2015-16 Season Previews -- Part Three
9/23/2015 12:00:00 AM | General
Sept. 23, 2015
On periodic Wednesdays throughout the season, MGoBlue.com will release season previews for upcoming sport seasons. The ice hockey and men's and women's swimming and diving teams are featured this week.
ICE HOCKEY
• Ticket Information
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2015-16 OUTLOOK
Michigan head coach Red Berenson enters his 32nd season behind the bench in 2015-16, having guided the Wolverines to record-setting success. The Wolverines are looking to return to the NCAA Tournament after a three-year absence and will be led by junior forward JT Compher, who will serve as team captain for the 2014-15 season. U-M returns seven of its top 10 scorers from a season ago from a team that finished No. 1 in the nation in scoring (3.86 goals per game). Junior forward Tyler Motte is Michigan's leading returner after notching a career-best 31 points (9G, 22A) in 2014-15, while junior Michael Downing and sophomore Zach Werenski return to anchor Michigan's defensive corps. Werenski, drafted eighth overall in the 2015 NHL Draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets, was named an All-Big Ten First Team and All-Rookie Team selection after a standout freshman campaign. Senior Steve Racine and junior Zach Nagelvoort give Michigan an experienced tandem in net heading into 2015-16. Racine (11-6-0, 2.94 GAA, .908 Save%) and Nagelvoort (11-9-0, 2.63 GAA, .906 Save%) split time in goal last season.
KEY COMPETITION
Dec. 11-12 (Friday and Saturday) vs. Minnesota
Michigan gets an early shot at revenge against the team that it lost to in the 2015 Big Ten Championship game, as the Wolverines take on the Golden Gophers Dec. 11-12 at Yost Ice Arena. In the first two years of Big Ten play, the home team has dominated this series, as Michigan is 3-1 against Minnesota at Yost, while the Gophers are 4-0 at Mariucci Arena. Last season, Michigan had two of its most memorable games against Minnesota at home. The first was a 4-3 (OT) win on Jan. 9, 2015, with Cutler Martin's game-winner punctuating a comeback win for the Wolverines. The following night, Berenson recorded his 800th win behind the bench in a 7-5 win over the Gophers.
• Full Preview (detailed season preview, quotes, student-athletes to watch and more)
WOMEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING
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2015-16 OUTLOOK
The 2015-16 roster might be considered shallow with only 28 student-athletes, but there is no shortage of impact performers or experience. It starts with the eight-person senior class that includes several All-Big Ten performers in Ali DeLoof and Marni Oldershaw. DeLoof finaled in all three of her individual events at last year's Big Ten Championships (including a runner-up finish in the 100-yard freestyle), while Oldershaw is only one year removed from being an NCAA All-American in the 200-yard IM as a sophomore. Three sophomores set school records in their first seasons, including Clara Smiddy (200-yard freestyle, 100-yard backstroke, 200-yard backstroke), Gillian Ryan (500-yard freestyle) and Emily Kopas (200-yard breaststroke). In addition, three divers -- Sarah Kamstra, Keegan McCaffrey and Nicole Honey (who redshirted last year) -- all qualified for the USA Diving National Championships this summer on platform, an event which is becoming a focus for second-year diving coach Mike Hilde.
Ali DeLoof (left) // Marni Oldershaw (right)
KEY COMPETITION
Feb. 17-20 -- host Big Ten Championships (Canham Natatorium)
The Wolverines have not won a Big Ten title since 2004 but are looking to break that streak this year when they welcome the conference's best to Canham Natatorium. They last hosted the conference meet in 2009.
• Full Preview (detailed season preview, quotes, student-athletes to watch and more)
MEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING
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2015-16 OUTLOOK
The Wolverines will be deep in several areas, including backstroke, butterfly and in the distance events. Seniors Dylan Bosch (butterfly/IM) and Anders Nielsen (distance freestyle) are two of the team's best swimmers, combining for 18 NCAA All-America honors and 13 Big Ten titles in their careers. The backstroke group, which has gotten stronger in recent years, looks to go even faster this year behind rising sophomores Tristan Sanders and Aaron Whitaker. The distance group will be another area of strength, led by Nielsen and sophomore PJ Ransford, who finished second in the 1,650-yard freestyle at both the Big Ten and NCAA Championships last year as a freshman. Sophomore Paul Powers had an impressive freshman season, winning the 50-yard freestyle at the Big Ten Championships and finishing eighth in the same event at the NCAA Championships. The biggest need in the water is likely the breaststroke, though junior Chris Klein looks most likely to fill the void after scoring in both events at the Big Ten Championships and qualifying for the NCAA Championships.
PJ Ransford (left) // Dylan Bosch (right)
KEY COMPETITION
Dec. 2-5 -- at AT&T Winter Nationals (Federal Way, Wash.)
The team's annual midseason meet in which the swimmers try and reach NCAA qualifying standards. With 2015-16 being an Olympic year, the meet will be a little different with every event in long course meters as opposed to short course yards. It typically features some of the nation's top collegiate programs and national and international professional swimmers.
• Full Preview (detailed season preview, quotes, student-athletes to watch and more)
