Sprint freestyler Claire Newman has announced on Instagram that she will return to Michigan for her COVID-19 fifth year.
Newman is originally from Midland, Michigan and competed for the Wolverines during her undergraduate career. As a freshman, she made the Big Ten ‘C’ final of the 100 free after swimming a personal best 49.90 in prelims. She went on to swim as a relay-only swimmer at 2021 NCAAs, helping Michigan to a 16th place finish in the 200 free relay.
She dropped a lot of time during her sophomore season, making the Big Ten A final in the 50 free and the B final of the 100 and 200 frees. She swam best times of a 22.17 in the 50, 48.43 in the 100, and 1:47.54 in the 200. She earned an individual NCAA invite finishing 36th in the 100 (48.70) and 46th in the 50 (22.48). She also swam on the 200 and 400 free relays at NCAAs.
She missed individually qualifying for NCAAs as a junior but made the B final at Big Tens of the 50, 100, and 200 free. She then went to swim as a relay-only swimmer at NCAAs.
This past fall during her senior season, she swam personal best times in all three individual events at midseason. She swam a 22.10 in the 50, a 48.39 in the 100, and a 1:46.32 in the 200. At Big Tens, she made the A final of the 50 free and the B final of the 100 and 200 frees. She scored 59.5 individual points at Big Tens, the 5th most on the team. She also helped the 400 free relay to a Big Ten title to close the meet.
She went on to swim at 2024 NCAAs after earning an individual invite. She finished 40th in both the 50 (22.23) and 100 (48.55) frees. She was key to Michigan’s relay success, splitting a 21.66 on the 200 free relay and a 47.75 on the 400 free relay. The 400 free relay finished 4th while the 200 free relay finished 5th.
Newman’s best SCY times:
- 50 free: 22.10
- 100 free: 48.39
- 200 free: 1:45.96
Newman’s return is big for the Wolverine women. This past season they moved up 11 spots as a team from 23rd to 12th. Although Newman did not score any points at the NCAA level, her relay contributions are impactful. All four members of the team’s 200 and 400 free relays from Big Tens and NCAAs are now returning for next season. Newman will be a fifth year alongside backstroker Casey Chung.
Newman will work towards a masters in environmental policy and planning.
Newman told SwimSwam that she had originally planned to hang up her goggles after Olympic Trials in June and begin law school after finishing her undergraduate career. Since then, said she was “falling in love with the new culture we were building and the progress I was seeing in myself.”
Newman also said, “I have goals to accomplish that I haven’t reached yet, and more memories to make here. I have always believed in Michigan, and I wouldn’t change a thing about the past 4 years. It is the greatest university in the world. I have faith in this new staff and our new culture. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
Michigan or Bust
Great Job Clairezee! We love you. Go Blue
Love to read this! Go Blue!
Apparent that Matt Bowe is doing a great job, glad for everyone involved.
The change in leadership of this program is readily apparent – and unfortunately, was a couple of years overdue. Happy for Bowe and his staff, who are clearly righting this ship.
Her quotes in this article are amazing!! So happy for her and this team! Go Blue
Go Blue!