Michigan captures the 2016 SMU Classic this weekend against a loaded field.
Scores
Michigan, 325
Louisville, 324
USC, 303
UCLA, 266.5
SMU, 237
Miami, 184.5
Michigan Press Release
LEWISVILLE, Texas -- Six student-athletes won races -- three in each heat -- to propel the University of Michigan women's swimming and diving team to a one-point win at the SMU Classic on Saturday (Oct. 15) inside the Westside Aquatic Center. The Wolverines scored 325 points to win the six-team meet, just barely ahead of Louisville (324).
The Wolverines secured the meet win by finishing second in the 200-yard freestyle relay to close the meet (1:30.75). Because Louisville eventually won that race, any finish lower than second would have given the Cardinals the meet win. U-M also took third in the 200-yard medley relay (1:39.93).
Freshman Kristen Hayden was one of the event winners, finishing first on the three-meter springboard (316.00) to earn High-Point Diver of the Meet honors. In the swimming pool, sophomore Yirong Bi and freshman Vanessa Krause each won events by slim margins: Bi in the 500-yard freestyle (4:37.62), two tenths-of-a-second ahead of Louisville's Mallory Comerford; Krause in the 200-yard butterfly (1:56.46), one tenth-of-a-second in front of USC's Maddie Wright
Three other student-athletes won races in 'B' finals: sophomore Becca Postoll in the 500-yard freestyle (4:41.90), sophomore Siobhán Haughey in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:10.05) and junior Gabby DeLoof in the 200-yard backstroke (1:56.27). Postoll's time would have put her third in the 'A' final. She also finished second in the 'B' final of the 200-yard individual medley (2:00.51).
Junior Clara Smiddy swam in two event finals, finishing second in the 200-yard backstroke (1:54.33) and fourth in the 200-yard IM (1:59.58). Other 'A'-final swims came from Haughey in the 100-yard freestyle (third, 49.03) and junior Emily Kopas in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:11.04).
The program welcomes back its alumni for its annual homecoming intrasquad next Saturday (Oct. 22) at Canham Natatorium. The meet will begin at 10:30 a.m. The team's next collegiate meet comes on Nov. 4-5 at Virginia (with Penn State).
Louisville Press Release
The University of Louisville women’s swimming and diving team won both relays and two individual races in the final day of the SMU Classic but finished one point behind the Michigan Wolverines Saturday night at the Westside Aquatic Center in Lewisville, Texas.
The Wolverines won the Classic with 325 points, Louisville was second with 324 followed by USC (303), UCLA (266.5), SMU (237), Miami (184.5).
The Cards came out and won the first relay of the night with a record-setting 200 Medley Relay. Alina Kendzior (24.99), Cottrell (26.98), Oglesby (23.94), and Casey Fanz (22.18) combined for a time of 1:38.09 and the win.
Mallory Comerford touched second in the 500-free with a school record of 4:37.64 in a wild finish, just .02 behind Rose Bi of Michigan. Abbie Houck was eighth in the 500-free with a 4:46.01.
Making it a breaststroke sweep, Louisville’s Andrea Cottrell took first in the 200-breast with a 2:08.74. Sofie Underdahl was 10th 2:15.55.
Alina Kendzior touched third in the 200-back with a 1:55.34. Sofie Underdahl was 8th in 1:58.66.
The Cardinals’ Abbie Houck was third in the 200-fly with a time of 1:56.50, just .04 behind the winner in a tightly contested finish.
Cardinal Diver Andrea Acquista posted a score of 277.10 in the 3-M springboard for fourth place.
UofL’s Mallory Comerford won the 100-free in 47.89. Teammate Casey Fanz was ninth with a time of 49.68.
Alina Kendzior was fifth in the 200 IM with a time of 2:01.49. Andrea Cottrell was 7th in 2:00.45
Cards won the 200-freestyle relay when Mallory Comerford (22.32), Abigail Houck (22.77), Grace Oglesby (22.76), and Casey Fanz 22.20 combined for 1:30.05 and a new meet record.
