Photo by: Sports Media Relations

Denver men’s swimming and diving team is losing senior Asaf Shachaf, a much respected and admired member of the team.

Upon graduation, Shachaf will return to his home in Haifa, Israel.

Shachaf spent his first two years of college at Seton Hall University, a Catholic university in New Jersey, where he broke four school swimming records and still holds three.

At the University of Denver, Shachaf has broken individual school records as well as being a member of four record-setting relay teams.

“Asaf was a great asset to our team over the two years he was here and is a really great guy,” said sophomore and teammate Matt Kazan.

Now, graduation is on Shachaf’s mind. “Every day I basically try to make sure I get to graduate on time,” he said.

Prior to coming to the United States for college study, Shachaf lived in Israel where he swam as a member of the Israeli Junior National team as well as the Maccabi team.

He also traveled and swam at meets in Belgium, Germany, England and Italy.

“As a citizen of Israel, I am obligated to three years of military service,” he said.

He performed two years in the military, and then attended Seton Hall for two years.

Upon his return to Israel, Shachaf plans to complete his military service.

He is taking the turmoil in Israel and the Middle East in stride and is not worried about going home. “I am not worried at all. It is my home, it is what I know, and it will always be my home,” he said.

A computer science major with minors in business and math, he hopes to have a career in business.