Weekly Release #5

Upcoming Schedule
Fri.-Sun., Nov. 17-19 -- at Texas A&M Invite (College Station, Texas), 6 p.m./9 a.m.
Thu.-Sat. Nov. 30-Dec. 2 -- U.S. Open (West Lafayette, Ind.), 6 p.m./9 a.m.
Fri.-Sat., Dec. 1-2 -- Eastern Michigan Invitational (Ypsilanti, Mich.), 6 p.m./9 a.m.
Fri.-Sat., Jan. 12-13 -- Michigan Invitational (Canham Natatorium), 6 p.m./9 a.m.

This Week
The No. 10-ranked University of Michigan women's swimming and diving team (3-2, 2-0 Big Ten) will travel to College Station, Texas, for the three-day Texas A&M Invitational (Nov. 17-19) at the Student Rec Center Natatorium. The meet features three programs ranked in the top 10 nationally: The No. 10 Wolverines, No. 7 Southern Methodist and No. 9 Texas A&M. Louisiana State, Illinois and Pacific will also compete. Preliminaries are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. with the finals being swum at 6 p.m.

Schedule of Events

Friday, Nov. 17
200-Yard Freestyle Relay
500-Yard Freestyle
200-Yard Individual Medley
50-Yard Freestyle
One-Meter Diving (1 p.m.)
400-Yard Medley Relay

Saturday, Nov. 18
200-Yard Medley Relay
400-Yard Individual Medley
100-Yard Butterfly
200-Yard Freestyle
100-Yard Breaststroke
100-Yard Backstroke
Three-Meter Diving (1 p.m.)
800-Yard Freestyle Relay

Sunday, Nov. 19
1,650-Yard Freestyle
200-Yard Backstroke
100-Yard Freestyle
200-Yard Breaststroke
200-Yard Butterfly
Platform Diving (1 p.m.)
400-Yard Freestyle Relay

Scouting the Opponents
Illinois -- The Fighting Illini are 3-1 in dual-meet competition this season, having lost their last meet against Ohio State after starting the 2006-07 season with three straight wins. Senior Barbie Biney, the reigning 100-yard freestyle Big Ten Champion, is the top swimmer for Illinois. Sue Novitsky, who led the Fighting Illini to a ninth-place finish at last season's Big Ten Championships, is in her sixth season as head coach of Illinois.

Michigan owns a perfect 12-0-0 record in dual-meet meetings between the two programs. U-M competed last season against Illinois in the three-team Michigan Invitational. The Wolverines placed second, with Illinois placing third behind winner Notre Dame.
Illinois on the Internet: www.fightingillini.com.

Louisiana State -- The Tigers are .500 (3-3) entering this weekend's competition. Freestylers Colleen Bertirotti and Katherine Noland are the top returning swimmers for an LSU team that placed 40th at last year's NCAA Championships. Second-year head coach Adam Schmitt leads his alma mater. The Wolverines have never faced the Tigers in dual-meet competition.
Louisiana State on the Internet: www.lsusports.net.

Pacific -- Pacific comes into this weekend 1-1 in 2006-07 dual meets, defeating Washington (74-71) and falling to top-ranked California (162-83). Three-time 2006 Big West Champion Ja-Neil Bragg is the top swimmer for the Tigers, who are headed by second-year head coach Greg Meehan. U-M has never faced Pacific in dual-meet competition.
Pacific on the Internet: www.pacifictigers.com.

Southern Methodist -- The seventh-ranked Mustangs are a perfect 3-0 in dual meets this season, and placed first as host of the SMU Classic. Anja Carman heads a plethora of talent this season for the Mustangs. Her time of 1:59.33 in the 200-yard backstroke ranks sixth nationally. The SMU relays, which earned three All-America awards in 2006, rank among the top relays in the nation, including the 800-yard freestyle team that swam a nation-best 7:27.51 on October 21.

Head coach Steve Collins, who led Southern Methodist to a seventh-place finish at the 2006 NCAA Championships, is in his 21st season at the helm of the SMU swimming and diving program. The Wolverines fell in their only career meeting against the Mustangs during the 1990-91 season.
Southern Methodist on the Internet: www.smumustangs.com.

