Michigan Topples Michigan State, Wolverine Women Cap Undefeated Season

MICHIGAN V. MICHIGAN STATE

  • Friday, Feb. 2, 2018
  • Ann Arbor, MI
  • Results

SCORES

  • WOMEN: Michigan 187, Michigan State 89
  • MEN: Michigan 212, Michigan State 64

The Michigan men and women rolled to wins over in-state and B1G rival Michigan State on Friday night, which was the season’s final dual meet for both teams. The Wolverine women finished out their dual season spotless, with no losses on their 2017-18 record.

The 2017 Big Ten 400 IM champion, Charlie Swanson, dominated that same event for a Michigan win, going 3:49.86 to win by almost seven seconds. Paul Powers was 22.58 to take the 50 back and Miles Smachlo 21.98 to win the 50 fly, while Evan White snuck under 50 seconds to win the 100 IM (49.33).

Senior PJ Ransford claimed a win on senior night, going 1:37.78 to take the 200 free. White almost won again in the 100 breast, but Tommy Cope beat him to the wall, 54.40 to 54.42.

Taylor Garcia won twice for the Michigan women, going 25.31 in the 50 back and 54.69 in the 100 fly.

Two Deloof sisters combined for two wins, as Catie won the 100 back (55.10) and Gabby the 500 free (4:49.57). Catie dropped a 48.66 anchor leg on Michigan’s winning 400 medley relay, and she also teamed up with sisters Gabby and Jackie, along with Rose Bi, to win the 200 free relay. Bi (23.93), Gabby (22.75), Catie (22.11) and Jackei (23.96) combined for a 1:32.75 to win by almost two seconds.

PRESS RELEASE – MICHIGAN (W)

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The No. 3-ranked University of Michigan women’s swimming and diving team capped off its first perfect dual-meet season in 20 years, downing in-state foe Michigan State, 187-89, on Friday (Feb. 2) inside Canham Natatorium. Prior to the meet, the program honored its seven-member senior class, which was competing for the final time in its home pool.

The Wolverines won 13 of 15 events, including two-win performances from juniors Becca Postoll and Taylor Garcia. With the win, Michigan finishes the 2017-18 season with a 10-0 record in dual meets, its first undefeated season since 1997-98.

Michigan put the meet away early, going 1-2-3-4 in four consecutive events before the first break. Two of those wins came from seniors: Emily Kopas in the 50-yard breaststroke (28.35) and Samantha Yeo in the 100-yard IM (55.96). Freshman Daria Pyshnenko continued her hot second half by taking the 50-yard butterfly by a lone hundredth-of-a-second (24.58). Both of Postoll’s wins came before the break, as she touched first in the 200-yard IM (2:03.91) and returned 30 minutes later to claim the 200-yard freestyle (1:48.92).

Garcia looked strong in winning both the 50-yard backstroke (25.31) and 100-yard butterfly (54.69). The elder DeLoof siblings each won an event in the second half: senior Gabby DeLoof in the 500-yard freestyle (4:49.57) and junior Catie DeLoof in the 100-yard backstroke (55.10). But arguably the best race of the night came in the 100-yard breaststroke, as sophomore Annalisa Perez held off Michigan State’s Ellie Roche, taking the win from an outside lane (1:03.86).

Freshman Nikki Canale led the team in the diving events, winning three-meter (300.00) and finishing second on one-meter (271.35). Senior Dani VanderZwaag used platform as an exhibition in preparation for the Big Ten Championships, scoring more than 250 points.

The Wolverines also went 1-2 in both the 400-yard medley relay and 200-yard freestyle relay.

With the regular season over, Michigan will turn its attention to the Big Ten Championships, which will take place Feb. 14-17 in Columbus, Ohio. Prior to that, select swimmers will compete at the OLY Swimming Michigan Open, Feb. 10-11 at Oakland University in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Competition both days begins at 8:30 a.m.

PRESS RELEASE – MICHIGAN (M)

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The No. 6-ranked University of Michigan men’s swimming and diving team capped its regular season with a 212-64 win over in-state foe Michigan State on Friday (Feb. 2) inside Canham Natatorium. The Wolverines won all 15 events and defeated the Spartans for the 40th consecutive time.

Prior to the meet, the program honored its seven-member senior class, who were competing for the final time in their home pool. The class went 34-2 in dual meets during their four years at Michigan.