An unusual format, the SMU Classic features eight swimmers and a diver from each competing school. Swimmers may swim 3 events per day, one of which must be a relay. Each team will enter one swimmer per heat (Consolation and Championship), while relays will only have a Championship heat. Diving events will consist of 6 optional dives on 1m and 3m boards.
USC Press Release
Freshman Louise Hansson won the 200y IM with a meet record while sophomore Maddie Wright just missed a win in the 200y fly, second by 0.01, to highlight the No. 12 USC women’s swimming and diving squad on the second and final night of the SMU Classic on Saturday (Oct. 15) in Lewisville, Texas.
USC finished third in the six-team event in which each squad competed with eight swimmers and one diver, placing one swimmer each in A and B heats. The Trojans wrapped action with 303 points. Michigan won with 325, edging Louisville’s 324. UCLA was fourth (266.5) with host SMU fifth (237) and Miami (Fla.) sixth 184.5.
Hansson, the Swedish Olympian, took first in the 200y IM in 1:55.95, a meet record and 0.60 off of an NCAA A cut. She won the race by 3.48 seconds.
Wright just missed another win in the 200y fly, touching in 1:56.47 (NCAA B), 0.01 back of Michigan’s Vanessa Krause’s 1:56.46. Freshman Catherine Sanchez’s 1:58.45 in the B heat was good for second and also a B cut.
Sophomore Kirsten Vose also posted a close-call second-place swim, finishing the 200y breast in 2:08.94 (NCAA B), 0.20 out of first. Fellow soph Riley Scott was second in the B heat of the race in 2:11.53.
Vose came back later to win the B flight of the 100y free in 49.17 while freshman Stanzi Moseley was fifth in the A heat in 49.81, both NCAA B cut swims.
Troy opened the day with a second in the 200y medley relay as junior Hannah Weiss, Scott, Hansson and Moseley went 1:39.09. USC finished with a third in the 200y free relay with Moseley, Vose, Hansson and Sanchez (1:30.98).
The USC women open its 2016-17 home schedule Friday at 2 p.m. against Florida Gulf Coast while the men's squad hosts Cal State Bakersfield at the same time.
SMU Press Release
LEWISVILLE, Texas (SMU) – Junior Matea Samardzic led the SMU women's swimming and diving team winning the Swimming High Point award at the SMU Classic Friday and Saturday in Lewisville, Texas. The 2016 Olympian scored the most points as an individual swimmer, combining placements from individual and relay events.
"There was fantastic competition here this weekend, with impressive swimming by all," head coach Steve Collins said of the Classic. "It was a great start to the season and for Matea to win the High Point award with such extremely fast swimming is extraordinary."
Michigan won the Classic in their first trip to the event, narrowly edging out Louisville with 325 points. The Cardinals posted a final score of 324. USC was third at 303, UCLA fourth with 266.5, SMU fifth at 237 and Miami finished sixth scoring 184.5.
Samardzic posted the fastest time in the country in the 200-yard backstroke, clocking a 1:53.69 for the win and meet record. She also posted a provisional time in the 200-yard individual medley, finishing second in a time of 1:59.43.
Other Mustangs competing in Championship Finals included Maddie Hoch (500 free), Tara-Lynn Nicholas (200 breast), Vicky Cunningham (100 free) and Marne Erasmus (200 fly). Cunningham's time in the 100 free was an NCAA B cut at 49.58.
Sophomore diver Brooke Pospichal placed sixth on the 3 meter today with a six-round 237.60.
"Overall, I was very pleased with how Brook performed in her first event. She did a great job," head diving coach Jim Stillson said. "She was very consistent and solid on the 1 meter with no misses. For where we are in the season she did a very good job and we're going to keep working on the basics and increasing her degree of difficulty in the next few months. Looking ahead, I don't think that will be a problem for her at all."
In relay action, SMU placed fourth in the 200-yard medley relay and fifth in the 200-yard freestyle relay.
The Mustangs are back in action Oct. 28 for their first dual meet of the season. SMU hosts American Athletic Conference opponent Houston at 7 p.m. CT in Southlake, Texas. Find live results at SMUMustangs.com.
