Some people say that the Thanksgiving holiday is a time when physical conditioning is ruined by pounds of food and hours of inactivity.
The Michigan women's swimming team would disagree.
In their first invitational meet of the season, the Wolverines showed no signs of post-Thanksgiving malaise by steam-rolling the rest of the 11-team field at the three-day Miami (Ohio) Invitational.
Michigan viewed this meet as the most important one of the early season, and did not fail to please its fans by finishing with 1,157 points, more than double the number of the second-place team, host Miami.
Senior captain Anne Kampfe said that the rest and relaxation during Thanksgiving only helped the Wolverines.
"I think it was good," she said. "People got to go home. It's always good to get out of Ann Arbor for a little while."
Besides winning the meet, the Wolverines went into Oxford, Ohio, with the goal of qualifying as many swimmers as possible for the NCAA championship.
They succeeded, automatically qualifying in a freestyle relay and three individual races and getting numerous teams and individual swimmers consideration for the NCAAs with fast times.
Overall, Michigan was pleased with its effort in the important meet.
"We went in there trying to qualify for the NCAAs and win the meet," Kampfe, who earned NCAA consideration in four individual races, said. "We had some of the fastest times we've had this season."
Freshman Shannon Shakespeare dominated the meet, automatically qualifying for the NCAAs with times of 23.06 seconds in the 50-yard freestyle and 1:46.66 in the 200 free.
Sophomore Jen Eberwein also earned an automatic NCAA qualification when she finished just .02 seconds behind Shakespeare in the 50 free.
The Wolverines' 400 free relay team of Eberwein, Shakespeare, junior Talor Bendel and senior Melisa Stone is assured of a spot in the NCAAs with its victory Friday, as is the 400 medley relay team of junior Linda Riker, Stone, senior Jodi Navta and Shakespeare.
Despite the Wolverines' domination of the field at Miami, Kampfe said the competition gave Michigan a push.
"(The opposition) stepped up and raced us," she said. "I think we responded by swimming a good race. I think we represented Michigan well."
After swimming well and holding a 371-point lead after the second day of competition, the Wolverines went on a tear Saturday, failing to place first in only one swimming event. The end result was a 692-point cushion over the field.
While the swimming team was enjoying its success, the Michigan diving team found its stay in Oxford less pleasant.
The Wolverines could not muster a top-three finish in either the one- or three-meter diving event. Freshman Hannah Shin placed fourth for the Wolverines in the one-meter dive.
The swimming team, with its last meet of the term complete, will now prepare for its trip to Coronado, Calif., over winter break. While most people would get caught up in California's warm sun, Kampfe insists that the Wolverines will get down to work out west.
"We want to get some hard training (in California)," she said. "I think we're going to be ready for (the crucial) Big Tens (in February)."
JONATHAN SUMMER/Daily
The Michigan women's swimming team qualified for the NCAA Championship in five events this past weekend at the Miami Invitational. As a team, the Wolverines blew their 10 opponents away with 1,157 total points, almost 700 more than any other team.