Michigan Sneaks by a Talent-Filled Alumni Team
11/13/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving
Event Recap| Photos
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's swimming and diving team edged past the U-M alumni team, 90.5-74.5, Saturday morning (Oct. 13) in Canham Natatorium. The varsity team won three of the nine events.
The alumni team opened the meet strong, taking the top spots in the first two events -- including the 200-yard medley relay. Alumni Chris DeJong (2003-06), Peter Vanderkaay (2003-06), Davis Tarwater (2003-06) and Brent Lang (1987-90) set the pace early with a time of 1:31.32. Lang, who set and still holds the school record (19.36) in the 50-yard freestyle in 1990, showed he still has it today as he clocked 20.33 for the leg of the relay team.
Sophomore Alon Mandel (Netanya, Israel/Eldad) was the first varsity swimmer to finish first (23.61) when he tied Chis DeJong in the 50-yard backstroke.
The momentum of Mandel's tie with DeJong carried over to the next event, which saw a 50-yard butterfly varsity sweep led by sophomore Chris Brady (Wilmington, Del./Mount Pleasant HS) with a time of 22.18. Junior Matt Patton (Matthews, N.C./Butler HS) and freshman Tony Wahl (Detroit, Mich./Detroit Jesuit HS) clocked in second and third with times 23.38 and 23.96, respectively, and junior Curtis Dauw (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles East HS) finished close behind in fourth (24.19).
The alumni answered back, as Vanderkaay won the 100-yard individual medley (51.88) and Tarwater clocked in first in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 20.78. Junior Bobby Savulich (Edison, N.J./Saint Joseph HS) finshed a close second (20.92), followed by Brady (21.22) for third.
The alumni won six of the nine events, but the varsity team collected points with second-, third- and fourth-place finishes.
Michigan will travel to Gainesville, Fla., for the "National Dual Meet of the Week" against Florida Friday (Oct. 19) and Saturday (Oct. 20) in the Stephen C. OConnell Center. Friday's events begin at at 7 p.m. and Saturday's action begins at 10 a.m.
Q U O T E S
Michigan Assistant Coach and Alumni Fernando Canales
On the Alumni meet... "I think we should work on getting this alumni meet scheduled a little bit earlier and announce it to more alumni out there and invite everybody, including the women's team. It was a great meet today. There was a lot of experience out there for our kids to learn from, and I'm very proud to be a Wolverine. "
Former Michigan Head Coach Jon Urbanchek
On the alumni's performance... "It was fun with these guys -- they were so easy to handle and they enjoyed it so much, and their times were good like Brent Lang's on the relay. In my mind we should have won the contest because we won six out of the nine events and my shoe could have scored points for Michigan as they scored by finishing behind us."
Contact: Jeremiah W. Hergott (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
