MICHIGAN VS. MICHIGAN STATE
- January 31, 2020
- Hosted by Michigan
- Short Course Yards
- Full Results
TEAM SCORES
- MEN: Michigan 95, Michigan State 76
- WOMEN: Michigan 181, Michigan State 83
Michigan’s men and women both defeated in-state rival Michigan State last weekend. The Wolverine women earned their 3rd-straight undefeated season, winning all but one event. The Michigan men swept all 16 events.
Miranda Tucker had a strong showing on senior day, winning an individual triple. None of those wins came in her signature breaststroke races. Tucker had a pair of freestyle wins, taking the 100 free in 50.82 and the 200 free in 1:49.55. She also clipped her best time to win the 100 IM (56.08). Fellow seniors Jacqui Schafer (200 back- 1:59.81) and Chloe Hicks (500 free- 4:54.49).
On the men’s side, Senior Tommy Cope blew away the field in the 400 IM (3:48.38) and 100 fly (48.82). Jacob Montague won a pair of breaststroke races (24.98/54.72). Miles Smachlo won the 50 fly (21.39) and took over a second off his lifetime best to win the 100 IM in 49.41. NCAA Champion Felix Auboeck won the 200 free in 1:36.52.
In addition to the senior victories, the Wolverines also got highlight swims from Maggie MacNeil and Ricardo Vargas. In the 1650 free, where All-American Vargas was the only swimmer, he clocked a 14:49.16. Big Ten Champion MacNeil won by body lengths with a 2:00.90 in the 200 IM.
PRESS RELEASE – MICHIGAN WOMEN
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The No. 1-ranked University of Michigan women’s swimming and diving team capped off its third consecutive undefeated season, winning 15-of-16 events in a 181-83 win over Michigan State on Friday (Jan. 31) at Canham Natatorium.
Prior to the meet, the Wolverines honored its five-member senior class in a special ceremony on the pool deck. Senior Miranda Tucker had a huge night with a trio of event wins, ditching her strongest stroke (breaststroke) to win the 100-yard freestyle (50.82) and 200-yard freestyle (1:49.55). She also claimed the 100-yard IM (56.08).
Other seniors to claim victories on Friday included captain Jacqui Schafer in the 200-yard backstroke (1:59.81) and Chloe Hicks in the 500-yard freestyle (4:54.49).
“Our seniors did a great job tonight and have been wonderful leaders for us all season,” said head coach Mike Bottom. “They have pulled this team together and gotten us to a place where we have a chance to achieve great things. Tonight was about working hard in races and making changes in races, and we’ll keep working on those things in the final weeks leading up to Big Tens.”
One week after winning Big Ten Swimmer of the Week with victories in three different strokes, sophomore Maggie MacNeil looked good in all four and won the 200-yard IM (2:00.90).
The junior class claimed each of the other four individual swimming events: Daria Pyshnenko in the 100-yard butterfly (56.09), Alex Hughes in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:16.82), Claire Maiocco in the 50-yard butterfly (56.09) and Emma Cleason in the 100-yard backstroke (56.22).
The Wolverines also won both relays. MacNeil took aim at the pool record for the 100-yard backstroke on the leadoff leg of the 400-yard medley relay — a 51.52 from 2009 — but just missed it, clocking in at 51.87. Along with sophomore Caroline Sisson, Maiocco and Pyshnenko, the foursome finished at 3:41.53. The quartet of Pyshnenko, sophomore Olivia Carter, Cleason and freshman Katii Tang closed out the meet with a win in the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:33.59).
In the diving well, sophomore Allie Klein captured a pair of wins on the springboard, taking one-meter (279.37) and three-meter (337.43). Junior Camryn McPherson was second on three-meter (313.13), while junior Nikki Canale was second on one-meter (277.57). Two divers also took to the platform in an exhibition, with junior Christy Cutshaw scoring 271.42 and freshman Paige Sundermann scoring 218.85.
With the dual-meet portion of the schedule concluded, Michigan now turns its attention to the postseason. Select swimmers will compete at the Michigan First Chance Meet on Saturday, Feb. 15 and Sunday, Feb. 16 at Canham Natatorium, with sessions beginning at 10 a.m. on both days. Admission is free.
PRESS RELEASE – MICHIGAN MEN
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The No. 3-ranked University of Michigan men’s swimming and diving team ended the regular season with an exclamation point, winning all 16 events in a convincing 195-76 win over Michigan State on Friday (Jan. 31) at Canham Natatorium, extending the program’s win streak in the series to 42.
