Eberwein takes fourth at NCAAs

MINNEAPOLIS - Michigan women's swimming coach Jim Richardson said the 1998 NCAA championships would be fast - faster than the Olympics. He was right.

After one day Michigan is in ninth place. Stanford, led by two-time Olympic gold medalist Catherine Fox, is the current leader with a total of 129 points.

In a meet like this, it's hard not to believe that records will be set or broken. But it is also fair to say that no one expected to see some of the fastest women's swimming races of all time.

Yesterday's 50-yard freestyle championship heat featured the fastest field of sprinters in history. To qualify for the event, swimmers had to best a time of 22.69.

In years past swimmers could be swimming in the final heat qualifying with a time of 22.9 seconds. Richardson was almost speechless as he tried to discuss the competition.

ANDY KING/Special to The Daily Michigan women's swimmer Shannon Shakespeare competes in the 200 medley relay at the NCAA Championships in Minnesota, yesterday. The relay team placed second in the finals.

"The 50 free was so fast, just so fast," Richardson said. "This year there are 16 people who qualified with times in between last year's seventh- and eighth-place times. That's so fast."

Michigan junior Jennie Eberwein had her lifetime best swim in the 50 free. With a time of 22.43, she took fourth in the finals. At this year's Big Ten Championships, Eberwein broke the Big Ten record in the 50 free in the morning qualifying rounds. She reset the record in the evening. The results yesterday were strikingly similar.

"She swam a great race," Richardson said. "She was so close, only half a stroke away."

In addition to Eberwein, Michigan also placed its 200 medley relay team on the podium with a second place finish. The time of 1:30.35 was a team record.

Eberwein swam the 50 backstroke, senior Talor Bendel the 50 breaststroke, Jennifer Crisman in the butterfly, and Shannon Shakespeare in the 50 free.

"We're really excited," Bendel said. "It was a great swim for us cause it broke the pool record and was our fastest time ever. It's just the best."

For the Cardinal, Fox won the 50 free and led off the 400 medley relay. Ordinarily, most swimmers are content with winning first place in an event, but Fox isn't an ordinary champion.

"I wanted to go faster," Fox said. "But then I always want to go faster. However, I really can't complain about first place.

"What can I say? I like to win."

While Richardson said he was pleased with Michigan's results todaty, he said he believes his team can swim faster.

"Shannon (Shakespeare) is a little under the weather," Richardson said. "We just have to have her healthy again, and we could really swim fast."

In today's events, the Wolverines will showcase their 200-medley team, which is bringing in the third best time in the nation.

03-20-98