Swanson, Freshmen Help Wolverines Keep Pace at Big Tens

Friday, February 24

Columbus, Ohio

11:00 AM

Michigan

Big Ten Championships

Swanson, Freshmen Help Wolverines Keep Pace at Big Tens

2/24/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving

Feb. 24, 2017

» After three days of competition, Michigan sits in third place (923.5 points), trailing Indiana (999) and Ohio State (939.5).
» Freshman Charlie Swanson was one of four Michigan swimmers in the final of the 400-yard IM, capturing the title with the fifth-fastest time in the nation (3:41.13).
» Two other freshmen medaled on Friday, including Jacob Montague in the 100-yard breaststroke (52.08) and Felix Auböck in the 200-yard freestyle (1:33.27).

• Photo Gallery

Site: Columbus, Ohio (McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion)
Event: Big Ten Championships (Day 3 of 4)
U-M Team Standing: 3rd Place of 10 Teams (923.5 Points) after Day Three
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Feb. 25 -- at Big Ten Championships (Columbus, Ohio), 11 a.m./6:30 p.m.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Freshman Charlie Swanson captured the 400-yard individual medley and was one of three freshmen to medal for the No. 11-ranked University of Michigan men's swimming and diving team Friday (Feb. 24) during the third day of the Big Ten Championships at McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion. The team race tightened after the third day, but Indiana still leads (999 points), followed by Ohio State (939.5) and Michigan (923.5).

The Wolverines picked up some ground thanks to scoring performances from 24 of the team's 25 student-athletes, including Swanson, who kept the 400-yard IM title with Michigan for the 18th time in the last 19 years. Swanson, a finalist in that event at last summer's Olympic Trials and silver medalist at the 2016 Junior Pan Pacific Championships, took over during the breaststroke and did not look back, holding off Minnesota's Jakub Maly by more than three seconds. His time of 3:41.13 missed the NCAA A standard by about a half-second, but it was still good enough to be the fifth-fastest time in the nation coming into the day.

Joining Swanson in the final were three other Michigan swimmers. Senior Cameron Stitt came in behind Swanson in fifth (3.47.72), while junior PJ Ransford shaved close to 12 seconds off his previous season-best to finish sixth (3:47.79). Sophomore Stephen Holmquist rounded out the finalists in eighth (3:48.21). Together, the four scored 103 points.

Charlie Swanson takes over during the breaststroke leg to run away with the 400 IM at #B1GSD. #GoBlue https://t.co/pLALkgdJ2q

-- Michigan Swim & Dive (@umichswimdive) February 25, 2017

Freshman Felix Auböck continued his strong week with a third-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle (1:33.27), vaulting past Olympic medalist Peter Vanderkaay to fourth all-time on the school's top performers list. Auböck fought with Ohio State's Josh Fleagle for second down the last 25 yards but was out-touched at the wall by two hundredths of a second. U-M also got scoring performances from sophomore Mokhtar Al-Yamani (11th, 1:35.03), senior Jack Mangan (13th, 1:35.59) and senior Julian Ballestas (21st, 1:36.78).

Another freshman, Jacob Montague got in on the action, popping a 52.08 to finish runner-up in the 100-yard breaststroke. It is the third-fastest time in program history. Joining him in the final was another Michigan native, senior Chris Klein, who finished seventh (53.08) after going the fourth-fastest time in school history earlier in the day (52.62). Two other freshmen -- Jeremy Babinet and Tommy Cope -- also scored, finishing 14th (53.96) and 18th (53.79), respectively.

The Wolverines got off to a fast start, putting four in the top 10 of the 100-yard butterfly. Junior Evan White led the way with a fourth-place finish, cutting a half-second off his previous personal best to post the fourth-fastest time in school history (46.05). Joining him in the final was freshman Miles Smachlo, who finished sixth (46.43) after swimming the 10th-fastest time in school history during the morning (46.30). Freshman James Jones (46.41) and senior Vinny Tafuto (46.74) occupied the top two spots during the consolation final.

Junior Tristan Sanders and fifth-year senior Luke Papendick represented Michigan in the 100-yard backstroke final, finishing fifth (46.61) and sixth (47.08), respectively. Sophomore Jon Burkett, the first-year transfer from North Carolina State, completed the tough double, finishing 23rd (48.55) after taking 16th in the 100-yard butterfly (47.49) earlier in the day.

One day after missing out on points on one-meter springboard, the team's two divers rebounded nicely, each scoring on the three-meter board. Sophomore Collin DeShaw got into the consolation final, finishing 16th (291.80), while freshman Jake Herremans picked up a few points in 21st (317.95).

