W Swim ranked #1, M Swim #6

The first CSCAA poll came out today for college swimming, because they actually wait and see competition first before they do polls so they aren't just pulling rankings out of their ass.

The Michigan Men and Women are obviously both elite teams both having won the B1G Championship last year. Both are also coached by Mike Bottom.

Bottom is on top. The Men have won 52 straight dual meets (that's FIVE straight perfect seasons). In that span they have had three trophy finishes (top-4) as a team which includes a National Championship in 2013.

Surprisingly, they aren't the highest ranked B1G team. Indiana is ranked #1, but we'll see about that as the rivalry takes center stage on January 14th. Indiana is the only team throughout history that has even given Michigan a fight in dual meets with the series record being 47-30-3 in Michigan's favor.

The B1G team with the second-most wins against the Wolverine Men is OSU with 11 (Michigan leads that series 69-11-2). 

Disappointing and shocking 12th place finish last year at the NCAA Championships after winning the B1G for the 6th straight year. Doubt that happens ever again under Bottom.

The big story here is the women's program. The previous AD made a bold move in firing Jim Richardson, the longtime W Swim head coach who almost won a national championship here in 1994-95, and replaced him with............Mike Bottom. 

Yes, Mike Bottom coaches BOTH the Men and Women. They have identical schedules in terms of dual meets. 

Last year W Swim won the B1G for the first time since 2003-04. This was Bottom's 4th year as the women's head coach. Couple that with a strong NCAA showing and almost every individual B1G Champion from last season returning from last year's great team and you have the #1 team in the nation.

The significant point-getters Michigan lost to graduation were Ali DeLoof (A 2016 B1G Champion in the 400 Free Relay) & diver Sarah Kamstra. Another DeLoof sister joined the team this Fall in Jackie DeLoof so the number of DeLoofs on the roster is at 3 like it was last year.

Michigan opened the 2016-17 with a 3-session series against Louisville (currently ranked #11 in Men's, #3 in Women's).

Michigan swept them on both sides. The Men winning each session by scores of 246.5-188.5, 285-187 and 283-188.

The #1 Women won each of their match ups with the #3 Cardinals 257-179, 274-196 and 266-205.

Domination. The women also won the SMU Classic two weeks ago down in Dallas over the likes of #3 Louisville, #5 USC, #15 UCLA, Miami and SMU.

It's gonna be another great season for both teams. I like our chances to run the table on both sides this year.