Michigan
Michigan State
Michigan Downs Two Rivals to Close Regular Season
2/5/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving
Scores: #8 Michigan 210, Michigan State 123
#8 Michigan 204, Ohio State 148
Ohio State 206, Michigan State 133
Records: U-M (8-2, 5-0 Big Ten), MSU (2-7, 0-5 Big Ten), OSU (8-2, 2-2 Big Ten)
Next U-M Meet: Thu-Sat., Feb. 24-26 -- Big Ten Conference Championships (Canham Natatorium), Noon/7 p.m.
Michigan Downs Two Rivals to Close Regular Season
Thompson Breaks Own Pool Record in 1,000-Yard Freestyle
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- In its last meet before the Big Ten Conference Championships, the eighth-ranked University of Michigan men's swimming and diving team won 11 of 19 events and turned in six different 1-2 finishes to easily defeat two league rivals -- Michigan State and Ohio State -- on Friday and Saturday (Feb. 4-5) at Canham Natatorium.
The Wolverines (8-2 overall, 5-0 Big Ten) crushed the Spartans, 210-123, and breezed past the Buckeyes, 204-148, during the two-day, triple-dual meet. It marks the third straight meet in which the Wolverines have topped the 200-point plateau. With the two victories, U-M is now on a five-meet winning streak. In the third matchup of the weekend, Ohio State defeated Michigan State, 206-133.
Michigan started off strong, winning the first five events. In the second event of the meet, junior All-American Chris Thompson (Roseburg, Ore./Roseburg HS) broke the Canham Natatorium record in the 1,000-yard freestyle. He finished the event in 9:01.17, which betters his own record of 9:03.09, set earlier this season in the Michigan Quadrangular (Oct. 29, 1999). Thompson also placed first in the 500-yard freestyle, turning in an NCAA consideration time of 4:26.17.
Thompson was among three Wolverines who turned in double-win efforts, as junior All-American Scott Werner (Haymarket, Va./Paul VI HS) and freshman Ryan Earhart (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Xavier HS) also performed the trick. Werner took home first-place finishes in both the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke events, finishing in NCAA consideration times of 55.77 and 2:00.08, respectively. Earhart placed first in the 100-yard backstroke at 51.10 and the 200-yard backstroke at 1:49.26.
Three other Wolverines had individual first-place finishes, including senior tri-captain Josh Trexler (Raleigh, N.C./Millbrook HS), who placed first in the one-meter dive with an NCAA zone diving qualifying mark of 308.32. He placed second in the three-meter dive as well at 312.75, which is also an NCAA zone diving qualifying mark.
Freshman Garrett Mangieri (Closter, N.J./Mercersburg Acadmey) and sophomore Jason Mallory (Granger, Ind./Penn HS) also had first-place finishes. Mangieri finished the 200-yard freestyle in 1:38.24, which qualifies as an NCAA consideration time. Mallory led the way in the 400-yard individual medley, clocking in at 3:59.04.
Two U-M relay squads turned in first-place efforts. The team of Werner, Scott Meyer (Lodi, Calif./Lodi HS), Tony Kurth (Toledo, Ohio/St. Francis de Sales HS) and Jordan Watland (Shorewood, Minn./Minnetonka HS) led the 200-yard medley relay, while the group of Kurth, Mangieri, Meyer and Matt Raines (Owosso, Mich./Corunna HS) placed first in the 200-yard freestyle relay.
U-M will have nearly three weeks off until it hosts the Big Ten Championships Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 24-26, at Canham Natatorium. Tickets for the event are on sale now through the Michigan Athletic Ticket Office (734-764-0247).
Contact: Justin Pfauth (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
