Big Ten Recap: Michigan Sweeps Northwestern; Illinois Wins

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Photo Courtesy: Dan D'Addona

Freshman Maggie MacNeil set school and pool records in the 100-yard butterfly and senior Siobhán Haughey won three events to lead the No. 3-ranked University of Michigan women’s swimming and diving team as it cruised to a 182-118 win over Northwestern on Saturday (Oct. 20) at Canham Natatorium.

MacNeil had the swim of the morning in the 100-yard butterfly, going 51.49 — unsuited — breaking the old school record (51.71, Vanessa Krause, 2017) and pool record (51.72, Zhesi Li, 2016). Her time is within a half-second of the NCAA “A” time and currently stands as the fastest time in the country this season.

The senior class dominated the early going of the meet. Yirong Bi won the 1,000-yard freestyle by 16 seconds, posting the third-fastest time in the country this season (9:52.27). Haughey followed with an equally strong performance in the 200-yard freestyle, crushing the field in 1:44.45, the second-fastest time in the country. Jamie Yeung closed fast to touch first in 1:01.66, just out-touching junior Miranda Tucker (1:01.88) in the 100 breast.

Senior Catie DeLoof popped a 22.55 in the 50-yard freestyle before the break. Immediately before that, junior Vanessa Krause cracked the two-minute mark to win the 200-yard butterfly (1:59.00).

Following the break, Haughey posted the third-fastest time in the NCAA in winning the 100-yard freestyle (48.36), while Yeung claimed the 200-yard breaststroke (2:15.53).

Sophomore Sierra Schmidt looked easy in winning the other distance event, keeping her splits in the mid-29s to touch in 4:53.01 in the 500-yard freestyle. Haughey capped morning with a two-second win in the 200-yard IM (1:59.08).

In the diving well, sophomore Nikki Canale won three-meter (296.48) and took second on one-meter (263.55). Classmate Christy Cutshaw followed Canale with a second-place on three-meter (291.23).

The Wolverines also won both relays. The foursome of senior Taylor Garcia, Tucker, MacNeil and DeLoof won the 200-yard medley relay in 1:38.83, with MacNeil splitting 23.49 on the butterfly leg and DeLoof anchoring in 22.17. MacNeil, DeLoof, Haughey and Krause finished the meet with a seven-and-a-half second win in the 400-yard freestyle relay (3:21.65).

Northwestern’s Calypso Sheridon won the 100 back (54.24) holding off Garcia (54.69).

The No. 6-ranked University of Michigan men’s swimming and diving team won all 16 events for the second consecutive dual meet in a 183-109 win over Northwestern on Saturday (Oct. 20) at Canham Natatorium. Sophomore Luiz Gustavo Borges and freshman Will Chan each won two events to lead the way.

Junior Felix Auböck began things with an 11-second win in the 1,000-yard freestyle (9:09.90), followed by a close 1-2 finish from Borges (1:38.53) and senior Mokhtar Al-Yamani (1:38.67) in the 200-yard freestyle.

Senior Kai Williams led wire-to-wire in claiming the 100-yard backstroke (48.81). Freshman Will Chan had a fantastic swim in the 100-yard breaststroke, winning by nearly three seconds with the third-fastest time in the NCAA this season (53.69).

Sophomore Will Roberts continued his strong start to the season, touching first in the 200-yard butterfly (1:47.67), followed by classmate Ricardo Vargas in second (1:47.89). Right before the first break, junior James Jones took the 50-yard freestyle (20.73).

After the break, Borges won his second sprint of the morning, taking the 100-yard freestyle (44.67). Freshman Bora Unalmis got his first collegiate win in the 200-yard backstroke (1:48.51), while junior Tommy Cope was victorious in the 200-yard breaststroke with the ninth-fastest time in the NCAA (1:59.67).

Vargas took over in the 500-yard freestyle (4:19.92), while senior Jon Burkett won the 100-yard butterfly by two seconds (47.80). Chan picked up his second win in the 200-yard IM, out-touching junior Jacob Montague by less than two tenths-of-a-second (1:50.03).

In the diving well, junior Jake Herremans won one-meter (328.80), while sophomore Ross Todd took top honors on three-meter (331.20). Todd was also second on three-meter (331.20).

The Wolverines also won both relays. The foursome of freshman Eric Storms, Chan, Burkett and Borges won the 200-yard medley relay by two seconds (1:27.68), while freshman Patrick Callan, sophomore Dylan Boyd, Borges and Cope closed out with a similar two-second win in the 400-yard freestyle relay (2:59.66).

In other Big Ten action:

Illinois wins twice

Two lifetime-best times from sophomore Jimena Martinez as well as strong performances by both Megan Vuong and Monica Guyett helped push the Orange and Blue to wins over Southern Illinois (195-105) and Illinois State (200-100) Saturday in Carbondale. With the victories, the Illini improve to 3-1 in dual meets on the year.

In the 1000 freestyle and Guyett touched the wall first with a time of 10:32.70. The junior also paced the field in the 500 freestyle with a time of 5:07.87.

Martinez also won two events Saturday, finishing with the fastest times in both the 200 breaststroke (2:20.78) and 400 IM (4:28.96). The Mexico City native, also earned a second-place finish in the 200 butterfly (2:05.01). Both the 400 IM and the 200 fly time mark new lifetime-bests for the sophomore.

Vuong posted the top times in both the 50 freestyle (24.67) and 100 butterfly (56.56), while Sarah Cano won the 100 backstroke (58.55) and 200 backstroke (2:05.42). Vuong also contributed on the fastest 400 freestyle relay team, helping the Illini finish in a time of 3:33.64.

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