Michigan
Big Ten Championships (Day 1)
Thompson Wins Fourth Big Ten 500 Freestyle Title
2/22/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Senior Chris Thompson (Roseburg, Ore./Roseburg HS) took the first step toward a rare double-quadruple to help the ninth-ranked University of Michigan men's swimming and diving team to 162 points Thursday (Feb. 22) and third place after six events at the Big Ten Conference Championships at the University of Minnesota.
Thompson went down in the Big Ten record books with his fourth consecutive title in the 500-yard freestyle, swimming an NCAA automatic qualifying time of 4:16.22. A win in Saturday's 1,650-yard freestyle would make him just the fourth person in conference history to win four straight titles in two individual events.
The host Golden Gophers jumped out to the first-day lead, scoring 241 points for a 71-point edge over Penn State (170). The Wolverines, defending Big Ten champions, are just eight points back of the Nittany Lions and are comfortably ahead of a four-team bunch led by fourth-place Wisconsin (114).
After Michigan placed fifth in the 200-yard freestyle relay, Thompson led a 1-2-4 Wolverine finish in the 500 freestyle as U-M scored 61 points in the first individual event contested. Dan Ketchum (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore HS) finished in second place (4:17.65), while Tim Siciliano (San Marcos, Calif./San Marcos HS) took fourth (4:18.30), both with NCAA automatic qualifying times.
U-M earned 30 points in the 200-yard individual medley as Jason Mallory (Granger, Ind./Penn HS) placed seventh (1:49.39) and Scott Werner (Haymarket, va./Paul VI HS) finished ninth (1:48.84). Tony Kurth (Toledo, Ohio/St. Francis de Sales HS) took 12th place (1:49.25) while Eric Wilson (Portland, Ore./Sunset HS) was 13th (1:49.70).
Freshman Jason Coben (Newtown Square, Pa./Maple Newtown HS) performed well in his first Big Ten meet, taking third in one-meter diving with a final mark of 320.75. Only two veterans -- two-time one-meter champion Tom Davidson of Indiana and 2000 Big Ten Diver of the Year Dan Croaston from Minnesota -- finished ahead of the Wolverine freshman.
Siciliano will be shooting for his third straight Big Ten title in the 400-yard individual medley Friday when the three-day competition resumes. Preliminaries begin at noon CST and finals at 7 p.m. at the University Aquatics Center.
Complete results are available at Minnesota's site.
Team Standings (After Day 1)
1. Minnesota 241 2. Penn State 170 3. MICHIGAN 162 4. Wisconsin 114 5. Ohio State 109 6. Northwestern 105 7. Indiana 103 8. Purdue 65 9. Michigan State 46 10. Iowa 41
Event Winners/U-M Finishes (Day 1)
(Preliminary time in parentheses if faster than finals time)
200-yard Freestyle Relay
1. Minnesota 1:18.49*! (Ricardo Dornelas, Alex Massura, Grant Butler, Allen Ong) 5. Michigan 1:20.47# (Garrett Mangieri, Matt Raines, John McLellan, Jordan Watland)500-yard Freestyle
1. Chris Thompson, U-M 4:16.22* 2. Dan Ketchum, U-M 4:17.65* 4. Tim Siciliano, U-M 4:18.30* 11. Justin Drake, U-M 4:24.35# 14. Tim Wera, U-M 4:29.61 (4:27.67#) 21. Mike O'Connor, U-M 4:29.57 26. Mike Porth, U-M 4:31.26 45. Paul Ely, U-M 4:40.44200-yard Individual Medley
1. Joe Peresan, Penn State 1:47.32# 7. Jason Mallory, U-M 1:49.39# (1:48.52#) 9. Scott Werner, U-M 1:48.84# 12. Tony Kurth, U-M 1:49.23# (1:49.13#) 13. Eric Wilson, U-M 1:49.70# (1:49.38#) 28. Heath Novak, U-M 1:51.86 30. Greg Zann, U-M 1:52.2850-yard Freestyle
1. Bob Molettiere, Penn State 19.80# 16. Garrett Mangieri, U-M 20.53 (20.47) 19. John McLellan, U-M 20.50 21. Matt Raines, U-M 20.57One-Meter Diving
1. Thomas Davidson, Indiana 369.60 3. Jason Coben, U-M 320.75 20. Dustin Garwood, U-M 204.60 22. Carlos Castillo, U-M 195.25400-yard Medley Relay
1. Minnesota 3:10.79*! (Todd Smolinski, Jeff Hackler, Chad Krastins, Alex Massura) 6. Michigan 3:16.17# (Jordan Watland, Scott Werner, Christian Vanderkaay, Garrett Mangieri) * NCAA automatic qualifying time # NCAA consideration time $ University Aquatics Center record ! Big Ten Championships meet record
Contact: Karen Simpson (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