The Wolverines were dominant, going 1-2-3-4 in three events before the first break. Sophomore Charlie Swanson, last year’s Big Ten champion in the 400-yard IM, got a trial run in on Friday before defending his title in three weeks, touching first by nearly seven seconds (3:49.86). Senior PJ Ransford looked sharp in a mid-distance race, winning the 200-yard freestyle (1:37.78), while classmate Evan White got his win in the 100-yard IM (49.33).

Rounding out the first half of the meet were senior Paul Powers in the 50-yard backstroke (22.58) and sophomore Jacob Montague in the 50-yard breaststroke (25.14).

Michigan got five more individual wins in the second half. Sophomore Alex Martin got to the wall .13 seconds ahead of Michigan State’s Nick Leshok in the 100-yard butterfly (49.52), while junior Mokhtar Al-Yamani had a great back-half swim to take the 500-yard freestyle (4:31.68).

White and sophomore Tommy Cope battled in the 100-yard breaststroke, with Cope getting to the wall .02 seconds ahead of White for the win (54.40). Two others claimed their first collegiate wins at Canham Natatorium: freshman Luiz Gustavo Borges in the 100-yard freestyle (44.98) and sophomore/freshman Alex King in the 100-yard backstroke (50.01).

The men owned the springboard events, going 1-2-3-4 on both one-meter and three-meter. Sophomore Jake Herremans was victorious on one-meter (359.70), while freshman Ross Todd took three-meter (382.95).

The Wolverines also went 1-2 in both the 400-yard medley relay and 200-yard freestyle relay.

Michigan now turns its attention to the Big Ten Championships, which will take place Feb. 21-24 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Prior to that, select student-athletes will compete at the Michigan First Chance Meet, to be held Feb. 17-18 at Canham Natatorium. Start times have not yet been announced.

PRESS RELEASE – MICHIGAN STATE

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Michigan State swimming and diving teams fell to nationally-ranked conference rival Michigan tonight. The men fell to No. 6 ranked Michigan 212-64, and the women fell to the No. 3 ranked Wolverines 187-89.
“The effort was there, but we were not engaged like we have been mentally all year,” head coach Matt Gianiodis said. “It was a nice pool and, of course, they’re a great team. With this team, the effort level has been there the whole time, so that’s not an issue.”
Racheal Bukowski won the 100 free, marking her eighth consecutive win in the event.
Senior Nick Leshok placed second in the 100 fly with a time of 49.65 and placed third in the 50 breaststroke, clocking in at 25.78.
Haley Kornburger placed second in the 500 free, and sophomore Payton Woods picked up a second-place finish in the 100 free.
In the 100 breaststroke, Ellie Roche and Erin Szara picked up second and third places, respectively.
The men’s and women’s 200 freestyle relay teams came up with third-place finishes. Courtney Aycock, Bukowski, Maison Moore and Dominique Meldrum clocked in at 1:35.38 for the women, and Leshok, Woods, Alex Trompke and Nehemiah Mork touched the pad at 1:23.40 for the men.
In the 50 back, Kennedy Truex and Trompke each came up with a third-place finish. Truex clocked in at 27.61 and Trompke at 23.02. Trompke also swam a season-best time of 52.10 in the 100 IM.
Leshok placed third in the 50 breaststroke, clocking in at 25.78.
Aycock and Abbey Neveling both swam season-best times of 1:00.64 and 1:01.41, respectively, in the 100 IM.
On the diving side, Amanda Ling placed first in the 1-meter with a score of 273.52. Morgan Wellezohn placed third in both the 1-meter and the 3-meter dives.
The Spartans have concluded their dual meet season and will now prepare for the Big Ten Championships. The women’s championship weekend is Feb. 14-17, and the men will be a week after on Feb. 21-24.

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AvidSwimFan
6 years ago

There are no comments here about exhibition swims. Are those comments reserved for Stanford? I must admit I still don’t understand the concept.

HSWIMMER
6 years ago

Postoll also won two events

SUNY Cal
6 years ago

The big question is where Haughey has been for MI women???? Is there injury they are not discussing???

Leanne Swim Fan
Reply to  SUNY Cal
6 years ago

I live here in MI, and in a Michigan Daily article, she is inured, they do not state the nature of the injury but the article states injury like this is inevitable. Bottom says he is non-committal on her being fully available for BIG Ten meet or NCAA, but he hopes so.

SUNY Cal
Reply to  Leanne Swim Fan
6 years ago

Wow, that’s big blow for MI if she’s out!! They prob still win BIG 10’s easy but will really hurt them in relays and at NCAA’s.

About Karl Ortegon

Karl Ortegon

Karl Ortegon studied sociology at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT, graduating in May of 2018. He began swimming on a club team in first grade and swam four years for Wesleyan.

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