Weekly Release #3

11/12/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming & Diving

Upcoming Schedule
  Friday, Nov. 14 -- at Ohio State (Columbus, Ohio), 5 p.m.
  Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 20-22 -- at Nike Cup (Chapel Hill, N.C.), 10 a.m.

This Week
The No. 16-ranked University of Michigan women's swimming and diving team (4-1) travels to Columbus, Ohio, on Friday (Nov. 14) for a matchup with Ohio State. The dual meet is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. at the Mike Peppe Aquatic Center.

Scouting the Opponent
Ohio State -- The Buckeyes enter the weekend with a perfect 3-0 record this year, having defeated Bowling Green in their season-opener (Oct. 31) before posting two wins over West Virginia and Louisville last weekend (Nov. 7). Freshman Nicole Maglich leads OSU with four individual freestyle titles this season. Head coach Jeanne Fleck in her fifth season leading the Buckeyes and holds a career record of 24-29-1. Ohio State finished with a 7-6 record in 2002, including an 0-5 mark in the Big Ten Conference. Michigan last met up with the Buckeyes during the 2001-02 season, when U-M coasted to a 148-94 victory in East Lansing, Mich. Ohio State on the Internet: www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com. 

Last Week
The Wolverines opened their 2003-04 home schedule in winning fashion, posting two solid victories over No. 20-ranked Florida State and Michigan State in a double dual meet last Friday (Nov. 7) at Canham Natatorium. Michigan defeated FSU 146-136 in a head-to-head battle that came down to the final event, and the Wolverines trounced the Spartans 194-88. Freshman Susan Gilliam (Los Angeles, Calif./Bolles School) was the Michigan workhorse as she won three individual events, includinng back-to-back wins in the 1,000- and 200-yard freestyles early in the meet. Senior diver Tealin Kelemen (Riverton, N.J./Moorestown Friends School) posted a pair of victories with wins on the one- and three-meter springboards, posting a score of 267.35 to win the one-meter event and 304.80 on the three-meter board. Freshman Kaitlyn Brady (Wilmington, Del./Mount Pleasant HS) won the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:03.67, and senior Anne Weilbacher (Columbus, Ohio/St. Francis De Sales HS) won the 100-yard butterfly (55.39) and the 200-yard individual medley (2:04.14) events.The quartet of Brady, Lindsey Smith (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS), Tracy Egnatuk (Albion, Mich./Albion Senior HS) and Abby Seskevics (Grand Haven, Mich. (Grand Haven HS) clinched the double dual victory with a first-place showing in the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:34.57). On Saturday (Nov. 8), the Wolverines dropped a 103-47 decision to the Seminoles in an exhibition relay meet at Canham Natatorium. The Wolverines posted only one relay title during the 10-event meet as the foursome of Brady, Seskevics, Smith and Gilliam combined to win the 500-yard crescendo relay.

Introducing the Captains
The Wolverines have named three captains for the 2003-04 season, as Sara Johnson (West Bloomfield, Mich./Lahser HS), Anne Weilbacher and Alexis Goolik (Highland, Ind./Highland HS) have been selected to lead the Maize and Blue. Johnson earned an All-America Honorable Mention last season in the 800-yard freestyle relay, while Weilbacher is one of the most decorated Wolverines with one NCAA All-American selection and three NCAA All-America Honorable Mentions in 2002-03. Goolik, a junior diver, took 15th in the platform at the 2003 NCAA Diving Zones (March 14-15).

The Leader of the Wolverines
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 seven years. In 1995, Michigan finished in second place as a team and followed that in 1996 by hosting the NCAA Championships and finishing third.

Next Week
Michigan will participate in the Nike Cup hosted by North Carolina on Thursday through Saturday (Nov. 20-22) at Koury Natatorium in Chapel Hill, N.C. The Wolverines will compete against 10 other squads, with preliminary events starting at 10 a.m and finals beginning at 6 p.m. each day. 