Michigan
SMU Classic
Savulich Anchors Wolverines to SMU Invite Title
1/17/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving
Site: Dallas, Texas (Perkins Natatorium)
Event: SMU Invite
U-M Team Standing: 1st of 6 Teams (346 points)
Next U-M Event: Fri-Sat., Jan. 30-31 -- at Ohio State, vs. Penn State and Northwestern (Columbus, Ohio), 6 p.m.
DALLAS, Texas -- The No. 2-ranked University of Michigan men's swimming and diving team won 5-of-8 championship swimming heats for the second straight day on Saturday (Jan. 17) to take top honors at the two-day SMU Invite, held at Perkins Natatorium. The Wolverines' 346 points bettered No. 6-ranked and second-place Florida (311 points). The Maize and Blue had seven NCAA considerations times, including a meet record by sophomore Tyler Clary(Riverside, Calif./Riverside Poly) in the 200-yard individual medley, on its way to defeating a quartet of ranked teams in Florida (No. 6), California (No. 14), SMU (No. 20) and Southern Cal (No. 21).
In the individual events of the SMU Invite, each school selects one swimmer to participate in the championship heat and one swimmer to compete in the consolation heat, and team points are awarded for finishes in each heat.
Clary swam a 1:45.43 in the 200 IM, breaking the previous meet record of 1:45.49 set last year by Eric Shanteau of the Texas All-Stars. The time was also a season best for Clary. In the consolation final of the 200 IM, junior Andr Schultz(Sao Paulo, Brazil/Colegio Palmares) earned the victory in a time of 1:46.15, good for an NCAA 'B' mark.
U-M opened the day by winning the 200-yard medley relay in a time of 1:28.15. The Michigan team of junior Alon Mandel(Netanya, Israel/Eldad), sophomore Neal Kennedy(Chanhassen, Minn./Chaska), junior Chris Brady(Wilmington, Del./Mount Pleasant) and senior Bobby Savulich(Edison, N.J./Saint Joseph), the same foursome that won last night's 400-yard medley relay, took the top spot for the Wolverines.
In the 500-yard freestyle, senior Matt Patton(Matthews, N.C./Butler) won the championship heat, clocking in at an NCAA consideration time of 4:19.98. Junior Charlie Houchin(Raleigh, N.C./William G. Enloe) was victorious in the consolation heat, besting the field in 4:22.53, an NCAA consideration time.
U-M swimmers also swept the 100-yard freestyle as Savulich took the championship heat with an NCAA consideration time of 43.53 and Brady won the consolation heat in a time of 44.07.
The Maize and Blue capped the meet with a victory in the 200-yard freestyle relay. The quartet of Savulich, Brady, Houchin and Patton were first to the wall in 1:20.09, an NCAA 'B' time, and led from start to finish.
The Wolverines will return to action on Friday, Jan. 30, when they compete in the first day of a two-day meet against Ohio State, Penn State and Northwestern at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilionin Columbus, Ohio. Swimming is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.
Team Standings
1. MICHIGAN 346 2. Florida 311 3. SMU 272 4. North Carolina 256 5. Arizona State 227 6. Southern Cal 223
Event Winners/U-M Finishers (Day 2)
200-yard Medley Relay 1. MICHIGAN 1:28.15# (Alon Mandel, Neal Kennedy, Chris Brady, Bobby Savulich)
500-yard Freestyle 1. Matt Patton, U-M 4:19.98# 7. Charlie Houchin, U-M 4:22.53#
200-yard Breaststroke 1. Clark Burckle, Florida 1:58.13 4. Neil Kennedy, U-M 2:02.74 8. Andr Schultz, U-M 1:59.53
200-yard Backstroke 1. Rex Tullies, Florida 1:44.45 10. Alon Mandel, U-M 1:48.31 -- Tyler Clary, U-M DQ
100-yard Freestyle 1. Bobby Savulich, U-M 43.53# 7. Chris Brady, U-M 44.07
200-yard Butterfly 1. Shaune Fraser, Florida 1:44.56 3. Matt Patton, U-M 1:48.42 7. Alon Mandel, U-M 1:48.44
200-yard Individual Medley 1. Tyler Clary, U-M 1:45.43#! 7. Andr Schultz, U-M 1:46.15#
200-yard Freestyle Relay 1. MICHIGAN 1:20.09# (Bobby Savulich, Chris Brady, Charles Houchin, Matt Patton)
Three-meter Diving 1. Mick Benedetti, Arizona State 455.40 5. Kyle Schroeder, U-M 298.10
* NCAA Automatic Qualifying Time # NCAA Consideration Time ! Meet Record
Day 1 Results
Contact: Jeremy Reid (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