Prior to the meet, the Wolverines honored its 11-man senior class on deck in a special ceremony. Of those seniors, four combined for seven individual event wins. Tommy Cope won the 400-yard IM with a great in-season performance (3:48.38) and later took the 100-yard butterfly (48.82). Michigan native Jacob Montague looked sharp in winning the 50-yard breaststroke (24.98) and 100-yard breaststroke (54.72), while Miles Smachlo cleaned up in the 50-yard butterfly (21.39) and 100-yard IM (49.41). The other victor was Felix Auböck, who won the 200-yard freestyle (1:36.52).
“Our seniors did a great job tonight and have been wonderful leaders for us all season,” said head coach Mike Bottom. “They have pulled this team together and gotten us to a place where we have a chance to achieve great things. Tonight was about working hard in races and making changes in races, and we’ll keep working on those things in the final weeks leading up to Big Tens.”
The underclassmen also shined against the Spartans. Sophomore Eric Storms won a very quick 50-yard backstroke, using a great underwater at the turn to clock in at 21.79, while sophomore Patrick Callan was victorious in the 500-yard freestyle (4:27.57). Two freshmen also claimed wins: Andrew Trepanier in the 100-yard freestyle (45.41) and Nadav Aaronson in the 100-yard backstroke (49.06).
During the first break, junior Ricardo Vargas swam the 1,650-yard freestyle in 14:49.16, the fourth-fastest time in the Big Ten this season and one that should see him safely into the final heat of the event at next month’s Big Ten Championships.
The Wolverines also won both relays. The foursome of Trepanier, sophomore Mason Hunter, freshman River Wright and Callan won the 400-yard medley relay (3:16.58), while junior Luiz Gustavo Borges, Smachlo, freshman Cam Peel and Wright combined to take the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:19.31).
Junior Ross Todd swept the springboard diving events, finishing first on both one-meter (356.40) and three-meter (389.17). Senior Jake Herremans followed him on one-meter (338.32), while junior Chris Canning followed on three-meter (364.65). Of note is freshman Nick Leavell, who picked up his first NCAA Zone Diving qualifying score of the season (336.60 on three-meter).
With the dual-meet portion of the schedule concluded, Michigan now turns its attention to the postseason. Select swimmers will compete at the Michigan First Chance Meet on Saturday, Feb. 15 and Sunday, Feb. 16 at Canham Natatorium, with sessions beginning at 11 a.m. on both days. Admission is free.
PRESS RELEASE – MICHIGAN STATE
EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan State men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams fell to the Michigan Wolverines on Friday night in Ann Arbor. The men were defeated 195-76, while the women came up short 181-83.
“We have been better for sure, but I was really impressed by Erin Szara. She had a really good meet,” said head coach Matt Gianiodis. “The women swam well, but both teams struggled a bit. We will get back up tomorrow and see what we can do in South Bend.”
The Spartans were led by the victory in the 100 breaststroke from Szara with a time of 1:02.58.
Sophomore Kelley Heron captured a second-place finish in the 100 backstroke, (57.28), and a third-place finish in the 200 backstroke, (2:03.09), on the night. Sophomore Sam Villani also took third in the 100 backstroke, 57.65.
The women’s 400 medley relay opened the night with a third-place finish by Villani, Szara, Kasey Venn and Allie Heineman who clocked a time of 3:49.55.
The women took back-to-back finishes in both the 100 IM and 100 butterfly. In the 100 IM, junior Abbey Neveling took third, (58.21), and freshman Venn finished fourth (59.43). In the 100 fly, sophomores Ava Boutrous and Ryan Barlow took third and fourth with times of 58.53 and 58.62, respectively.
For the senior, Nehemiah Mork finished in third place, with a time of 46.46, in the men’s 100 freestyle.
Both the men’s and women’s 200 freestyle relay teams took second place. The men clocked a time of 1:26.45 swam by Josh Lantow, Brad Sandford, Tim Schoof and Charlie Ryan. The women, swam by Heineman, Abbey Neveling, Venn and Kennedy Truex, finished with a time of 1:35.80.
The Spartans are back in action tomorrow as they head down to South Bend, Ind. for a quad meet against host school Notre Dame, Ball State and Indiana State beginning at 12 p.m.
