The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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58 THE WOLVERINE ❱ FEBRUARY 2025 BY ANTHONY BROOME Men's Gymnastics The No. 2 Wolverines earned a score of 310.900 in their season opener on Jan. 11 to sweep No. 14 Greenville (299.450) and No. 15 Simpson (287.400) at Cliff Keen Arena in Ann Arbor. U-M grabbed five event titles with a pair of podium sweeps on the high bar and still rings, and placed two Wolverines on the po- dium in the three other events. The team also led after every rotation on the day. One of the stars of the event was freshman Carson Eshlemen, who make his debut by winning the still rings (13.400) and high bar (13.500) titles. Additionally, graduate Syam Burada- gunta and freshman Solen Chiodi made their program debuts. Women's Gymnastics No. 13 Michigan won the first session of the Sprouts Farmers Market Col- legiate Quad in Oklahoma City, grab- bing a 195.925 score on Jan. 10. Follow- ing the Wolverines were No. 14 Arizona (195.825), Clemson (195.350) and NC State (195.000). The Wolverines captured a trio of in- dividual event titles, headlined by fresh- man Jahzara Ranger's second title in as many weeks with a 9.900 on the floor exercise in the anchor spot. Graduate Carly Bauman took home the uneven bars title with a 9.900, while freshman Sophia Diaz won her first career title with a victory on the vault. U-M opens its 2025 Big Ten Confer- ence slate on Jan. 17 when it travels to Michigan State for a 6 p.m meet at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. Men's Swimming/Diving U-M's 13th-ranked squad secured sec- ond-place finishes in 11 of the 14 events in the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatics Center but fell to No. 2 Indiana by a score of 176-118 on Jan. 10 in Bloomington. The team of Jack Wilkening, Ozan Kala- fat, Tyler Ray and Bence Szabados were the runners-up in the 200-yard medley relay, finishing in 1:23.80. Michigan's B relay squad of Inbar Danziger, Jaeddan Gamilla, Colin Geer and Logan Zucker finished third with a 1:27.08. The Wolverines are back in action on Jan. 18 with a conference showdown ver- sus 10th-ranked Ohio State at Canham Natatorium. It will host Miami (Ohio) on Feb. 1 at 1 p.m. at home. Women's Swimming/ Diving No. 7 Michigan fell, 160-103, to No. 6 Indiana on Jan. 10 at Counsilman- Billingsley Aquatics Center, with the meet concluding early due to a medi- cal incident on the pool deck. Rebecca Diaconescu had a win in the 1,000-yard freestyle, clocking a time of 9:32.96, nearly six seconds ahead of the next- c l ose s t sw i m m er. H a n n a h Bel l a rd grabbed a No. 1 finish in the 200-yard butterfly, posting an NCAA 'B' standard time of 1:55.31 and finishing more than two seconds ahead of second place. In diving, Kiarra Milligan recorded a score of 313.05 on the one-meter springboard to finish second. Chrismon Clark scored 320.33 to place third in the three-meter dive. The women will also host Ohio State on Jan. 18 at Canham Natatorium with the meet being streamed live on B1G+. Men's Indoor Track & Field The men's track and field team opened its 2025 home slate hosting the Wolverine Invitational on Jan. 11 at the U-M Indoor Track Building. The Wolverines went 1-2 in the 300-meter dash, with senior Lawrence Gilliam taking the win and posting a personal-best time of 34.11. Freshman Brendan Herger won the 800-meter run with a time of 1:49.29. Sophomore Trent McFarland's time of 3:58.71 in the mile run was good for the win. Making their debut in maize and blue, sophomore Liam Kinney won the pole vault (16 feet, 4.75 inches), and John McNeil, a grad transfer from Brown, won the high jump (6-11). Women's Indoor Track & Field Sophomore Elizabeth Tapper set a program record in the shot put to lead the U-M women's track and field as it also opened its 2025 season hosting the Wolverine Invitational Jan. 11. Tapper, who held the No. 7 shot put mark (51 feet, 11.75 inches) on the pro- gram performers list coming into the meet, threw for a personal-best 52-1.25 on her fourth attempt of the day. Af- ter fouling on her fifth attempt, Tapper threw for 55-3.75 on the final attempt for the win, a personal best and the pro- gram record. The Wolverines went 1-2-3 in the shot put, with junior Trinity Franklin (48 feet, 5.50 inches) and freshman Abi- gail Russell (47-1) rounding out the top three. Russell had an impressive debut for the Maize and Blue, also posting a second-place finish in the weight throw (61-1.5). Freshman Kourtney Rathke won the ❱ OLYMPIC SPORTS UPDATE Winter Sports Roundup Sophomore Elizabeth Tapper set a U-M pro- gram record in the shot put with a throw of 55 feet, 3.75 inches at the Wolverine Invitational Jan. 11. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETICS