By Dan D’Addona.
In the final weekend of dual meets in the Big Ten, senior days were celebrated across the Midwest.
Most teams faced a mid-major opponent, but the highlight of the weekend was Michigan facing rival Michigan State.
The No. 7 Michigan men won 13 of 14 events and beat the Spartans 160-90. The No. 6 women won all 14 events in a 173-80 road win.
Arguably the best race of the day came in the 100-yard backstroke, where freshman Rob Zofchak out-touched Michigan State’s Lachlan McLeish by less than a tenth-of-a-second (50.37).
Ten different swimmers won an individual event, led by senior Chris Klein, who won both the 50-yard breaststroke (25.30) and 100-yard IM (50.17).
Freshman Charlie Swanson won the 400-yard IM (3:51.67), while classmate Miles Smachlo won the 200-yard freestyle (1:38.84).
Other individual winners included junior Paul Powers in the 50-yard backstroke (22.78), senior Vinny Tafuto in the 50-yard butterfly (21.83), freshman James Jones in the 100-yard butterfly (48.55) and freshman Felix Auböck in the 500-yard freestyle (4:27.61). Michigan also won the 400-yard medley relay (3:17.17) and the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:20.84).
In the diving well, freshman Steven Anderson picked up his NCAA Zone Diving cut, winning 3-meter (324.00). Sophomore Collin DeShaw took home the 1-meter title (304.88).
Michigan State’s Alec Kandt broke the McCaffree Pool record in the 100-yard breaststroke to win in 53.45.
In the women’s meet, sophomore Yirong Bi won two events, the 400-yard IM (4:16.23) and the 100-yard breaststroke (1:03.90).
Three freshmen picked up their first collegiate wins against Michigan State: Annalisa Perez in the 50-yard breaststroke (29.34), Monica Babits in the 100-yard butterfly (56.47) and Jacqui Schafer in the 100-yard backstroke (56.74). Schafer won her race by more than four seconds. Sophomore Katie Duggan picked up her first win of the season in the 500-yard freestyle (4:56.96).
The team’s anchors also got first-place finishes on Saturday. Junior Gabby DeLoof led a 1-2-3 charge in the 50-yard backstroke (25.56), while freshman Vanessa Krause won the 50-yard butterfly (24.59). Other winners included junior G Ryan in the 200-yard freestyle (1:48.67) and sophomore Siobhán Haughey in the 100-yard IM (55.83). The Wolverines also won the 400-yard medley relay (3:41.30) and 200-yard freestyle relay (1:33.16).
Senior Allie Murphy looked sharp in her victory on 3-meter, scoring 320.70, a season best. Freshman Kristen Hayden won 1-meter (297.15).
Ohio State wins on senior day
in its final dual meet of the season Ohio State defeated Wright State 153-103 on a day that was preceded by senior day for Andrew Appleby, Josh Fleagle, Joey Long, Matt McHugh and Matt Moen.
On the diving boards Colin Zeng continued to dominate the competition. The national champion won on 3-meter with a score of 434.48 and 1-meter with 411.83.
Three seniors claimed individual events. Fleagle won the 100 freestyle, something he has now done five times this year, with a time of 44.24. Long was the fastest swimmer in the meet’s longest event, the 500 freestyle; he won that race in 4:40.53. Appleby won the last individual event of the evening, the 200 IM,
The Ohio State women won 153-88 on senior day for Lindsey Clary, Kaitlyn Ferrara, Taylor Vargo, Chantel Wynn and Zulal Zeren.
Kathrin Demler won two events today. The freshman took first in the 100 backstroke, touching the wall at 56.44, and she also won the 200 backstroke (2:01.08). It was the first time in her career that she won two events in one meet. Fellow freshman Devin Landstra also was victorious today, winning the 100 freestyle (53.51).
Both Clary and Vargo claimed individual races on Friday; Clary won the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:17.71 and Vargo won the 200 IM at 2:06.78, the third time she’s won that event as a Buckeye.
Penn State sweeps Villanova
Penn State swept Villanova by scores of 186-78 and 177-86 in a dual meet Friday.
