{"id":360227,"date":"2019-03-24T07:30:28","date_gmt":"2019-03-24T14:30:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=360227"},"modified":"2019-03-24T18:38:55","modified_gmt":"2019-03-25T01:38:55","slug":"resilient-michigan-overcomes-dq-to-finish-third-at-ncaa-championships","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/resilient-michigan-overcomes-dq-to-finish-third-at-ncaa-championships\/","title":{"rendered":"Resilient Michigan Overcomes DQ To Finish Third at NCAA Championships"},"content":{"rendered":"

Michigan was hoping for a fast start to the 2019 NCAA Division I Women\u2019s Championships \u2014 some momentum that could build toward their goal of reaching third place.<\/p>\n

But when their best swimmer was disqualified in the 200 IM, they had to rally.<\/p>\n

The result was more powerful than the points Siobhan Haughey<\/strong> would have scored in the 200 IM.<\/p>\n

The controversial disqualification ignited the Wolverines, who now had even more motivation to \u201cswim angry\u201d as coach Mike Bottom was heard shouting to his team.<\/p>\n

It worked.<\/p>\n

Haughey and the Wolverines finished second in the 200 freestyle relay, then third in the 400 medley relay on that first night and cruised to a third-place finish. It was their highest finish in more than 20 years and the first back-to-back top-five performance since 1995-96.<\/p>\n

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Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick<\/p><\/div>\n

It was one spot higher than last year, and it wasn\u2019t close. Stanford and Cal took the top two spots as expected, and the Wolverines made sure nobody came close to third, finishing 79 points ahead of fourth-place Louisville.<\/p>\n

In Thursday\u2019s 200 IM prelims Haughey was disqualified for taking a second butterfly kick on the pullout of her breaststroke leg.<\/p>\n

Unofficial video seems to show that there was a second butterfly kick during that race, but that it was Cal\u2019s Izzy Ivey<\/strong>, rather than Haughey, who was one lane over.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat first day didn\u2019t really turn out how I wanted it to. About the disqualification, it wasn\u2019t what I was expecting, and I don\u2019t really think it was a fair judgment, but I can\u2019t really control that,\u201d Haughey said. \u201cI know our coaches really tried to argue against it. But it is what it is. I couldn\u2019t control it. I knew the best thing for me and the team was to move on and focus on the races that we had \u2014 and we had some great relays.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Haughey responded by swimming stellar relay splits and making the finals in her other two events. She finished third in the 200 free and the 100 free and scored on four All-American relays, including two right after the DQ. She capped it by being part of the runner-up 400 free relay to close the meet.<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess the good thing is I was more rested for those relays,\u201d Haughey said. \u201cI was able to swim faster. I wanted to score points, and since I couldn\u2019t do it in the 200 IM, I had to find other ways to score more. To be able to do that in two relays, and do it with my team, helped me a lot. Everyone took inspiration from what happened and stepped up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Michigan freshman Maggie MacNei<\/strong>l made the finals in all three of her events, including a Friday night double in the 100 fly and 100 back. She finished runner-up in the 100 fly.<\/p>\n

Senior Catie DeLoof<\/strong> made the finals in the 200 and 100 free, along with Haughey, and was part of several All-American relays. She also scored in the consolation final of the 50 free.<\/p>\n

Miranda Tucker<\/strong> made the 100 breast final and was pivotal in the medley relays, that both made the finals. Jamie Yeung<\/strong> made the 100 breast consolation final.<\/p>\n

Rose Bi<\/strong> and Sierra Schmidt<\/strong> scored in the 500 free and Bi added the mile.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile senior Taylor Garcia<\/strong> and sophomore Daria Pyshnenko<\/strong> were key relay components to multiple All-American relays.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think all the girls really stepped up. We wanted a trophy, but we knew we would have to fight for every single point,\u201d Garcia said. \u201cI am really proud of how our younger girls showed up for this meet. Siobhan is such a professional. She knows how to carry herself, especially when things get tough. We all tried to rally around her and fight for those extra points.\u201d<\/p>\n

It meant a lot to Haughey and the entire team.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt takes a whole team to be top three at NCAAs,\u201d Haughey said. \u201cEveryone stepped up and we scored a lot of points. I am so proud of how the team responded. I have seen how far the team has come and what we have been able to build.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick<\/p><\/div>\n