INDIANAPOLIS - The Michigan women's swimming team took the first step toward its 11th-straight conference title yesterday, earning 208.5 points, 30 ahead of second-place Minnesota, at the Big Ten championship.
The third-ranked Wolverines were led by Shannon Shakespeare and Jen Eberwein, who each claimed an individual Big Ten title. Eberwein was also part of the winning 200-yard freestyle relay team.
Shakespeare, a freshman, set a Big Ten championship record in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:00.87.
"I didn't even know that the record was coming in so it was a big surprise," Shakespeare said. "I'm really happy about it."
Shakespeare was also part of the third-place 400 medley-relay team, swimming the freestyle leg of the race.
Eberwein claimed the 50 free Big Ten title for the second-straight year. She also swam the opening leg of the 200 free relay, posting the best time in that event.
But not all the Wolverines had a good day.
Senior Melisa Stone, swimming the 50 free for the last time in her Michigan career, missed qualifying for the finals by 1/100th of a second. She finished 13th overall.
"It's easy to see that this meet is not going to be a runaway meet," Michigan coach Jim Richardson said. "Over the next two days, we're going to have to be very tough."