Maggie MacNeil Wins Three Events; Olivia Carter Makes Michigan Debut at Orange Bowl Classic

University of Michigan swimmer Maggie MacNeil races to the finish to win the 50-meter butterfly Friday, Jan. 3, 2020, at the Orange Bowl Swim Classic in Key Largo, Fla. MacNeil also beat her meet record from last year, turning in a time of 26.21 seconds. Photo Courtesy: Andy Newman

Michigan sophomore Maggie MacNeil won three events on Friday at the Orange Bowl Classic in Key Largo, Florida as she took wins in the 50 fly, 50 back and 200 medley relay. MacNeil set the meet record in the 50 (SCM) butterfly with a 26.21 as she won by two seconds over junior teammate Claire Maiocco (28.35). MacNeil also won the 50 back with a 27.06, setting the meet record there as well in winning over Kelsie Campbell of Florida International (30.40).

MacNeil, who is coming off a great summer, did not swim her best event the 100 fly. Her new teammate Olivia Carter won in her absence with a 1:00.62.

This was Carter’s first meet as a Michigan Wolverine as she will start classes on Wednesday in Ann Arbor after spending last season at the University of Georgia. Carter was an All-American at NCAAs last season in the 200 butterfly in finishing seventh as a freshman. She will provide some much needed depth as Michigan is looking for an unprecedented third straight top four NCAA finish. Carter also swam butterfly on the winning medley relay and set the meet record in the 100 fly. She was second in the 200 IM (2:17.54) to teammate Victoria Kwan (2:17.44).

“We are really coming together as a team to do what we want to do.” said junior Sierra Schmidt on deck Friday. “Everyone is getting really excited about it finally being championship season and finally getting to see the fruits of our labor the past couple months. Training has been going great. Everyone is really tired but we are having a great time and enjoying each other’s company for the last little bit of this trip and then it’s back to school and the last little grind until we start our championship season.”

Orange Bowl Classic

RESULTS

Team Standings (Women)

Michigan, 288
Florida International, 154
Wagner College, 56
Wisconsin, La Crosse, 16
Colorado College, 4

Team Standings (Men)

Wisconsin, La Crosse, 269
Colorado College, 101
Club Swim at UVA, 72

From left, University of Michigan swimmers Caroline Sisson and Miranda Tucker leap off the starting blocks during the Orange Bowl Swim Classic Friday, Jan. 3, 2020, in Key Largo, Fla. The Wolverines took top honors in the women’s division, while the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse won the men’s division. The event was a highlight of the winter collegiate swimming training season in the Florida Keys. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY (Stephen Frink/Florida Keys News Bureau/HO

Caroline Sisson and Miranda Tucker dive off the blocks. Photo Courtesy: Stephen Frink

Michigan senior Miranda Tucker also won the 50 breaststroke as she is one of the top breaststrokers in the country after the graduation of Lilly King, leaving the breaststroke field wide open this year. Tucker won the 50 with a 31.63 and the 100 at 1:09.38. She swam breaststroke on the winning medley relay alongside MacNeil, Carter and junior Daria Pyshnenko.

Wolverine freshman Kaitlynn Sims also had an impressive swim in winning the 400 free with a 4:15.81 ahead of junior teammate Sierra Schmidt (4:19.04).

Michigan won every single women’s event at the meet as they finished ahead of Florida International in the team standings. The Wolverines also got wins from Mariella Venter in the 100 back (1:03.20), Daria Pyshnenko in the 100 free (57.67) and Claire Maiocco in the 50 free (26.62).

The Michigan men did not compete.

The Orange Bowl Classic, staged at Key Largo’s Jacobs Aquatic Center was a highlight of the winter collegiate swimming training season in the Keys.

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