Weekly Release #2

Upcoming Schedule
Friday-Saturday, Nov. 7-8 -- vs. Florida State/Michigan State (Canham Natatorium), 5 p.m./11 a.m.
Friday, Nov. 14 -- at Ohio State (Columbus, Ohio), 5 pm. EDT
Thursday, Nov. 20 -- at Nike Cup (Chapel Hill, N.C.), All Day

This Week
The University of Michigan women's swimming and diving team (2-1) opens the 2003-04 home schedule with a double dual meet against Florida State and Michigan State this Friday and Saturday (Nov. 7-8). Action will begin at 5 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m. on Saturday at Canham Natatorium.

Scouting the Opponents
Florida State -- Michigan plays a strong FSU team that finished 12-2 last year, including a third place finish in the ACC meet. They return five All-Americans from last year, including senior swimmers Emma Dutton, Andree-Anne LeRoy, Loren Hansen, junior swimmer Emily Breen, and junior diver Tiffany Manning. They are currently 6-0 this year, with victories over the University of Miami, Florida International, Florida Atlantic, Indian River Community College, and two victories over Florida A&M. This will mark the first time these teams have matched up against each other. Florida State on the Internet: www.seminoles.com.

Michigan State -- Michigan faces off against a Michigan State team that finished 6-6 last year, finishing 11th at the Big Ten meet. In their only meet of this year, MSU fell to Iowa, 120-174. The last time Michigan faced MSU, Michigan prevailed 138-105 during the 2001-2002 year. Michigan State on the Internet: www.msuspartans.com.

2002-03 in Review
Last season, Michigan finished 14th at the NCAA Championships and placed fourth at the 2003 Big Ten Championships behind senior Kelli Stein's (Columbus, Ohio/Bishop Waterson HS) championship performance in the 200-yard breaststroke. Erin Abbey (1999-2003), Laura Kaznecki (1999-2003), senior Anne Weilbacher (Columbus, Ohio/St. Francis DeSales HS) and sophomore Abby Seskevics (Grand Haven, Mich./Grand Haven HS) all earned NCAA All-America honors in the 200-yard freestyle relay, while junior Amy McCullough (West Bloomfield, Mich./Mercy HS) was named an All-American in the 200-yard freestyle. In addition, Abbey, Stein, McCullough and Weilbacher each earned NCAA All-America Honorable Mention in three events. Five other Wolverine swimmers took home All-American Honorable Mention accolades, bringing the final total 18.

Welcome to Ann Arbor
Michigan welcomes 11 newcomers to its 2003-04 roster. Freshmen Lisa Gonzalez (Albion, Mich./Albion HS), Kristen Metzger (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS), Julie Porter (Haverford, Pa./The Episcopal Academy) and Ellen Van Cleve (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) will all compete in diving for the Wolverines. Elaine Shalla (Fenton, Mich./Fenton HS), Lindsey Smith (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS), Nikki Starr (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mount Lebanon HS), Kaitlyn Brady (Wilmington, Del./Mount Pleasant HS) and Amanda Johnson (West Bloomfield, Mich./Lahser HS) will specialize in the freestyle events. Rounding out the class are distance swimmers Susan Gilliam (Los Angeles, Calif./Bolles HS) and Annie Stein (Longmont, Colo./Germantown Academy).

Introducing the Captains
The Wolverines have named three captains for the 2003-04 season, as Sara Johnson (West Bloomfield, Mich./Lahser HS), Anne Weilbacher andAlexis 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 travel to Columbus, Ohio, for a meet with Ohio State next Friday (Nov. 14) at 5 p.m.

Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423