The Northwestern men’s and women’s teams hosted a combined meet in Evanston with Michigan and Notre Dame playing part on the men’s side and Rutgers joining the bunch on the women’s side. The Wolverine men won every event in the swimming portion of the meet, and the Michigan women came out on top despite three individual victories from Notre Dame’s Emma Reaney.
To begin the meet, the Michigan women secured their first victory as the foursome of Ali Deloof (24.79), Angie Chokran (28.42), Zoe Mattingly (24.75) and Julia Salem (23.30) combined to take the 200 medley relay in a winning time of 1:41.26. Notre Dame took 2nd in 1:44.33 while Northwestern took 3rd in 1:44.49.
In the men’s race, John Wojciechowski (23.02), Richard Funk (24.17), Dylan Bosch (21.63), and Bruno Ortiz (19.54) combined to take the men’s race in 1:28.36. This was good enough top Northwestern’s top relay (1:29.54) and Notre Dame’s ‘A’ relay (1:30.86).
In the first individual race of the meet, Northwestern’s Lauren Abruzzo raced to victory in a winning time of 9:55.66, which was about 4 seconds ahead of second-placed Kelsey Cummings from Michigan (9:59.64). Northwestern’s Ellen Anderson was third in 10:00.25. In the men’s race, the crowd in Evanston witnessed a thrilling race between two 2013 World Championship participants, as Michigan’s Connor Jaeger and Northwestern’s Jordan Wilimovsky went stroke for stroke for the entire race, with Jaeger ultimately winning in a 9:10.56. Wilimovsky was a second behind at 9:11.47 and Michigan’s Cameron Stitt was a distant third in 9:22.76. Both Jaeger and Wilimovsky had very strong back halves to their races, as both swimmers were out in 4:38s in the first 500.
The Michigan women grabbed their first individual victory of the competition in the 200 freestyle as senior Courtney Beidler raced to first in 1:50.31. Not too far back was Northwestern freshman Lacey Smith (1:50.76) and Notre Dame senior Kelly Ryan was third in 1:50.97. In the men’s race, Michigan’s Michael Wynalda was dominant from start to finish as he blitzed the field to win in a very quick 1:35.88. About 2.5 seconds back was his teammate Anders Nielsen (1:38.37), while Notre Dame’s Kevin Hughes took third in 1:40.05.
Ali Deloof returned from her contribution in the victorious medley relay to claim the 100 backstroke in a strong time of 53.85. She was the only swimmer out under 26 seconds, as this was more than a sufficient cushion as she topped Northwestern’s Lacey Locke (55.13) and Rutgers’ Joanne Wu (55.66). In the men’s race, Michigan’s Ryutaro Kamiya posted the top time from the first heat as he cruised to a 49.63. This was good enough to hold off the 1-2 finish from the second heat from Northwestern’s Mark Ferguson (49.86) and Dominik Cubelic (49.91) who were 2nd and 3rd respectively.
In the women’s 100 breaststroke, Emma Reaney secured her first of three victories on the day as she exploded to a winning effort of 1:00.77. This broke a 7 year-old pool record held by Olympian Jessica Hardy (1:01.02), and though she has been a 59.22 already this year, her swim today is a fantastic effort, especially when considering the fact that the Fighting Irish are immediately coming off their training trip in Puerto Rico. Michigan’s Angie Chokran (1:04.06) and Rutgers’ Greta Leberfinger (1:04.56) took 2nd and 3rd respectively. In the men’s race, Richard Funk of Michigan led from start to finish as he easily won in a 54.08. Ths was a full second ahead of Notre Dame’s Cameron Miller (55.08) and Miller’s teammate Colin Babcock (55.49) who rounded out the top 3.
Notre Dame’s Bridget Casey followed up on Reaney’s breaststroke victory to win the women’s 200 butterfly in a 2:01.85. This was about a second ahead of Northwestern’s Ellen Stello (2:02.71) who took 2nd while Michigan’s Marni Oldershaw took 3rd in a 2:02.83. In the men’s race, reigning Big Ten Champion Dylan Bosch held off Notre Dame’s John Williamson 1:47.58-1:47.91 while Michigan’s Jaeger took 3rd in 1:51.37.
After her third-placed finish in the 200 freestyle, Notre Dame’s Kelly Ryan kept the Fighting Irish’s hot streak going by taking the 50 freestyle in a 23.69. About three-tenths back was Michigan’s Salem (23.98) while Northwestern’s Valerie Nubbe finished right behind her at a 23.99. In the men’s race, Bruno Ortiz held off a hard-charging Chase Stephens from Northwestern as the Michigan junior won 20.21-20.47. In third was Notre Dame’s Zach Stephens who finished the race in a 20.70.
