Coben, DeJong Help Michigan Triumph Over Boilermakers

Friday, January 17

Ann Arbor, Mich.

6:00 PM

Michigan

140

Purdue

Coben, DeJong Help Michigan Triumph Over Boilermakers

1/17/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 4-ranked University of Michigan men's swimming and diving team opened the home portion of its 2002-03 season with a 140-99 victory over No. 16 Purdue Friday evening (Jan. 17) in Canham Natatorium. It marked the Wolverines' 49th consecutive win over the Boilermakers (7-1, 1-1 Big Ten) and kept the Maize and Blue undefeated in the dual meet series.

DeJong won two freestyle races and helped on one of U-M's relay wins.

Michigan (5-2, 2-0 Big Ten) claimed nine event victories, with junior Jason Coben (Marple Square, Pa./Marple Newtown HS) and freshman Chris DeJong (Holland, Mich./Holland HS) each winning a pair of individual titles. Senior Garrett Mangieri (Closter, N.J./(Mercersburg Academy, Pa.) anchored both U-M's winning relay teams, in the 400-yard medley and 400-yard freestyle relays, as well as earning an individual title in the 50-yard freestyle at 20.95.

Coben won both diving events for the Wolverines as the junior set NCAA zone diving qualifying marks in the one- and three-meter springboards with scores of 333.22 and 320.77, respectively, in the Dick Kimball Diving Well. Coben won both events by more than 50 points. His winning score of 320.77 on the three-meter board bettered teammate Dusty Garwood's (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Lahser HS) by 54.90 points, while Coben's score of 333.22 in the one-meter event topped teammate Jake Boehm's (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South HS) by 72.45 points.

In the pool DeJong captured both the 100- and 200-yard freestyles, winning the 100-yard event in 46.11 and earning his first NCAA consideration time in the 200-yard free in 1:39.25. DeJong led the Wolverine attack in each of the events, as U-M took the top three places in the 100 and finished 1-2-3-4 in the 200.

Following DeJong into the wall in the 100-yard freestyle were runner-up Mike Porth (Detroit, Mich./Detroit Jesuit HS) and third-place finisher Tony Kurth (Toledo, Ohio/St. Francis de Sales HS). Porth touched the wall in 46.58, while Kurth finished in 46.70. In the 200-yard free freshman Davis Tarwater (Knoxville, Tenn./Webb School) placed second behind DeJong in 1:39.34. Fellow classmate Peter Vanderkaay (Rochester, Mich./Adams HS) was a close third, clocking in just .02 seconds behind Tarwater at 1:39.36, and Porth was fourth (1:41.31).

The Wolverines opened the meet with a first-place finish in the 400-yard medley relay as the foursome of DeJong, fifth-year senior co-captain Jeff Hopwood (Palo Alto, Calif./Palo Alto HS), Tarwater and Mangieri clocked in with an NCAA consideration time of 3:17.95.

Sophomore Andrew Hurd (Oakville, Ontario/Trafalger HS) gave the Maize and Blue two straight wins as he claimed the top spot in the 1,650-yard freestyle with an NCAA consideration time of 15:22.60. Freshman Tyler DeBerry (Tucson, Ariz./Sabino HS) added a runner-up showing in the event with a season-best and NCAA consideration time of 15:26.95.

Junior Dan Ketchum (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore HS) gave the Wolverines their final individual title with a win in the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 1:51.39. Michigan closed out the meet with a win in the 400-yard freestyle relay as the team of Ketchum, senior Ryan Earhart (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore HS), Vanderkaay and Mangieri combined for a time of 3:02.93.

The Wolverines return to Canham Natatorium Saturday (Jan. 18) for a Big Ten Conference dual meet with No. 25 Indiana at 1 p.m.

Contact: Gene Skidmore (734) 763-4423