Weekly Release #7
1/16/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming & Diving
Upcoming Schedule
Saturday, Jan. 20 -- at Ohio State (Columbus, Ohio), 4 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 26 -- at Notre Dame (South Bend, Ind.), 5 p.m.
This Week
The 13th-ranked University of Michigan women's swimming and diving team (3-3, 3-1 Big Ten) is on the road this weekend as the Wolverines travel to Columbus, Ohio, to take on Ohio State in dual meet action Saturday (Jan. 20, 4 p.m.) at the Mike Peppe Aquatic Center.
The Competition
Ohio State -- The Buckeyes (3-6) are coming off a 154-89 loss against Indiana (Jan. 13) and are 2-1 in their last three competitions, with wins over Cleveland State (Nov. 21, 54.5-36.5) and Ball State (Jan. 12, 140-98). Ohio State's five Big Ten championships ranks second to Michigan's 12. The Buckeyes have managed just one win in the last 10 meetings with U-M dating back to the 1981-82 season. The Wolverines are 3-1 at Ohio State. OSU on the Internet: www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com.
Wolverine Invitational
U-M hosted the Wolverine Invitational Friday and Saturday (Jan. 12-13) and won 11 of the 20 events, including four of the five relays, during the two-day meet against Big Ten rival Illinois and Notre Dame. The Wolverines defeated Illinois 182-156, and Notre Dame defeated the Fighting Illini 200.5-145.5. No score was kept between U-M and the Fighting Irish.
Seniors Lead the Way
The Maize and Blue's senior class led the way in the Wolverine Invitational as All-American captain Jennifer Crisman (Hudsonville, Mich./Jenison HS) won the 100-yard butterfly (57.42) and 50-yard freestyle and contributed to three of the four team relay wins. All-American Missy Sugar (Newburgh, Ind./Evansville Day School) had two first-place finishes, in the 100- and 200-yard freestyle with times of 52.37 and 1:53.07, respectively, and was a member of all four winning relay teams (200-, 400- and 800-yard freestyle and 400-yard medley).
Steady Underclass
Sophomore Traci Valasco (Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester Adams HS) and freshman Emily Fenn (Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester Adams HS) each had strong performances at the Wolverine Invitational (Jan. 12-13). Valasco had a first-place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 106.60 and finished second in the 200-yard breaststroke. Fenn took first in the 500-yard freestyle and won the 1,650-yard freestyle with a convincing time of 16:51.17.
Weekly Honors Again
Freshman diver Tealin Kelemen (Riverton, N.J./Moorestown Friends School) received Big Ten Diver of the Week honors after taking second place in the one- and three-meter diving events at the Wolverine Invitational. It is the second Big Ten honor for Kelemen, who also received the award for her accomplishments at the EMU Invitational (Dec. 1-2). Kelemen has already qualified for the NCAA Diving Zone meet March 9-10 in Bloomington, Ind., in the one-and three-meter diving with scores of 271.85 and 282.90, respectively.
Weekly Honors II
Missy Sugar's first-place finishes in the 100- and 200-yard freestyles and participation in four winning relays at last weekend's Wolverine Invitational earned her Big Ten Swimmer of the Week honors. It is the first time the All-American has received the conference award.
A Blast from the Past
Last season's dual against Ohio State (Nov. 19, 1999) saw the Wolverines come away with a 135-102 home victory at Canham Natatorium. Jennifer Crisman led the Wolverines with two individual first-place performances, in the 50-yard freestyle (23.44) and 100-yard freestyle (51.55). Other first-place performances came from junior Lindsay Carlberg (Carmel, Ind./Carmel HS) and sophomore Traci Valasco, who had convincing wins in the 200-yard backstroke and 200-yard breaststroke, respectively. The Wolverines ended up winning 10 of 13 events.
National Rankings
The Wolverines are ranked 13th in the most recent College Swimming Coaches Association of America poll (Dec. 14). Seven of the Big Ten teams are ranked in the Top 25, with the Wolverines joined by No. 12 Wisconsin, No. 14 Penn State, No. 18 Minnesota, No. 20 Northwestern, No. 22 Indiana and No. 25 Purdue. The next poll is scheduled to be released Jan. 18.
Speedo America's CSCAA Coaches Poll (12/14/00)
1. Georgia (7) 196 2. UCLA (1) 191 3. Stanford 183 4. Arizona 177 5. Auburn 166 6. California 164 7. North Carolina 148 8. Southern Cal 142 Texas 142 10. Florida 130 11. Virginia 119 12. Wisconsin 108 13. MICHIGAN 107 14. Penn State 94 15. Southern Methodist 89 16. Notre Dame 69 17. Maryland 68 18. Minnesota 57 19. Arizona State 53 20. Northwestern 46 21. Hawaii 43 22. Indiana 38 23. Kentucky 21 24. Texas A&M 16 25. Purdue 14
Contact: Karen Simpson (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
