Michigan
SMU Classic
Smiddy, Relay Pace Wolverines at SMU Classic
10/13/2017 10:25:00 PM | Women's Swimming & Diving
» The Wolverines are in third place (161 points), trailing USC (168) and Louisville (163.5).
» Senior Clara Smiddy (100-yard backstroke) and the 800-yard freestyle relay team of Gabby DeLoof, Catie DeLoof, Yirong Bi and Siobhán Haughey picked up victories.
» Haughey claimed an NCAA "A" time in the 200-yard freestyle (1:42.44), finishing second in a tight race to defending NCAA champion Mallory Comerford (Louisville).
Site: Lewisville, Texas (Westside Aquatic Center)
Event: SMU Classic (Day 1 of 2)
U-M Team Standing: 3rd Place of six teams (161 points)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Oct. 14 -- at SMU Classic - Day Two (Lewisville, Texas), 6:30 p.m. CT
LEWISVILLE, Texas -- Senior Clara Smiddy and the 800-yard freestyle relay posted victories to lead the No. 6-ranked University of Michigan women's swimming and diving team on the first day of the SMU Classic on Friday (Oct. 13) at the Westside Aquatic Center. The Wolverines are in the third place (161 points), but are within striking distance of USC (168) and Louisville (163.5).
Each of the six teams at the SMU Classic has a roster comprised of nine student-athletes (eight swimmers, one diver). There are two heats per event with each team entering one swimmer per heat; the team's best swimmer goes in the championship final.
The most anticipated event of the evening was the 200-yard freestyle in which junior Siobhán Haughey squared off with defending NCAA champion Mallory Comerford (Louisville). Though Comerford picked up the win, Haughey was right behind in second with an NCAA "A" time (1:42.44), an impressive time for mid-October. Also of note was senior Gabby DeLoof, who won the consolation final with a time that would have placed her third in the championship (1:45.59). All three of those swimmers were top-six finishers at the NCAA Championships last spring and will meet again next weekend when the two teams compete in a dual meet.
The 800-yard freestyle relay team of Gabby DeLoof, junior Catie DeLoof, junior Yirong Bi and Haughey put together four solid legs to pick up the victory, touching at 7:00.71, an NCAA "A" time. Haughey split 1:44.36 to lead the foursome, while the other three splits were within less than a half-second of each other, further showcasing the team's depth in the event.
The other victory came from Smiddy, who out-touched USC's Louise Hansson by just over 0.2 seconds in the 100-yard backstroke (52.55).
The Wolverines finished second in both heats in two events: Bi (4:11.15) and junior Becca Postoll(4:16.56)in the 400-yard IM; sophomore Miranda Tucker (1:00.35) and Bi (1:01.05) in the 100-yard breaststroke. The 400-yard medley relay team of Smiddy, Tucker, sophomore Vanessa Krause and Haughey also claimed a runner-up finish (3:33.17).
Other notable results included a third-place finish from
The SMU Classic concludes tomorrow (Saturday, Oct. 14) at the Westside Aquatic Center. The first event begins at 6:30 p.m. CT.
Players Mentioned
