Eric John Namesnik (August 7, 1970 – January 11, 2006), nicknamed "Snik," was an American competition
swimmer
Swimming is an individual or team racing sport that requires the use of one's entire body to move through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a sea or lake). Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic ...
and two-time Olympic silver medalist in the men's 400-meter individual relay (1992 & 1996).
Early years
Namesnik was born and raised in the town of
Butler, Pennsylvania
Butler is a city and the county seat of Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located north of Pittsburgh and is part of the Greater Pittsburgh region. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 13,502.
History
Butler was na ...
, and swam for the Butler YMCA Swim team while he was growing up. He initially attended
Butler Area Senior High School
Butler Area Senior High School is a coeducational public senior high school in Butler, Pennsylvania, United States, serving grades 10–12. It is the senior high school for the Butler Area School District. The school was founded in 1908, moved to ...
, transferring after his sophomore season to
Spanish River Community High School
Spanish River Community High School is a public, coeducational high school in Boca Raton, Florida, USA. It is part of the School District of Palm Beach County and serves the cities of Boca Raton and Delray Beach.
History
Spanish River Community ...
in
Boca Raton, Florida
Boca Raton ( ; es, Boca Ratón, link=no, ) is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It was first incorporated on August 2, 1924, as "Bocaratone," and then incorporated as "Boca Raton" in 1925. The population was 97,422 in the ...
.
He accepted a swimming scholarship from the
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
, to compete under coach
Jon Urbanchek
Jon Urbanchek (born August 23, 1936) is an American swimming coach, best known for his 22-year tenure as the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines swimming and diving team of the University of Michigan from 1982 to 2004.[Michigan Wolverines swimming and diving
The Michigan Wolverines swimming and diving program has both a men's and women's team. The University of Michigan swimming program is one of the most highly respected college swimming programs in the country. The men's and women's teams, which ha ...]
team from 1989 to 1993.
Swimming career
Namesnik represented the United States at two consecutive Olympic Games. At the
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympics ( es, Juegos Olímpicos de Verano de 1992, ca, Jocs Olímpics d'estiu de 1992), officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad ( es, Juegos de la XXV Olimpiada, ca, Jocs de la XXV Olimpíada) and commonly known as ...
in Barcelona, Spain, he received his first Olympic medal, a silver, for his second-place performance in the
men's 400-meter individual medley (4:15.57).
Four years later at the
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...
in
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
, he again finished second and received a silver medal in his signature event, the
men's 400-meter individual medley (4:15.25).
[Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Athletes]
Eric Namesnik
. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
He also won a bronze medal in the 400-meter individual medley at the 1994 world championships, and two silvers at the 1991 world meet. He set a new American record in the 400-meter individual medley on four occasions.
He later spent seven years (1997-2004) as an assistant with the men's
Michigan Wolverines swimming and diving
The Michigan Wolverines swimming and diving program has both a men's and women's team. The University of Michigan swimming program is one of the most highly respected college swimming programs in the country. The men's and women's teams, which ha ...
team under coach
Jon Urbanchek
Jon Urbanchek (born August 23, 1936) is an American swimming coach, best known for his 22-year tenure as the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines swimming and diving team of the University of Michigan from 1982 to 2004.[Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University (EMU, Eastern Michigan or simply Eastern), is a public research university in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School, the school was the fourth normal school established in the United Sta ...]
for two years before his death and was a coach for Wolverine Aquatics Club in
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County, Michigan, Washtenaw County. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851. It is the principal city of the Ann Arbor ...
.
Death
Namesnik died on January 11, 2006, from injuries sustained in a car accident the prior week. On January 7, 2006, he was critically injured in an accident that occurred when he attempted to pass another vehicle on an ice-covered road in
Pittsfield Township, Michigan
Pittsfield Charter Township is a charter township of Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 34,663 at the 2010 census.
Communities
* Lucerne is a former settlement within the township that had its own post office fro ...
. He was survived by his wife, former swimmer Kirsten Silvester from the Netherlands, and their two children, Austin and Madison. His former club team, Club Wolverine, hosts the Namesnik Memorial Grand Prix every spring in his honor.
He is memorialized with a statue outside of the Butler County YMCA, along with his childhood coach John "Pump" McLaughlin.
See also
*
List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)
This is the complete list of men's Olympic medalists in swimming.
Men's events 50 metre freestyle
100 metre freestyle
200 metre freestyle
400 metre freestyle
800 metre freestyle
1500 metre freestyle
100 metre backstroke
200 metre ...
*
List of University of Michigan alumni
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby union ...
*
References
External links
*
Eric Namesnik Obituary
{{DEFAULTSORT:Namesnik, Eric
1970 births
2006 deaths
American male breaststroke swimmers
American male medley swimmers
American swimming coaches
Eastern Michigan University people
Michigan Wolverines men's swimmers
Michigan Wolverines swimming coaches
Olympic silver medalists for the United States in swimming
People from Butler, Pennsylvania
Road incident deaths in Michigan
Sportspeople from Pennsylvania
Swimmers at the 1992 Summer Olympics
Swimmers at the 1995 Pan American Games
Swimmers at the 1996 Summer Olympics
World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming
Medalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Medalists at the 1992 Summer Olympics
Pan American Games silver medalists for the United States
Pan American Games bronze medalists for the United States
Pan American Games medalists in swimming
Medalists at the 1995 Pan American Games
20th-century American people