gear.

Earlier this week, the Michigan Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association sent a thread on their websites that Oxford was in need of equipment.

The response has been swift and overwhelmingly positive from coaches, organizations and companies both locally and nationally.

“Just so the boys can get back to some sense of normalcy,” said Brad Jones, the head boys swim coach at Fenton and former president of MISCA. “We’ve gotten calls from club teams in California that want to donate, just to make sure these guys can get back in the water and just feel normal again. That was kind of the goal in the swim community.”

Swimmers typically have more equipment with them for a given practice or meet than many realize.

Not only are there suits, goggles and caps, but also items such as paddles, kickboards, snorkels and fins that aid training during practices.

Jones said coaches within MISCA have been in touch with Oxford swim coach Jackie Rank to see exactly what is needed.

The outfitter Arena has donated suits, while other companies such as Speedo and Different Strokes have also offered to help donate equipment.

“I know they want to start competing, and we just want to help in that training process,” Jones said.

Oxford also is in need of a pool for training and competitions, and its neighbor school has offered to help in that regard.

Chris Bell, athletic director at Lake Orion High School, said he has invited Oxford swimmers and divers to practice at Lake Orion’s pool.

Oxford and Lake Orion share a diving coach to begin with, but the Dragons are also happy to share their pool while Oxford needs it.

In addition, Bell said he has also been in touch with Oxford athletic director Tony DeMare and offered Lake Orion’s facilities for other Wildcats sports teams if needed.

“We will make every effort to support them and provide what we can for them,” Bell said.