Big Ten Weekly Swim Recap: Michigan Sweeps Louisville; Wisconsin Edged

Michigan's Paul Powers. Photo Courtesy: Andy Ringgold / Aringo Photos

By Dan D’Addona.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The Michigan men’s and women’s swimming and diving team swept Louisville by winning all three sessions of the inaugural “tripleheader” format meet.

The Wolverines won the first session Friday, then won both sessions on Saturday at Canham Natatorium.

The Michigan men extended their dual meet winning streak to 53 after three wins against the Cardinals. The Wolverines won 285-187 and 283-188 in the final two sessions.

The Michigan women won 274-196 and 266-205 on Saturday.

The “tripleheader” format featured a roll of the dice twice during each session to determine the distance of the events.

Eight Michigan men claimed individual victories: junior Paul Powers in the 50-yard freestyle (20.00), freshman Felix Auböck in the 500-yard freestyle (4:24.66), junior PJ Ransford in the 1,000-yard freestyle (9:10.40), freshman Jacob Montague in the 100-yard breaststroke (54.68), senior Vinny Tafuto in the 100-yard butterfly (48.55), senior Chris Klein in the 200-yard individual medley (1:49.95), freshman Charlie Swanson in the 400-yard IM (3:51.37) and sophomore Collin DeShaw in the 3-meter diving competition (346.42). The pair of Jake Herremans and Allie Murphy added a win in mixed synchronized diving (241.80).

Montague also won the 100-yard breaststroke, beating Carlos Claverie, a Venezuelan Olympian for Louisville, by nearly a second, in an NCAA provisional qualifying time.

DeShaw surpassed his previous career best on the 3-meter board by nearly 50 points to secure his first career individual event win.

Tristan Sanders, Montague, Tafuto and Powers won the 200-yard medley to open the session (1:28.49), with Powers closing in 19.74 to clinch the win.

Swanson blew away the field in the 400-yard IM, winning by more than six seconds.

In the women’s meet, Michigan sophomore Yirong Bi was the meet’s top performer, winning three individual events. She won the 500-yard freestyle (4:44.98), the 1,000-yard freestyle (9:43.82) and the 400-yard individual medley (4:19.66).

Sophomore Catie DeLoof in the 100-yard freestyle (49.32) and her older sister, junior Gabby DeLoof won the 100-yard backstroke (54.64).

Sophomore Siobhán Haughey cruised to a victory in the 200-yard IM (1:59.68), winning the event by almost four seconds. Freshman Vanessa Krause won the 100-yard butterfly (54.43).

Freshman Kristen Hayden won the 1-meter diving event (241.80).

Wisconsin vs. Auburn

In a battle between Big Ten and SEC powers, Wisconsin was swept by Auburn. The Badgers were edged in the men’s meet 156-144 and lost the women’s meet 164-135.

The Badgers ruled the freestyle events, winning all four in the men’s meet.

Cannon Clifton broke his own pool record in the 50-yard freestyle, winning in 20.12 seconds to earn a NCAA provisional cut. Clifton also won the 100 free in 44.56. Brett Pinfold won the 200 freestyle (1:38.10).

Victor Goicoechea won the 1,000 freestyle in 9:17.86 with teammate Matt Hutchins second in 9:22.51. Later, it was Hutchins who won in the 500 freestyle (4:27.65) while Goicoechea was second in 4:37.12.

Wisconsin won the 400 freestyle relay in a pool-record time of 2:57.93.

In the women’s meet, Wisconsin freshman Beata Nelson won the 100-yard backstroke in 54.40 to earn a NCAA ‘B’ cut standard in her first individual collegiate race.

Also earning wins for the women were Chase Kinney, who won the 50 freestyle with an NCAA ‘B’ cut of 22.92, and sophomore Jess Unicomb, who claimed victory in the 200 backstroke in 1:59.81.

Ohio St./Rutgers at Florida Gulf Coast invite

The Ohio State women finished second at the Florida Gulf Coast Classic, finishing with 492 points just three points behind champion LSU.

The Buckeyes tallied three events victories: Meg Bailey took first place in the 100-yard individual medley with a time of 56.62; Liz Li won the 100 freestyle with an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 49.94; and the squad of Macie McNichols, Maria Coy, Chantel Wynn and Li won the 200 freestyle relay to close out the competition, edging out the relay team from Florida Gulf Coast (1:32.06 to 1:32.17).

Rutgers finished seventh with 364. Rutgers freshman Alexandra Fabugais-Inaba finished fifth in the A-Final of the 500 freestyle and sixth in the A-Final of the 200 IM.

Nebraska vs. Iowa St.

Nebraska senior Erin Oeltjen won four events, including two individual titles in a 195.5-101.5 win over Iowa State.

Oeltjen swept the top spots in the backstroke events, including a winning time of 56.64 in the 100-yard backstroke and added a time of 2:02.01 in the 200 backstroke.

Oeltjen helped get the Huskers off to a strong start with a win in the opening 200-yard medley relay. Oeltjen joined Jordan Ehly, Carla Gonzales and freshman Allie Worrall with a winning time of 1:45.74.

Oeltjen then helped close the meet with a win in the 400-yard freestyle relay. She joined freshmen Gonzales and Worrall and sophomore Lindsay Helferich in a winning time of 3:31.81 to close the meet.

Ehly swept the top two spots in the breaststroke events while joining Oeltjen for another victory in the 200 medley relay.

Ehly captured the 100-yard breaststroke title in 1:04.37 and won the 200-yard breaststroke in a time of 2:15.86, an NCAA B cut.

Meanwhile, Dana Posthuma swept the butterfly events, winning in the 100 butterfly (56.72), and 200 butterfly (2:06.04).

Penn St. vs. Towson

The Penn State men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams defeated Towson by scores of 171-117 and 179-110, respectively.

Shane Ryan won the 50 freestyle in 20.49 seconds and the 100 freestyle in 44.52.

On the women’s side junior Emily Harris won the 100 breaststroke in 1:04.84, the 200 breaststroke in 2:19.82. Freshman Maddie Hart won the 100 butterfly (56.66) and 100 backstroke (56.08).

Minnesota vs. Florida St./ Duke

The Minnesota double dual against Duke and Florida State in Tallahassee, Florida, was canceled because of Hurricane Matthew.

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