Texas A&M -- The ninth-ranked Aggies have come out on top in all five events this season, winning four dual meets and placing first in the Big 12 relays. 2006 All-Americans Triin Aljand (50-yard freestyle, 8th) and Codie Hansen (200-yard freestyle, 5th) return to the Aggies. Texas A&M swimmers hold eight times that rank in the top 10 nationally, highlighted by Kristen Heiss' time of 1:58.64 in the 200-yard backstroke, which ranks third in the nation. Texas A&M posted three All-America relay finishes in 2006, and, this seasons, holds one of the top three times in the nation in all three freestyle relays.

Steve Bultman has been at the helm of the Aggies program since 1999; over that span, he has earned a pair of Big 12 Coach of the Championships and two Co-Big 12 Coach of the Championships certificates.
Texas A&M on the Internet: www.aggieathletics.com.

Two-Win Weekend for Wolverines Features Convincing Victories
The 10th-ranked Wolverines defeated Ohio State 138-99 Friday evening (Nov. 10) at Canham Natatorium. Michigan, who improved to 2-0 in the Big Ten, won nine of the first 11 events before electing to swim the final two races exhibition, claiming the fastest time in both -- including the 50-yard backstroke by Valeria Silva (Lima, Peru./Alexander von Humboldt). Margaret Kelly (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer) took first in both of her individual events (50-yard freestyle and 50-yard butterfly) and swam the first leg of the winning 400-yard medley relay. Lindsey Smith (Dexter, Mich./Dexter) also added two wins, posting the top time in both the 100-yard and 200-yard freestyle.

Michigan used seven 1-2 finishes, and wins in both diving events, to beat Princeton 134-101 on Saturday afternoon (Nov. 11). The Wolverines claimed the fastest time or top score in 10 of 13 events on the day. Big Ten Diver of the Week Elyse Lee (Albion, Mich./Albion) once again earned U-Ms top score with two diving victories, posting a 302.62 in one-meter diving and a 306.00 in the three-meter dive. Both scores surpassed NCAA zone-qualifying marks. On the swimming side, Smith claimed two wins for the second straight meet, triumphing in the 100-yard and 200-yard freestyle.

Top Times for 2006-07
50-yard Freestyle: Kaitlyn Brady, 23.48
50-meter Freestyle: Kaitlyn Brady, 27.06r
100-yard Freestyle: Lindsey Smith, 50.51#
100-meter Freestyle: Lindsey Smith, 56.88#
200-yard Freestyle: Lindsey Smith, 1:48.92#
400-meter Freestyle: Emily Hanson, 4:24.71
500-yard Freestyle: Emily Brunemann, 4:55.21
1,000-yard Freestyle: Emily Brunemann, 9:55.13
1,650-yard Freestyle: Emily Brunemann, 16:30.81#
100-yard Butterfly: Margaret Kelly, 55.03#
200-yard Butterfly: Emily Christy, 2:02.39#
200-meter Butterfly: Emily Christy, 2:18.51#
100-yard Backstroke: Margaret Kelly, 56.36r
100-meter Backstroke: Hannah Smith, 1:06.31r
200-yard Backstroke: Hannah Smith, 2:01.07#
200-meter Backstroke: Margaret Kelly, 2:20.60#
100-yard Breaststroke: Justine Mueller, 1:03.86
200-yard Breaststroke: Justine Mueller, 2:17.48#
200-meter Breaststroke: Justine Mueller, 2:37.24
200-yard Individual Medley: Justine Mueller, 2:02.95#
400-yard Individual Medley: Justine Mueller, 4:18.04#
400-meter Individual Medley: Justine Mueller, 4:57.42#
200-yard Freestyle Relay: 1:33.04# (Brady, Kelly, H. Smith, L. Smith)
200-meter Freestyle Relay: 1:45.60# (Brady, Kelly, H. Smith, L. Smith)
400-yard Freestyle Relay: 3:23.74# (Brady, Margaret Kelly, Cole, P. Johnson)
200-yard Medley Relay: 1:43.02 (Kelly, Mueller, Brady, L. Smith)
400-yard Medley Relay: 3:43.01# (Brady, Mueller, Kelly, L. Smith)
400-meter Medley Relay: 4:20.73 (Brady, Mueller, Kelly, L. Smith)
800-yard Freestyle Relay: 7:31.02 (Brady, Brunemann, P. Johnson, Lindsey Smith)
One-Meter Diving (Dual): Elyse Lee, 305.55^
Three-Meter Diving (Dual): Elyse Lee, 323.56^