Ali Deloof doubled up in the women’s 100 freestyle in a winning effort of 50.13, which was more than good enough to hold off second-placed Kelly Ryan (51.32) from Notre Dame and Michigan’s Zoe Mattingly (51.63). In the men’s race, Ortiz outdueled Northwestern’s Stephens once again 44.81-45.29, while Notre Dame’s Babcock took third in 46.15.
Rutger’s secured its lone win of the competition as Joanne Wu took the 200 backstroke in a 1:58.89. This was good enough to top Northwestern’s Locke (1:59.41) and Michigan’s Claudia Lau (2:00.95) who rounded out the top 3. Kamiya doubled up in the backstroke events to take the men’s race in a 1:46.20 while Northwestern’s Grant Halsall (1:48.81) and Notre Dame’s Jimmy McEldrew (1:50.42) followed close behind.
In the second of her individual events, Notre Dame’s Reaney scored another easy win as she took the 200 breast in a 2:14.09. Michigan took 2nd and 3rd in the form of Chokran (2:18.09) and Oldershaw (2:19.02). In the men’s race, Michigan’s Kyle Whitaker posted the fastest time from the first heat as he raced to a 2:01.02. This was just good enough to edge Notre Dame’s Stephens (2:01.09) and Miller (2:01.58) who were 2nd and 3rd respectively.
Northwestern’s Ellen Anderson came off her 3rd placed finish in the 1000 to win the 500 in a 4:53.27. This was another close race as she was just .45 ahead of Michigan’s Cummings (4>53.72) and Northwestern’s Abruzzo was third in 4:54.18. With Connor Jaeger particpating in the 200 fly not too long before, Michigan’s Justin Glanda took the reins for the Wolverines in the men’s race as he won in a 4:29.79, which was good enough to best Northwestern’s Wilimovsky (4:31.18) and Charlie Cole (4:32.93).
On short rest, Reaney completed her impressive trifecta by winning the 100 butterfly in a 54.92 from an outside lane. Her teammate Cat Galletti (56.14) helped the Fighting Irish’s cause with a second-placed finish and Rutgers’ Mary Moser was third in 56.38. In the men’s race, Michigan’s Bosch doubled up in the fly events with a 48.26 winning time, as Notre Dame’s Williamson (49.18) and Northwestern’s Ferguson (49.92) took 2nd and 3rd respectively.
In the final individual race of the meet, Michigan’s Oldershaw won her first race of the day as her 4:19.59 comfortable outpaced Notre Dame’s Katie Miller (4:23.53) and Northwestern’s Becca Soderholm (4:24.58). The men competed in the shorter version of the individual medley, and Michigan’s Bosch emerged victorious for the third time with a 1:48.96 to win the 200 IM. Notre Dame’s Stephens (1:49.19) and Colin Babcock (1:51.37) rounded out the top 3.
Notre Dame completed their dominant showing by winning the 400 freestyle relay as Ryan (51.72), Reaney (50.11), Catherine Mulquin (52.17), and Galletti (51.15) combined to go a 3:25.15. This was just good enough to top Mchigan’s ‘A’ relay (3:25.15) while Northwestern’s top relay took third in 3:26.62.
Going into the final relay, the Northwestern men needed to take second and third in order to tie Notre Dame, and they did exactly that with their ‘A’ relay (3:02.14) and ‘B’ relay (3:02.85) taking the 2nd and 3rd sports behind Michigan’s winning time of 2:57.96. Michigan’s winning effort was comprised of the foursome of Ortiz (44.27), Peter Brumm (45.57), Glanda (44.11), and Wynalda (44.0)
In diving action, Michigan’s Sarah Kamstra took the 3 meter event while Notre Dame’s Linda Streepey and Emma Gaboury followed for 2nd and third. In the men’s 3 meter, Notre Dame’s Joe Coumos was victorious while Michigan’s Timothy Faerber and Nore Dame’s Nick Nemetz rounded out the top 3.
In the 1 meter, Notre Dame’s Allie Casareto took top honors while Michigan’s Carey Chen and Notre Dame’s Streepey settled for third. In the men’s 1 meter event, Coumos doubled up for the win while Northwestern’s Andrew Cramer and Michigan’s Faerber finished 2nd and 3rd respectively.
Full results can be found here.