Entering his fifth season in charge of the women’s program at Michigan, Mike Bottom has the Wolverines at the top.
Michigan won its first Big Ten title in more than a decade last spring, topping Indiana in front of a home crowd. That was the first big breakthrough for Bottom’s women’s team after a run of incredible success with the Wolverine men. Bottom has been coaching the men’s program since 2008 and has won 7 Big Ten titles in his 8 seasons. That also includes a momentous run to the NCAA title back in 2013.
And now that success seems to be trickling over to the women’s program, which isn’t giving up any ground at the top of the Big Ten.
At the midway point of the 2016-2017 season, Michigan is on a roll, hitting 3 relay A cuts at the Georgia Invite and nailing all 5 relays within the top 16 in NCAA ranks at the moment. That’s headed by an 800 free relay that sits 4th nationwide.
Michigan’s dominance at the moment is keyed on the freestyle races. The Wolverines have A cuts in all three free relays, meaning they’ll qualify to swim all relays that achieve even a B cut at the NCAA Championships. They also own the #3 time in the country in the 200, 500, 1000 and 1650 freestyles. Over those last three distances, Michigan has two swimmers inside the top 10 nationally. Here’s a look at the events in which Michigan currently has a swimmer ranked in the top 20 in the NCAA:
- 100 free: #13 Haughey
- 200: #3 Haughey
- 500: #3 Ryan, #4 Bi,
- 1000: #3 Bi, #7 Ryan
- 1650: #3 Bi, #6 Ryan
- 1 BR: #17 Kopas
- 2 BR: #16 Kopas, #17 Haughey
- 2FL: #12 Krause
- 2IM: #11 Haughey
- 4IM: #18 Bi
Sophomores Siobhan Haughey and Rose Bi are following up on huge rookie years with top-5 ranks. Haughey, of Hong Kong, was an All-American in the 200 free last year, and could push for top 8 in the 100 free and 200 IM this coming season. Bi, who competes for China internationally, made the NCAA final in the 500 and 1650 last year. Throw in junior G Ryan, who is having a tremendous early season, and Michigan has three different swimmers with top-3 ranks nationally.
Freshman Vanessa Krause is also making a lot of noise, hitting new lifetime-bests just three months into her college career. She was 53.04 in the 100 fly and 1:55.76 in the 200 fly at the Georgia Invite, the latter leading the Big Ten.
Speaking of the Big Ten, Michigan currently holds the conference’s top time in 8 of 18 Big Ten Championships events. That includes 3 of the 5 relays, in what could be a huge points boost come February. Behind Michigan, Minnesota holds 5 top times (including both medley relays), Indiana has 3 and Ohio State 2.
The men are not bringing in top tier recruits this year. And what happened to Aaron Whitaker? Jason Chen? the divers are coming up. breaststroke got good recruits. Charlie Swanson looks like a beast in 400IM. Distance free is strong. But who will swim sprint relays with Paul Powers? and fly / back are not strong enough. I see Indiana recruiting great and developing their studs.
Whitaker & Chen off team for violation of rules.
I am not to worried as some about the men’s team. They have 21 sophomores and Freshmen of 5 on the roster so they are really young. Last year was a disappointment finishing outside the Top 10 but I am expect them back sooner rather than later. The women I expect to go on a run similar to the men over the next few years. Also, this was an Olympic year, alot of swimmers on both side had Trials and some went to the Olympics and in addition they had 8 current swimmers who just went to World Championships, including for the men, Ransford, and Powers, and for the women Smiddy. I think they are okay.
Being young in swimming isn’t the same as being young in football. That is just an excuse. Stanford Women are young but they will win. The men are doing the opposite of their women. Just a fact.
All this talk about the Men being bad since he took over the women is crazy. In the 4 NCAA championships that Bottom coached both the Men and Women, the Men have gone, 1st, 4th, 3rd and 12th. Being top 4 in the country in 3 of the 4 years is pretty remarkable. Let’s not just judge on a single season and look at the entire picture. The Men should get back into the top 10 again this year and move back on up. They have a young group now with lots of talent.
they will NOT be top 10 this year! sorry. and they won’t win Big 10’s either…..take my word.
the men are going from the ‘top to bottom’
I was thinking the same thing about the men’s team. Don’t think they will roll at Big 10’s this year, as they usually do!!! Women look to repeat easily!!!
Just look at the men’s finishes since they won in ’13. they have gotten worse each year. I don’t expect them to win every year but they should be relevant. they aren’t relevant anymore and that was a fast downhill. they must have some serious issues on the men’s team or their staff can’t coach both teams at the same time?!
Actually, the men finished higher at NCAA’s in ’15 than they did in ’14, and they’ve won the Big Ten every year since 2011. They did have a dropoff last year in finishing 12th nationally. Still, I don’t think six conference titles in a row is a sign of “serious issues”.
And their staff can clearly coach both teams at the same time, considering the men won their national title when Bottom was the coach of both teams, and the women have improved every year since the program was combined.
I am pretty sure they weren’t combined when the men won….not postive but pretty sure
And the men have gone the opposite way! A coincidence? I don’t think so!