Only in her freshman year, OSU’s Saori Haruguchi is rewriting records

It is appropriate that the swimmer rewriting the Oregon State record book is accomplished in Shodo, the beautiful calligraphy learned in elementary school by many Japanese students.

True freshman Saori Haruguchi has competed in only five meets since joining the program this past September. Yet she already holds the school record in the 100-yard butterfly (55:00) and the 200 backstroke (2:00.39), and ranks second, third or fourth all-time in four other events.

She’s also ingratiated herself to a team with a substantial international presence with her humor, dry wit and a friendly disposition emerging more each day as she learns more English and becomes increasingly familiar with American culture.

“Saori has a great personality, but it took a while for us to know that because when she first got here she was a little uncomfortable with the language,” OSU coach Larry Liebowitz said. “But once she got comfortable with English,” the 18-year-old prospective international business major from Onojo, Fukuoka, Japan, started to blossom in the pool and on campus.

“I like everything in Oregon,” Saori said. “It’s been more than I expected. It’s beautiful, and the people are great.”

International athletes aren’t anything new at OSU.

All-Americans Birte Steven and Naya Higashijima were from Germany and Japan, respectively. This year’s team features three Canadians (Kayla Rawlings, Leah Schaab, Ashleigh Thomas), a Russian (Kristina Dmitrieva), two Poles (Monica Miroslaw, Agata Szewczuk) and a Lithuanian (Ausra Pacebutaite).

Assistant coach Magdalena (Modelska) Rhode is a native of Poland, as was Mariusz Podkoscielny, Liebowitz’s predecessor as coach who recruited many of the upperclassmen.

“It’s a great learning experience” for the team to be exposed to teammates from such varied backgrounds, Liebowitz said. “And the international students are very much appreciative of the opportunity” that might not be available in their home countries, which often do not have intercollegiate athletics.

“It’s very interesting, all the different cultures. We can’t always understand each other,” Saori said, laughing.

Higashijima helped direct Haruguchi to OSU. They knew of each other in Japan, where Naya’s father is a prominent official in national swimming, and they competed against each other at the 2002 Japanese national meet.

Higashijima is now an assistant coach at UC Santa Barbara. Haruguchi consulted her after deciding to continue her swimming career at an American college.

“Naya’s dad is very famous in Japan,” Haruguchi said. “I knew her name, and I sent an e-mail to Naya saying I’d like to go to America. She recommended here.”

Haruguchi also knew of Liebowitz through Ryosuke Imai, a Fukuoka native who swam for Liebowitz at USC.

“Both Ryo and Saori represented Japan and competed the 2000 World Championships in Fukuoka, their home town,” Higashijima said. “Ryo had a great experience at USC while swimming for Larry, and I enjoyed working for Larry while being a student assistant.

“It was both of our effort to encourage Saori to swim for Larry. Back in the summer of 2004, Saori’s coach, Mr. Hanamura, called my home to discuss Saori’s options for colleges, one of which was studying abroad.

“Saori and Mr. Hanamura saw my parents. Since then, we exchanged e-mail and talked on the phone to make her college plan move forward.”

Harugchi and her mother visited Corvallis last year to check out the campus. It was her first trip to the United States; her second was when she arrived for school this past fall.

Adjusting has been difficult, as it is for most freshmen.

“The hardest part is speaking (English); it’s very hard,” she said. “But people are very kind, and (her English) is getting better,” thanks to TV, music, movies, her teammates and summer English classes. “I like MTV.”

She expected to do well this season, but knows she can go faster.

“Saori’s been one of the best butterfliers in Japan for years,” and has consistently placed at national meets, Liebowitz said. “But she had hit a plateau, and we’re hoping we can break through” and begin establishing new PRs.

That objective was partially accomplished at last weekend’s Husky Invitational at Federal Way, Wash., the site of this year’s Pacific-10 Conference meet. Haruguchi won the 200 butterfly in 1:58.84, meeting the NCAA ‘B’ qualifying standard. It was the second-fastest performance in OSU history, slightly more than a second slower than Higashijima’s school mark (1:57.42).

Haruguchi also set the school record in the 100 butterfly (55.0) and placed fourth in the 200 individual medley (2:03.08). Those times also met NCAA ‘B’ standards and likewise should fall after more training, and tapering for the Feb. 22-26 Pac-10 meet.

“Saori works so hard that by the end of the week she’s too tired” to swim her best, Liebowitz said.

Haruguchi file

WHO: Saori Haruguchi

WHAT: Freshman on the OSU swim team

AGE, SIZE: 18 years of age; 5-foot-6

HOMETOWN: Onojo, Fukuoka, Japan

EDUCATION: Graduated from Chikuyo Gakuen High School in 2005; undecided major

STATS: 100 butterfly (55.0); 200 butterfly (1:58.84); 100 backstroke (56.79); 200 backstroke (2:00.39); 200 freestyle (1.50.41); 200 individual medley (2:03.08). She has met the NCAA ‘B’ cut in the 200 backstroke and butterfly, the 100 butterfly and the 200 IM.

ETC.: Placed second in the 100 butterfly and third in the 200 butterfly at the 2005 Japanese national meet. ... enjoys Shodo (the way of writing) calligraphy. In Japan, most children learn calligraphy in elementary school; it’s a popular hobby for adults, too.