Niki Price led the Nittany Lion women with two event wins, touching first in the 200 free (1:51.06) and the 100 free (51.51). Ally McHugh followed Price for a 1-2 PSU finish in the 200 free (1:52.38) and won the 200 butterfly (2:03.54). The Lions took their most points in the 50 free with Katie Saloky leading a 1-2-3 sweep in 23.55 seconds.
Shane Ryan won the 200 backstroke in 1:45.55 and now owns NCAA B-cut times in six different individual events. He led a 1-2-3 Lion sweep in the event with Liam Veregin touching second in 1:51.70 and Robbie Dickson touching third in 1:52.36. Ryan O’Neill also led a podium sweep in the 200 free in 1:41.53.
Wisconsin sweeps Green Bay with 12 records
The Wisconsin swimming and diving team closed out its regular season with 12 pool records. The No. 12-ranked Wisconsin women defeated Green Bay, 166-116, while the 22nd-ranked men won 170-120.
Senior Matt Hutchins opened with a win in the 1,000-yard freestyle in 8 minutes, 51.36 seconds, not only breaking the pool record by nearly 14 seconds, but also notching the pool record in the 500 freestyle along the way with his split of 4:20.29.
Senior Cannon Clifton also had a stellar meet, winning all three events he competed in while also racking up four pool records.
Clifton earned two pool records in one race as he helped set the Natatorium record in the 200 free relay (1:19.45) along with Ryan Barsanti, Ryan Stack and Brett Pinfold. Clifton’s split of 19.60 on the opening 50-yard leg helped him earn another record as he topped his own pool standard that he set in October against Auburn.
Clifton also earned pool records in the 100 free (42.89) and 400 medley relay (3:10.56), where he swam the freestyle leg.
Pinfold swam the anchor leg on the winning 200 free relay and also notched the pool record in the 100 backstroke with his split of 46.50 on the facility record-setting 400 medley relay (3:10.56) along with Clifton, Griffin Back and Harrison Tran.
On the women’s side, Chase Kinney earned three wins and two pool records to close out the regular season.
Kinney won the 100 free in 49.32 while being an integral part of the pool-record performances of the 400 medley relay (3:37.30) and the 200 free relay (1:30.26), in which she posted the fastest 50 free split in the field (22.00).
Seniors Maria Carlson attained a pool record in the 100 breaststroke in 1:00.39.
Freshman Kevin Pomeroy laid claim to a pool record on the 3-meter board with his score of 355.58 points, topping a 14-year old mark.
Iowa wins three duals
Iowa dominated its dual finale, winning 21-of-24 events in posting three dual victories Friday night.
The Iowa women tallied wins over Northern Iowa (147-73) and Western Illinois (161-49), while the men’s team downed the Leathernecks (145-58). The Hawkeye women finish the dual season with an 8-4 record; the men finish 6-3.
Senior Emma Sougstad swam to three event victories in her final collegiate home dual. She was part of the winning 400-medley relay (3:44.20) along with Meghan Lavelle, Mekenna Scheitlin and Hannah Burvill. Sougstad also won the 100 IM (57.26) and 50 fly (25.34).
Burvill was also victorious in the 500 free (4:57.00), and fellow freshmen Allyssa Fluit (23.71) won the 50 free and Amelia Armstrong-Grant touched first in the 200 free (1:55.41).
On the men’s side, Iowa got wins from freshman in five individual events. Sam Dumford sprinted to victories in the 50 free (20.69) and 100 free (45.71), Forrest White won the 500 free (4:34.03) and Isaak Webb won the 50 breast (25.80).
Senior Brandis Heffner posted Iowa’s final two events in the diving well. He won the 1-meter with a score of 345.20 and 3-meter with a career-best 361.55.
Gophers win Minnesota Challenge
Minnesota closed out the final regular season meet at home. The Gophers hosted multiple schools from around Minnesota: Augsburg, Carleton, Saint Benedict, Concordia, Gustavus, Hamline, Saint Mary’s, St. John’s, St. Olaf and St. Thomas. Iowa Central, Morningside, the College of Saint Mary, South Dakota State, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin-Stevens Point also competed. Wisconsin-Eau Claire brought divers only.
Check out the results here.
