Women's swimming and diving seeks 12th-straight title

Wolverines - not secure as favorites - could be upset by 10th-ranked Golden Gophers or 17th-ranked Badgers

There are only two things guaranteed in life - death and taxes.

Many Big Ten swimming and diving fans would add a third guarantee - the Michigan women's team will win the Big Ten championship.

The sixth-ranked Wolverines have taken the title in each of the past 11 seasons and are favorites once again in this season's meet, which starts today in Bloomington.

But the Wolverines don't seem as comfortable in that role. With No. 10 Minnesota and No. 17 Wisconsin boasting times faster than any by Michigan this season, the Wolverines aren't sure that the role of favorite is their's alone.

MARGARET MYERS/Daily Amy Fristch hasn't been around for all 11 of the women's swimming and diving team's Big Ten titles, but she was around for last years', and if all goes according to Michigan's plans, she'll be around for another one this season.

"This is Minnesota's best team ever and Wisconsin's 800-yard free relay team is the top-ranked team in the nation," Michigan coach Jim Richardson said. "These things are not won on paper, but I'm not sure if we'd be picked to win if the meet was decided on paper."

The matchup between the Badgers and the Wolverines will especially be key because both are strong in the freestyle and butterfly.

While Michigan's Talor Bendel and Shannon Shakespeare have dominated these events in dual meets this year, the Badgers have the firepower to give them a tough swim.

The leader of the group is Wisconisn sophomore Gina Panighetti, a top swimmer in the 100 fly and 200 fly and an anchor on the 200 free, 200 medley, and 400 medley relays. Wisconsin also counts on key performances in the freestyle from the members of its 800 free relay - Amy Anderson, Susie Topp, Ellen Stonebraker and Jaime Belfor.

Minnesota's depth also makes the Wolverines wary. With a roster of 36 swimmers - six more than Michigan - the Gophers have the personnel to threaten the Wolverines.

"This is the kind of meet where your 10th through 20th swimmers are critical to the success of your team," Richardson said. "Its a total team effort - you can't win a meet like this with seven or eight studs and no one else behind them."

While the studs won't necessarily win the meet, the Gophers have enough of them to make things interesting. Leading the way is senior distance freestyler Olga Splichalova, a native of the Czech Republic.

The Wolverines will also be threatened by Minnesota in the 100 fly, an event four Gophers have finished in under 55 seconds.

Heading that group is sophomore Jenny Hennen, who also is a key freestyle performer.

While the majority of the Michigan swimmers will be competing in the freestyle and 200 individual medley, the breaststroke events could decide the championship.

The Gophers boast the U.S. record-holder in the 100 breaststroke, Gretchen Hegener, but Michigan has gotten good performances of late from senior Rachel Gustin, the team's top performer in the breaststroke.

"Rachel is a big-time swimmer and we are hoping for some surprises in the breaststroke," Richardson said.

With the challenges the Badgers and Gophers are primed to put up, the Wolverines know they are in for a fight. To come out on top, the Wolverines hope to build from the adversity that has dogged them all year.

"We have had to overcome a lot of things this season that we haven't had in other seasons," Richardson said. "We have had quite a few injuries and we haven't had many full workouts this season due to the girls' class schedule.

"I'm not one to tell the girls to schedule their classes around practice, but we haven't had much work with relays."

While the success of Michigan's dynasty has led to obscenely high expectations, Richardson appreciates the difficulty of winning a conference title.

"We don't worry about winning championships," Richardson said. "You are lucky to win even one championship. The Fab Five was a great team, but even they never won a Big Ten championship.

"It's a very special thing."

02-19-98