TicketsDec. 22, 2005
by Elise Keeler, Sports Communications Student Assistant
If the beginning of the season is any indication of Steve Marshall's future, then his future is bright. In fact, his most memorable moment at UC came just recently at the Miami Invitational where he set the school record in 100 breaststroke. The school record he set was also an NCAA "B" qualifying time.
Steve Marshall is a senior from Akron, Ohio. As a senior at Walsh Jesuit High School, he looked at a lot of different in-state colleges. "Cincinnati had the best team atmosphere and the best team performance," he says. At Walsh Jesuit, Steve set school records in 200 IM, 100 free, and 100 breaststroke and he was also a member of three record setting relay teams.
His freshman year at UC, he continued to be successful by the winning the 100 breaststroke against Miami. He ended the year posting season best times in three events at the Conference USA Invitational where he placed third in the 100 breaststroke and fourth in the 200 breaststroke. Steve continued to improve his sophomore year as well.
"I sat out my junior year so I could see the birth of my son, and the swim coach (Monty Hopkins) was really nice about letting me take the year off," he says.
Sitting out made him only more eager to return to the pool for his senior year. "It helped me meet wise because I knew what it felt like not to compete. I knew how well I was doing, but I wasn't able to compete," Steve continues, "All I did was train."
Since the beginning of this season, he has already seen improvement at dual meets with Western Kentucky, Ohio State, and Miami (Ohio). He has set some goals for himself this year, including having a good BIG EAST meet and trying to qualify for the NCAA meet in the 100 breaststroke. For the NCAA meet, he just needs to shave a half second off of his time to have an NCAA "B" qualifying time. An "A" time gives swimmers an automatic spot at the NCAA meet, and the "B" qualifying time is the next fastest athletes.
Steve isn't like the typical student-athlete at the University of Cincinnati. Steve and Louise Gowen, a UC graduate and swimmer, are married. Louise is from England, and the two met while swimming for UC. Together they experienced a life-changing event 13 months ago, when their son Jonathan was born. Jonathan definitely has the right genes for swimming, with both his parents being collegiate swimmers.
"When my son was born, everything took a backseat for awhile," Steve says. The birth of Steve's son has also changed the way he prioritizes. "My family takes up a lot of my time, and it doesn't leave much time for any extra curricular involvement besides swimming," he says.
Marshall's role model, Mark Ganglof, went to his high school, and they even swam together. "Mark Ganglof was an Olympian in 2004 in the 100 breaststroke, and I always looked up to him."
Being married and having a son certainly has changed Steve. "I have to do things for them now, and not just for myself. They are number one, and school and swimming are number two in my life."
After he graduates, he intends to move back to Akron. "I'm going to work, and my wife wants to go back to school and get her nursing degree."
That decision is still up in the air because Steve still has one year of eligibility remaining. He will graduate with a degree in geography, but he may come back to have one last year in the pool and work towards his masters.
Everything Steve does, whether it is school participation, academics, or at a swim meet, he is doing now for the sake of his son's future. Steve's future, as well as his family's future, looks bright and deep with possibilities.