Weekly Release #2
10/29/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming & Diving
Upcoming Schedule
Fri-Sat., Nov. 1-2 -- at North Carolina, vs. Harvard (Chapel Hill, N.C.), 6 p.m./11 a.m.
Thu-Sat., Nov. 21-23 -- at Nike Cup (Chapel Hill, N.C.), 10 a.m./6 p.m.
This Week
The University of Michigan women's swimming and diving team will take its first of two consecutive trips to Chapel Hill, N.C., for a tri-meet against Harvard and host North Carolina on Friday (Nov. 1-2) at Koury Natatorium. The first day of competition is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. and day two kicks off at noon.
Scouting the Opponent
North Carolina C The No. 15-ranked Tar Heel women lost their opening dual meet of the season, 177-118, dropping 12 of 16 races to the No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs (Oct. 16). UNC junior captain Jessi Perruguet won two events, however, earning titles in both the 100- and 200-yard freestyles with times of 50.28 and 1:47.42, respectively. Perruguet also participated in the winning 400-yard medley relay with sophomores Kathleen Quinn and Virginia Hanson and freshman Leila Martin. Head coach Frank Comfort, in his 24th season at the helm of the Tar Heels, returns NCAA All-Americans Katie Hathaway (three-time), Perruguet, Kristen Watkins and Kelly Weeks. North Carolina on the Internet: www.tarheelblue.com.
Harvard C The Crimson will enter their first competition of the season in the North Carolina/Michigan tri-meet. Harvard narrowly beat Michigan, 246-238, in an exhibition relay meet at Blodgett Pool in Boston last year (Oct. 26, 2001), despite winning only one event. Three swimmers from Harvard's first-team All-Ivy League 400-yard freestyle relay team, the Crimson's lone winning team in last year's exhibition, return for head coach Stephanie Wriede Morawski: senior Jane Humphries, senior All-Ivy breaststroker Anna Fraser and sophomore Molly Ward. Harvard swept All-Ivy honors in the 200-yard backstroke with sophomore first-teamer Molly Brethauer and senior Jessi Walter, the second-team selection. Harvard on the Internet: www.gocrimson.com.
Last Meet
The Wolverines dropped their first dual meet of the year, 173-122, to the Florida Gators last Thursday (Oct. 24) at Canham Natatorium. The Wolverines mounted a brief comeback bid, taking first place in the seventh, eighth and ninth events, but Florida outlasted the Wolverines in the final six races to take the dual meet win. Junior captain Anne Weilbacher (Columbus, Ohio/St. Francis De Salles HS) won the 200-yard butterfly with a personal-best 2:04.83 result. Weilbacher also finished second in the 100-yard butterfly with a mark of 56.42. Senior Laura Kaznecki (Wolverine Lake, Mich./Western HS) won the 50-yard freestyle in 24.15, while senior captain Erin Abbey (Highland Heights, Ohio/Mayfield HS), junior Kelli Stein (Columbus, Ohio/Bishop Waterson HS), Weilbacher and sophomore Amy McCullough (West Bloomfield, Mich./Mercy HS) teamed up to win the 400-yard medley relay.
Speedy Delivery
Wolverine junior Anne Weilbacher set a personal-best mark in the 200-yard butterfly in the first meet of the season. Weilbacher's top time of 2:04.83 surpassed her previous result of 2:06.43, set Nov. 10, 2001, at the Rice Invitational.
Maya Mania
Junior Maya Mandel (Netanya, Israel/Eldad HS) achieved the fastest time of her career in the 100-yard freestyle in last Thursday's meet against Florida. Mandel's time of 55.00 surpassed her prior mark of 55.15, set at the 2001 Big Ten Championships (Feb. 17).
High Above the Mucky Muck
Junior diver Tealin Kelemen (Riverton, N.J./Moorestown Friends School) gave new diving coach Chris Bergre his first event title with the Maize and Blue. Kelemen posted an NCAA zone qualifying score of 325.65 in the three-meter competition against Florida, outperforming the second-place competitor by over 21 points. She added a zone qualifying score in the one-meter event, placing fourth at 261.97.
Where Plummeting Towards the Earth Is a Good Thing
Michigan's divers made a splash in their first meet of the season against Florida. Sophomore Alexis Goolik (Highland, Ind./Highland HS) set a personal best with her score of 246.97 in three-meter event. Goolik broke her old record of 244.95, set last season against Northwestern (Feb. 1, 2002). Junior Emily Koglin (Heyworth, Ill/Normal University HS) returned to competition in both the one- and three-meter events after a sitting out last season due to NCAA transfer rules.
Leaders and Some of the Best
The Wolverines have named two captains for the 2002-03 season, as senior Erin Abbey and junior Anne Weilbacher have been selected to lead the Maize and Blue. Abbey earned All-America Honorable Mention last season, while Weilbacher is one of the most decorated Wolverines, with four NCAA All-America Honorable Mentions.
Head Coach Jim Richardson
Michigan head coach Jim Richardson is entering his 19th year at the helm of the Wolverines. Over that time, his teams have dominated the Big Ten Conference, winning 12 consecutive league titles from 1987-98 and adding the team's 13th in 2001. During the 1998 season, Richardson recorded his 100th career victory, against Indiana University on Jan. 30. Since taking over the program in 1985-86, Michigan has finished in the NCAA top 10 all but six years. In 1995, Michigan finished in second place as a team and followed that in 1996 by hosting the NCAA Championships and finishing third.
Let's Look at the Polls
The Michigan Wolverines received votes in the College Swim Coaches of America's first national swimming and diving poll of the year, released Oct. 25.
College Swim Coaches of America Division I Poll (Oct. 25)
Rk. Team Pts. 1. Auburn (5) 173 2. Georgia (2) 165 Stanford 165 4. California 152 5. Florida 143 6. SMU 137 7. Texas 134 8. USC 132 9. Arizona 121 10. Virginia 109 11. Arizona State 107 12. UCLA 89 13. Indiana 84 14. Notre Dame 81 15. North Carolina 79 16. Penn State 76 17. Alabama 69 18. Wisconsin 54 19. Miami (Fla.) 42 20. Maryland 38 21. Missouri 34 22. Pacific 19 23. Texas A&M 15 24. Rutgers 13 25. South Carolina 10Also receiving votes: MICHIGAN, Purdue, Tennessee, Washington, Kansas, Houston, Louisiana State
On the Horizon
The Wolverines will then take two weeks off from competition before returning to Chapel Hill, N.C., for the Nike Cup (Thursday through Saturdy, Nov. 21-23), hosted by North Carolina. Competition will begin at 10 a.m. each morning, with evening sessions scheduled to commence at 6 p.m.
Contact: Andrew Ladd (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