* NCAA automatic qualifying time
# NCAA consideration time
r achieved on a relay

Lee Dominating Diving
Elyse Lee has earned the top Michigan score in all 10 diving events in 2006 meets, posting eight winning scores and earning numerous zone-qualifying scores. The Albion, Mich., native collected a victory in one-meter diving against Ohio State Friday (Nov. 10), posting a season-best 305.55 score. On Saturday (Nov. 11), Lee won both diving events, increasing her win total to seven this season. For her efforts, the junior was named Big Ten Diver of the Week.

Eight Wolverines Clip NCAA 'B' Marks
Eight Michigan swimmers have surpassed NCAA 'B' marks this season, as well as three different relays. The individual swimmers are as follows: Kaitlyn Brady (100-yard freestyle), Lindsey Smith (100-yard freestyle, 200-yard freestyle), Emily Christy (200-yard butterfly), Hannah Smith (200-yard backstroke), Justine Mueller (200-yard IM, 400-yard IM, 200-yard breaststroke), Emily Brunemann (400-yard IM, 1,650-yard freestyle), Margaret Kelly (200-yard backstroke, 200-yard IM, 100-yard butterfly), and Emily Hanson (1,650-yard freestyle).

Relays that have earned consideration marks are the 200-yard freestyle relay, the 400-yard freestyle relay and the 400-yard medley relay.

Michigan Earning Top Times, Scores
After posting 11 of the top times or scores against Ohio State on Friday (Nov. 10) and 10 of the top 13 times or score against No. 24 Princeton on Saturday (Nov. 11), the Wolverines have claimed the top time or score in 51 of 71 events in 2006 dual meets. U-M opened the season with eight of 13 wins against No. 2 Florida (Oct. 14), then had the best time or score in 12 out of 13 events against Michigan State (Oct. 25) and earned 10 wins out of 19 events against No. 5 Georgia (Nov. 3-4).

Lindsey Smith Continues to Win
Lindsey Smith continued her stellar season this weekend, earning six more top times -- four individual and two relay. On Friday, Smith won both the 100-yard and 200-yard freestyle, earning an NCAA 'B' time in the 100-yard freestyle with her time of 50.86. To finish the evening, Smith anchored the U-M 'A' 800-yard freestyle relay to the quickest time (7:31.02) in the field.

On Saturday, Smith once again was victorious in the 200-yard freestyle, this time posting an NCAA consideration time (1:50.03). She then capped off a tremendous weekend with a win the 100-yard freestyle and anchored the 200-yard freestyle to a season-high time of 1:33.94.

The senior has won all but one individual race this season.

Jaeger, Silva to Compete at U.S. Open
Valeria Silva and Melissa Jaeger (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer) are both slated to compete at next weekend's U.S. Open at Purdue's Boilermaker Aquatics Center in West Lafayette, Ind.

Jaeger, who is sitting out this season due to transfer rules, will swim the 200-meter individual medley and 100-meter breaststroke on Thursday (Nov. 30), the 100-meter butterfly on Friday (Dec. 1) and the 200-meter butterfly and 200-meter breaststroke on Saturday (Dec. 2). Silva will race in the 100-meter breaststroke on Thursday (Nov. 30).

Schedule of Events

Thursday, November 30
200-meter Individual Medley
400-meter Freestyle
100-meter Breaststroke
200-meter Backstroke
50-meter Freestyle
800-meter Freestyle Relay

Friday, December 1
100-meter Backstroke
200-meter Freestyle
100-meter Butterfly
400-meter Individual Medley
400-meter Medley Relay

Saturday, December 2
800-meter Freestyle
100-meter Freestyle
200-meter Breaststroke
200-meter Butterfly
400-meter Freestyle Relay

For more information about the meet, go to purduesports.com.

On the Horizon ...
Michigan will participate in two events next weekend. Valeria Silva and transfer senior Melissa Jaeger travel to West Lafayette, Ind., for the U.S. Open. The remaining athletes from the women's swimming and diving team will compete at the Eastern Michigan Invitational (Fri.-Sat., Dec. 1-2) at the Jones Natatorium.

Contact: Matt Baumer (734) 763-4423