Michigan
Michigan State
Coben Leads Charge as Michigan Cruises Past Spartans
2/3/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The No. 9-ranked University of Michigan men's swimming and diving team defeated Big Ten Conference rival Michigan State 133-95 on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 3) at the McCaffree Pool. Michigan set two pool records on the way to earning its fourth consecutive victory. U-M, which finished 4-0 in conference action this season, had first-place finishes in 10 events overall. The victory improves the Wolverines' record to 5-4 overall, while the Spartans drop to 3-4.
Diver Jason Coben (Newtown Square, Pa./Maple Newtown HS) continued his strong freshman season, pacing the Wolverines with two first-place finishes. Coben scored an NCAA zone diving qualifying mark of 327.90 on the three-meter springboard, while taking the one-meter board at 284.40. Coben now has 13 first-place performances this season.
U-M performed well in relay competition, earning first place in both events. The relay squad of Jordan Watland (Excelsior, Minn./Minnetonka HS), senior captain Scott Werner (Haymarket, Va./Paul VI HS), and sophomores Tony Kurth (Toledo, Ohio/St. Francis de Sales HS) and Matt Raines (Owosso, Mich./Corunna HS) set a McCaffree Pool record in the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:31.48. In addition, junior and two-time NCAA national champion Tim Siciliano (San Marcos, Calif./San Marcos HS) set a pool record in the 1,000-yard freestyle with a time of 9:10.06. The previous mark of 9:10.14 was set by MSU's Ian Mull in 1996.
In the 400-yard freestyle relay, Kurth, Raines, Werner and freshman Dan Ketchum (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore HS) placed first at 3:04.63. Individually, Werner led a U-M 1-2-3 effort in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 1:50.46.
2000 U.S. Olympic medalist Chris Thompson (Roseburg, Ore./Roseburg HS) led a 1-2-3-4 Michigan charge in the 500-yard freestyle, clocking in at 4:30.25. Senior/junior G.J. Zann (Boca Raton, Fla./Pope John Paul II HS) led another 1-2-3 Wolverine effort with a first-place finish in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:04.86).
The sophomore trio of Kurth, Raines and Ryan Earhart (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Xavier HS) had first-place performances for the Maize and Blue. Kurth led a 1-2-3 Michigan effort in the 200-yard butterfly, clocking in with an NCAA consideration time of 1:48.51. Raines finished the 50-yard freestyle at 21.21 and Earhart was first in the 200-yard backstroke (1:48.31).
The Wolverines will have three weeks off before the Big Ten Championships in Minneapolis, Minn. The three-day event runs from Feb. 22-24.
Event Winners/U-M Finishes
200-yard Medley Relay
1. Michigan "A" 1:31.48! (Jordan Watland, Scott Werner, Tony Kurth, Matt Raines) 2. Michigan "B" 1:34.50 (Ryan Earhart, G.J. Zann, Christian Vanderkaay, John McLellan)One-meter Diving
1. Jason Coben, U-M 284.40 5. Carlos Castillo, U-M 248.55 6. Dustin Garwood, U-M 217.7251,000-yard Freestyle
1. Tim Siciliano, U-M 9:10.061,650-yard Freestyle
1. Dan Ketchum, U-M 15:16.92# 2. Justin Drake, U-M 15:20.09#200-yard Freestyle
1. Scott Shafer, MSU 1:40.51 3. Chris Thompson, U-M 1:40.64 4. Jason Mallory, U-M 1:41.04 5. Jordan Watland, U-M 1:42.4350-yard Freestyle
1. Matt Raines, U-M 21.21 2. John McLellan, U-M 21.38 4. G.J. Zann, U-M 22.11200-yard Individual Medley
1. Scott Werner, U-M 1:50.46 2. Eric Wilson, U-M 1:53.98 3. Heath Novak, U-M 1:55.35Three-meter Diving
1. Jason Coben, U-M 327.90^ 4. Carlos Castillo, U-M 251.925 6. Dustin Garwood, U-M 239.475200-yard Butterfly
1. Tony Kurth, U-M 1:48.51# 2. Paul Ely, U-M 1:48.69 3. Dan Ketchum, U-M 1:52.41100-yard Freestyle
1. Scott Shafer, MSU 46.57 3. Jordan Watland, U-M 46.90 4. John McLellan,, U-M 47.33 5. Christian Vanderkaay, U-M 47.55200-yard Backstroke
1. Ryan Earhart, U-M 1:48.31 2. Jason Mallory, U-M 1:52.61 6. Tim Siciliano, U-M 1:58.33500-yard Freestyle
1. Chris Thompson, U-M 4:30.25 2. Mike O'Connor, U-M 4:36.74 3. Tim Wera, U-M 4:40.38 4. Paul Ely, U-M 4:41.61 6. Justin Drake, U-M 4:51.23200-yard Breaststroke
1. G.J. Zann, U-M 2:04.86 2. Jason Mallory, U-M 2:06.33 3. Tim Siciliano, U-M 2:06.67 4. Jeff Lauhoff, U-M 2:10.88 7. Eric Wilson, U-M 2:13.07400-yard Freestyle Relay
1. Michigan "A" 3:04.63 (Tony Kurth, Matt Raines, Scott Werner, Dan Ketchum) 4. Michigan "B" 3:12.38 (Ryan Earhart, Christian Vanderkaay, Heath Novak, Chris Thompson) 5. Michigan "C" 3:22.86 (Mike O'Connor, Tim Wera, Justin Drake, Paul Ely)400-yard Individual Medley (exhibition)
1. Mike Robbins, MSU Not Available 2. Tim Wera, U-M Not Available 3. Chris Thompson, U-M Not Available # NCAA consideration time ^ NCAA zone diving qualifying mark ! McCaffree Pool record
Contact: Karen Simpson (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
