Michigan
Be Better; Invitational
Wolverine Women Set to Start 2024-25 at Be Better; Invitational
10/2/2024 1:52:00 PM | Women's Swimming & Diving
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 12-ranked University of Michigan women's swimming and diving team will open its 2024-25 season on Friday (Oct. 4) at the Be Better; Invitational at 4 p.m. at the Holland Aquatic Center in Holland, Mich.
Notes
• Michigan will honor the late Ian Miskelley on Friday with the Be Better; Invitational, an annual meet that seeks to promote mental health awareness and the opportunity to donate to the Be Better; Foundation, a charitable organization established by the Miskelley family in Ian's memory.
• U-M will compete against Calvin, Hope and Purdue as all three schools have student-athletes with a connection to Miskelley and the Miskelley family at the prep, club and collegiate levels.
• The Wolverines saw dramatic improvement under the guidance of second-year coach Matt Bowe. At the NCAA Championships in March, U-M improved by 11 places and 114.5 points from its finish at the 2023 NCAA Championships, marking the largest jump in the nation.
• Michigan boasts strong depth with 13 of its 14 All-Americans returning for the 2024-25 season. Stephanie Balduccini returns to Ann Arbor after a sterling freshman campaign that featured a Big Ten title in the 400-yard freestyle relay and Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors. Over the summer, Balduccini represented Brazil at the 2024 Olympic Games, her second trip to the Olympic Games. The sophomore was also recognized as the Big Ten Swimmer to Watch in advance of the 2024-25 season.
• Fellow All-American Katie Crom will look to build off an impressive sophomore season in 2023-24. Crom captured two individual league crowns in the 200-yard butterfly and 500-yard freestyle. Crom also earned All-America second-team honors in those same two events and earned first-team recognition for her efforts in the 800-yard freestyle relay.
• Casey Chung and Claire Newman return for a fifth season with the program. Newman was a critical part of Michigan's win in the 400 freestyle relay at the Big Ten Championships while Chung earned All-America recognition for her backstroke leg in the 400-yard medley relay at the NCAA Championships.
• Kiarra Milligan leads the way in diving after earning seventh in the three-meter dive at the NCAA Championships and being named the Big Ten Diver to Watch for Michigan.
• Friday's meet will feature a mix of traditional and non-traditional events and will be non-scoring.
Players Mentioned
