Michigan Wins Five Events at Two-Day OSU Winter Invite

Sunday, February 14

Columbus, Ohio

10:00 AM

Michigan

Ohio State Winter Invitational

Michigan Wins Five Events at Two-Day OSU Winter Invite

2/14/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving

Feb. 14, 2010

Site: Columbus, Ohio (McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion)
Event: Ohio State Winter Invitational (Day 2 of 2)
U-M Team Result: No Team Scoring
Next U-M Event: Wed-Sat., Feb. 24-27 -- at Big Ten Swimming and Diving Championships (Columbus, Ohio)

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- In the final tuneup before the Big Ten Championships, the No. 6-ranked University of Michigan men's swimming and diving team sent a small group of swimmers to the Ohio State Winter Invitational, held Saturday and Sunday (Feb. 13-14) at McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion.

U-M won five events during the non-scoring event while picking up four runner-up finishes. Michigan also achieved seven NCAA consideration marks.

On the first day of competition (Saturday, Feb. 13), junior James Ridgeway (Chicago, Ill./Saint Patrick) won the 100-yard breaststroke, touching in 55.17, with junior Sam Wensman (Durham, N.H./Oyster River) right behind in 55.26 as both swimmers achieved NCAA consideration times.

Freshman Sam Hoekstra (Grandville, Mich./Grandville) became only the second Wolverine to achieve an NCAA 'B' mark in the 50-yard freestyle this season, winning the event in 20.26.

In the 200-yard butterfly, junior Tony Wahl (Detroit, Mich./Detroit Jesuit) took almost seven seconds off his previous season-best time, winning in 1:47.70 for his first consideration time of the year.

The Wolverines capped off the meet with a win in the 400-yard freestyle relay with Hoekstra, freshman Eric Huffman (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington), freshman Roman Willets (Whitehouse, Ohio/St. Francis deSales) and Ridgeway winning in a 'B' time of 3:00.46.

U-M will have a weekend off before heading back to Ohio State to defend its 2008 and 2009 conference crowns at the Big Ten Championships (Wed-Sat., Feb. 24-27). Finals will start each day at 7 p.m.

Event Winners/U-M Finishers

200-yard Freestyle 1. Zach Holmes, Ohio State 1:38.09 2. Roman Willets, U-M      1:38.11# 4. Andrew Novakoff, U-M    1:40.67
50-yard Freestyle 1. Sam Hoekstra, U-M         20.26# 3. Sean Fletcher, unatt.     20.65 6. Eric Huffman, U-M         20.95 8. Casey Sreenan, U-M        21.0312. Demetri Karedis, U-M      21.3013. Drew Coffin, U-M          21.38
200-yard Backstroke 1. Tyler Gertz, Purdue     1:47.67 3. Andrew Novakoff, U-M    1:47.99
200-yard Breaststroke 1. Mike Swain, U-M         2:01.51 2. Sam Wensman, U-M        2:02.05 3. James Ridgeway, U-M     2:02.25
200-yard Butterfly 1. Tony Wahl, U-M          1:47.70# 8. Sean Fletcher, unatt.   1:54.33
400-yard Freestyle Relay 1. MICHIGAN                3:00.46#   (Sam Hoekstra, Eric Huffman,    Roman Willets, James Ridgeway)
# NCAA Consideration Time

• Day One Results

N O T E S

• Michigan took 12 swimmers to non-scoring invitational.

• U-M hit seven NCAA consideration times (six individual and one relay). Each U-M individual that achieved a 'B' time did so for the first time this season.

• Sam Hoekstra joins Chris Brady as the only two U-M swimmers with 'B' marks in the 50-yard freestyle.

• Roman Willets swam a season-best time in the 200-yard freestyle, achieving a 'B' time (1:38.11).

• Mike Swain became the fifth Wolverine with a 'B' time in the 400-yard individual medley (3:55.10).

Contact: Sarah VanMetre (734) 763-4423