Jake Mitchell, Maggie MacNeil Earn Victories as Michigan Wins SMU Classic

Jake Mitchell -- Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Jake Mitchell, Maggie MacNeil Earn Victories as Michigan Wins SMU Classic

After the Michigan opened narrow leads over the Louisville Cardinals women and men during day one of the SMU Classic in Dallas, the Wolverines were able to extend that advantage and win both competitions with some quality swims on day two. Jake Mitchell, the Michigan sophomore who became famous for qualifying for the Olympics in a time trial this summer, was the winner in the 500 free, while 100-meter butterfly Olympic gold medalist Maggie MacNeil topped the field in the 100 free after winning the 50 free and 100 back one day earlier.

Mitchell won the 500 free in 4:17.94, two seconds ahead of Arizona’s Brooks Fail (4:19.93). The time was almost as quick as Mitchell swam to finish 28th at his first NCAA championships, and certainly, he will be looking for a much-improved NCAA performance as a sophomore. Taking down Fail, who was third at NCAAs last year and also a finalist at Olympic Trials, was a big step toward that goal. For good measure, Mitchell also won the 200 IM B-final in 1:46.84, the second-best overall time of the day.

MacNeil’s triumph came in the 100 free in 48.73, three tenths ahead of Louisville’s Christiana Regenauer (49.04). MacNeil has been as quick as 46.02 in the event on her way to winning the NCAA title last season. MacNeil also split 23.57 on the butterfly leg of Michigan’s first-place 200 medley relay, combining with Casey Chung, Letitia Sim and Lindsay Flynn to swim a 1:37.66 and beat runner-up Missouri by three tenths.

Also for the Michigan women, Sim won the 200 breast in an impressive time of 2:09.08, and Chung won the 200 back in 1:55.09. Kathryn Ackerman took first in the 200 IM in 1:58.16. Louisville’s Arina Openysheva added a victory in the 500 free (4:44.55) to her earlier win in the 200 free, and teammate Tristan Ulett won the 200 fly in 1:57.43.

Miami’s Mia Vallee added a win in three-meter diving (328.30) to her earlier win on one-meter. And in the 200 free relay, Missouri’s group of Megan Keil, Amy Feddersen, Meredith Rees and Sarah Thompson finished first in 1:29.22, with Thompson anchoring in 1:29.22.

Michigan pulled away to win the women’s meet with 356 points, followed by Louisville (334) and Missouri (284).

The men’s competition saw an impressive doubles from Louisville’s Nicolas Albiero and Daniel Sos. Albiero beat Missouri’s Jack Dalgren by just five hundredths to win the 200 back, 1:42.19 to 1:42.24, and then he blasted a 1:42.29 in the 200 fly, the event where he is the reigning NCAA champion. Sos won the 200 breast by 0.05 over SMU’s Colin Feehery, 1:56.57 to 1:56.62, with Michigan’s Will Chan only two tenths further back (1:56.83). Then, Sos comfortably won the 200 IM in 1:45.23.

Dahlgren won the 100 free by nine tenths in 42.99, and Texas A&M’s Victor Povzner took first in one-meter diving (314.85). Missouri’s team of Dahlgren, Danny Kovac, Daniel Wilson and Grant Bochenski won the 200 free relay to end the meet in 1:19.48.

Despite Michigan’s lack of wins on the men’s side aside from Mitchell’s 500, the Wolverines had enough depth to score 336 points, ahead of Louisville’s 325 and Missouri’s 303.

Live results

Name*

Email*

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use