After swimming together since elementary school, seniors Matthew Murray, Ben Hinshaw and Brad Murray will go their different ways this fall as they swim for UC Berkeley, University of Viginia, and Georgetown University.
During his junior year, Matthew was named the San Jose Mercury News swimmer of the year after breaking the CCS record in the 100-yard backstroke. Soon, offers poured in from top schools around the country.
Matthew (no relation to Brad) chose University of Virginia after a recruiting trip in which he met the team and the coach who has been at Virginia for 32 years.
“A hurricane was close by the school so it was raining hard,” said Matthew. “I went to the field with the swim team and we played football in the mud. It was a lot of fun and I realized that I could spend my next four years here.”
Hinshaw had a similar experience visiting Berkeley. The current swim team members took the recruits to a local ice cream shop and gave them a challenge.
“At this ice cream parlor, Fenton’s, the swim team had us do the ice cream challenge where if we ate a giant ice cream sundae we get a free T-shirt,” recalled Hinshaw. “Of course I destroyed.”
For this and other reasons, including the schools programs, Hinshaw decided to attend Cal. Hinshaw won the 500-freestyle and the 200-individual medley during his junior year, helping him get noticed by colleges.
On the other hand, Brad enjoyed the school spirit at Georgetown, which he witnessed when he visited Washington, D.C.
“When I visited Georgetown, it was a week before the elections. [The school] had a rally in this red brick courtyard and a lot of people were there,” said Murray. “Some of the basketball players presented and I really enjoyed it.”
All three hope to boost the team into first place in CCS after the second-place finish last year. Other top swimmers hoping to contribute to the teams CCS efforts are sophomores Adam Hinshaw and Justin Chung and freshman Ian Burns, who are all nationally competitive.
Though the three swimmers will be attending different schools, Matthew said they hope to continue their friendship in the future.
“It’s going to be different not swimming with Brad and Ben,” said Matthew, “but I think we all found schools that fit us well.”