Michigan closed the night by racing to an NCAA A cut in the 200-yard freestyle, as the team of Powers, Jones, Tafuto and Papendick finished third (1:17.58). Powers led off the relay, splitting 18.98.

The Wolverines will wrap up the Big Ten Championships tomorrow (Saturday, Feb. 25) at McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion. Preliminaries begin at 11 a.m. with finals following at 6:30 p.m. Platform diving will begin at 1:30 p.m. and heats of the mile begin at 4:15 p.m.

Team Standings (After Day 3)

 1. Indiana                 999 2. Ohio State              939.5 3. MICHIGAN                923.5 4. Minnesota               551 5. Purdue                  505.5 6. Wisconsin               502 7. Penn State              405.5 8. Iowa                    297 9. Northwestern            23710. Michigan State          212

Event Winners/U-M Finishers (Day 3)
Preliminaries time in parentheses if faster than finals time

100-yard Butterfly  1. Matt McHugh, Ohio State          44.91*^B!  4. Evan White, U-M                  46.05#  6. Miles Smachlo, U-M               46.43# (46.30#)  9. James Jones, U-M                 46.41# 10. Vinny Tafuto, U-M                46.74# 16. Jon Burkett, U-M                 47.49# (46.92#) 400-yard IM  1. Charlie Swanson, U-M           3:41.13#  5. Cameron Stitt, U-M             3:47.72# (3:47.15#)  6. PJ Ransford, U-M               3:47.79# (3:46.48#)  8. Stephen Holmquist, U-M         3:48.21# (3:48.10#) 200-yard Freestyle  1. Blake Pieroni, Indiana         1:32.13*  3. Felix Auböck, U-M              1:33.27# 11. Mokhtar Al-Yamani, U-M         1:35.03# 13. Jack Mangan, U-M               1:35.59# (1:34.81#) 21. Julian Ballestas, U-M          1:36.78# (1:36.63#) 100-yard Breaststroke  1. Ian Finnerty, Indiana            51.38*B!  2. Jacob Montague, U-M              52.08#  7. Chris Klein, U-M                 53.08# (52.62#) 14. Jeremy Babinet, U-M              53.96# (53.75#) 18. Tommy Cope, U-M                  53.79# 100-yard Backstroke  1. Shane Ryan, Penn State           44.65*^B!  5. Tristan Sanders, U-M             46.61#  6. Luke Papendick, U-M              47.08# 19. Rob Zofchak, U-M                 48.06# 22. Paul Powers, U-M                 48.43# (47.97#) 23. Jon Burkett, U-M                 48.55# (48.21#) 25. Jordan Ross, U-M                 48.44# Three-Meter Diving  1. Michael Hixon, Indiana          520.40& 16. Collin DeShaw, U-M              291.80 (346.10&) 21. Jake Herremans, U-M             317.95 200-yard Freestyle Relay 1. Ohio State                      1:16.61*    (Mossimo Chavez, Matt McHugh,    Josh Fleagle, Thomas Trace) 3. Michigan                        1:17.58*    (Paul Powers, James Jones,    Vinny Tafuto, Luke Papendick) * NCAA A# NCAA B& NCAA Zone Diving cut^ Pool RecordM School RecordB Big Ten Record! Big Ten Championships Record

CAREER BESTS
100 Butterfly -- Evan White (46.05 -- No. 6 in school history)
100 Butterfly -- Miles Smachlo (46.30 -- No. 10 in school history)
100 Butterfly -- James Jones (46.41)
100 Butterfly -- Vinny Tafuto (46.74)
100 Butterfly -- Jon Burkett (46.92)
400 IM -- Charlie Swanson (3:41.13 -- No. 7 in school history)
400 IM -- PJ Ransford (3:46.48)
400 IM -- Cameron Stitt (3:47.15)
400 IM -- Stephen Holmquist (4:18.10)
200 Freestyle -- Felix Auböck (1:33.27 -- No. 4 in school history)
100 Breaststroke -- Jacob Montague (52.08 -- No. 3 in school history)
100 Breaststroke -- Chris Klein (52.62 -- No. 4 in school history)
100 Breaststroke -- Jeremy Babinet (53.75 -- No. 10 in school history)
100 Breaststroke -- Tommy Cope (53.79)
100 Backstroke -- Tristan Sanders (46.61 -- No. 5 in school history)
100 Backstroke -- Paul Powers (47.97)
100 Backstroke -- Jon Burkett (48.21)