Press Release courtesy of Michigan Athletics
With just over six weeks until the Big Ten Championships, the University of Michigan swimming and diving team opens the second half of the season with a top-10 clash, hosting Indiana to Canham Natatorium on Saturday (Jan. 13) for a combined men’s and women’s dual meet. Action begins at 11 a.m. Admission is free.
The first 100 fans in attendance will get a free 64-ounce insulated Michigan water bottle. Copies of the team’s 2017-18 poster will also be made available. Members of the Michigan Pep Band will also make an appearance.
The team’s Twitter and Instagram accounts (@umichswimdive) will provide pre- and post-meet coverage. Results will be posted to MGoBlue.com and Meet Mobile following each race.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
200-yard Medley Relay
1,000-yard Freestyle
200-yard Freestyle
100-yard Backstroke
100-yard Breaststroke
200-yard Butterfly
50-yard Freestyle
100-yard Freestyle
200-yard Backstroke
200-yard Breaststroke
500-yard Freestyle
100-yard Butterfly
200-yard IM
400-yard Freestyle Relay
ALL-TIME SERIES
MEN — Michigan and Indiana have one of the sport’s oldest and most storied rivalries, as the series dates all the way back to 1922. The Wolverines lead the all-time series with a 46-31-3 mark. The Hoosiers won last year’s matchup in Bloomington by a 167-133 margin.
WOMEN — Michigan holds a 22-12 edge in the all-time series, which dates back to 1974. The Wolverines enter Saturdayhaving won the last three meets between the two schools, including last season’s bout in Bloomington (211-87).
• Since 2007, Michigan is 87-5-1 in dual meets, including a 55-2 mark against Big Ten opponents.
• The Wolverines were ranked No. 8 in the most recent TYR/CSCAA Division I Coaches Poll, released on Dec. 6. The next poll comes out Jan. 17.
• Currently, there are 11 swimmers who have times ahead of last year’s cut line to the NCAA Championships: Paul Powers (50-yard freestyle), James Peek (50-yard freestyle), Luiz Gustavo Borges (50-yard freestyle), Felix Auböck (200-yard freestyle, 500-yard freestyle, 1,650-yard freestyle), PJ Ransford (500-yard freestyle, 1,650-yard freestyle), Ricardo Vargas (500-yard freestyle), Jacob Montague (100-yard breaststroke, 200-yard breaststroke, 200-yard IM), Tommy Cope (200-yard breaststroke, 400-yard IM), James Jones (100-yard butterfly), Evan White (100-yard butterfly, 200-yard IM) and Charlie Swanson (400-yard IM).
• Four of the team’s five divers have achieved at least one NCAA Zone Diving qualifying score. Jake Herremans and Ross Todd have scores in all three disciplines (1M, 3M, PL), while Chris Canning has two (1M and 3M) and Steven Anderson has one (1M). Junior Collin DeShaw is the other diver on the team, but is redshirting the season.
• Between the two schools, Michigan and Indiana hold conference-best times in 12 of the 13 individual swimming events. The Wolverines have Big Ten-best times in the 50-yard freestyle (Powers), 500-yard freestyle (Auböck), 1,650-yard freestyle (Auböck), 200-yard breaststroke (Montague), 100-yard butterfly (Jones) and 400-yard IM (Swanson). Indiana is tops in the 100-yard freestyle (Blake Pieroni), 200-yard freestyle (Pieroni), 200-yard backstroke (Mohamed Samy), 100-yard breaststroke (Ian Finnerty), 200-yard butterfly (Vini Lanza) and 200-yard IM (Lanza). The only event in which a swimmer from neither school leads is the 100-yard backstroke (Mark Belanger, Ohio State).
• Senior captain PJ Ransford earned his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering at fall commencement in December. Last year’s NCAA Elite 90 Award recipient for men’s swimming and diving, Ransford graduated in three-and-a-half years with a 4.0 GPA. He began his postgraduate studies last week in the College of Engineering, working toward a master’s in mechanical engineering. Also earning their degrees in December were Colin Eaton, Jack Mangan, Julian Ballestas, Vinny Tafuto and Cameron Stitt — all seniors on last year’s team.
QUICK HITS (Women)
• Michigan is 27-4 in dual meets since the beginning of the 2014-15 season. The Wolverines have won their last 21 dual meets against Big Ten opponents.
• The Wolverines were ranked No. 4 in the most recent TYR/CSCAA Division I Coaches Poll, released on Dec. 6. The next poll comes out Jan. 17.
• Currently, there are 10 swimmers who have times ahead of last year’s cut line to the NCAA Championships: Siobhán Haughey (100-yard freestyle, 200-yard freestyle, 200-yard breaststroke, 200-yard IM), Gabby DeLoof (100-yard freestyle, 200-yard freestyle), Catie DeLoof (100-yard freestyle, 200-yard freestyle), Yirong Bi (500-yard freestyle, 1,650-yard freestyle, 400-yard IM), Sierra Schmidt (500-yard freestyle, 1,650-yard freestyle), G Ryan (500-yard freestyle, 1,650-yard freestyle), Becca Postoll (500-yard freestyle), Clara Smiddy (100-yard backstroke, 200-yard backstroke), Miranda Tucker (100-yard breaststroke, 200-yard breaststroke) and Emily Kopas (200-yard breaststroke).
• Freshmen divers Nikki Canale and Christy Cutshaw each have recorded two NCAA Zone Diving qualifying scores through the first half of the season. Both divers made finals at the 2017 USA Diving Winter National Championships (held Dec. 13-18 in Greensboro, N.C.): Cutshaw on synchronized platform (second) and in platform (eighth); Canale in three-meter (11th).
• Sophomore Miranda Tucker is slated to suit up Saturday against her former team. The Plymouth, Mich., native spent the 2015-16 season with the Hoosiers, finishing second in the 200-yard breaststroke at the NCAA Championships behind then-teammate Lilly King. Tucker redshirted last year while transferring to Michigan.
• Four Michigan swimmers enter the weekend holding Big Ten-best times: Siobhán Haughey (100-yard freestyle, 200-yard freestyle, 200-yard IM), Yirong Bi (500-yard freestyle), Clara Smiddy (200-yard backstroke) and Miranda Tucker (200-yard breaststroke).
UP NEXT
Saturday, Jan. 20 — at Ohio State, vs. Virginia Tech (Columbus, Ohio), Noon
Sounds like a fun meet to attend