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"Ruth Thompson Earns Top Award; Adds to Her Legacy at U-M"
4/1/08 - Former Michigan Synchro athlete Ruth Pickett Thompson is featured in the winter edition of Synchro Swimming USA magazine in recognition of her induction into the University of Michigan Hall of Honor. Thompson notes in the article an important piece of advice given to her by her father when she set out to begin her freshman year at Michigan: "I was very intimidated and scared to death, and my dad always encouraged me. His advice was whereever you go and whatever you do, leave your mark." Over her four years at Michigan, Thompson earned All-American honors four times, received the AIAW Broderick Award twice, earned the Marie Hartwig Award as Michigan's top female athlete, and went on to win the Gerald R. Ford Award for epitomizing excellence in scholarship, sport, and society. [Article]

REALTIME RESULTS: U-M Synchro finishes in 3rd place among clubs, 10th overall
3/29/08 - With one of the smallest rosters present at the 2008 U.S. Collegiate Championships (5 athletes), the University of Michigan Synchronized Swimming Team concluded the meet with 26.5 points, six points greater than their 2007 finish with 10 swimmers. [Their 10th place finish in 2007 was tied with three other teams.] Competing at the Championship were a number of former Olympic athletes as well as at least 20 current or former National Team members from a number of countries. Michigan earned 10 points from the Routine Events, marking the first time since the early 1990s that the team has earned routine points. The team earned 2nd place among clubs in each small routine event, but was hurt in overall points with no team routine. Although difficult admissions at the University has limited the number of recruits, the team is excited at its prospects for the 2007-08 season. Check back soon for full results.

REALTIME RESULTS: U-M Synchro concludes Finals with a strong 11th place in solo
3/29/08 - Michigan athlete Emily Terwelp followed up strong swims in the trio and duet events with a 11th place in the solo event. Her final score of 82.84 improved her place six spots since the 2007 Championships and earned her a berth at U.S. Nationals, the nation's most elite meet. The field in finals (top 12) includes 2004 Olympic Bronze medalist Sarah Lowe and five former National team members (Russia [2], South Africa, Mexico, and Croatia). Check back for final results after the awards portion of the competition.

REALTIME RESULTS: U-M Synchro clinches 10th place in duet
3/29/08 - Rochelle Ross and Emily Terwelp capped their successful season with a 10th place swim in duet. Their score of 83.66 moved them ahead of Florida (11th) and Mason (12th) and brought them the second highest placement for a club team. Check back for results after the solo portion of the competition.

REALTIME RESULTS: U-M Synchro moves into the 11th place trio spot
3/29/08 - University of Michigan Synchronized Swimming Team athletes Rochelle Ross (senior), Megan Muma (junior), and Emily Terwelp (sophomore) moved from 12th into the 11th place during the Trio Final Event at the 2008 U.S. Collegiate Championships. Swimming to music from the soundtrack "300", the trio earned Michigan a score of 83.33, improving their score by nearly five points from the semifinal event (78.67). Michigan bested the trio from the varsity team at Wheaton College, to place next to the top club trio from Florida (10th place). Check back for results after the duet portion of the competition.

U-M Synchro amongst nation's top clubs at U.S. Collegiate Championships
3/28/08 - Two days into the 2008 U.S. Collegiate Synchronized Swimming Championships, the University of Michigan Synchronized Swimming Team has already established themselves amongst the nation's top club teams. Senior team members Rochelle Ross, Emily Terwelp, and Megan Muma achieved achieved three top-12 finishes in the semifinal events, guaranteeing a berth into Finals. Michigan's duet earned the team its top placement, with a score of 81.500 to achieve 10th place overall, or 2nd among clubs. In the solo competition, Terwelp improved her ranking by six places year-over-year to take 11th place with a score of 82.167, another 2nd place club. Michigan's trio earned 12th place in a tight field with a score of 78.667, again in the position of 2nd highest club routine. All three routines have progressed to Finals competition on Saturday and will challenge to improve their placement, a first in Michigan Synchro history since before the team's rebuilding years in the 1990s (finals swims in 2006 and 2007 were in the position of pre-swmmer or exhibition, an honorary designation that earns the team no points).. Michigan's novice duet of Sarah Williams and Ayumi Ueda exceeded expectations with a finish of 20th place. The competition's semifinal results marked a considerable improvement in the team's placement, particularly because the U.S. Collegiate Championships are an open-class meet in which both varsity and club programs participate and directly compete against each other; in 2008 a large number of collegiate athletes had participated or would be participating as National Team Members in the Olympics or other international events. Stay tuned for results after Saturday's Final event.

U-M Synchro makes team history with runner-up finish at 2008 North Regional Championships, 1st among club teams
3/1/08 - Strong routine swims coupled with outstanding figure performances cinched the 2nd overall place & 1st among club teams for the University of Michigan Synchronized Swimming Team at the 2008 North Regional Championships, Columbus, OH. The runner-up finish, a first since at least the early 1990s, was especially meaningful given Michigan's smaller team size, as well as the achievement of several athlete career-best scores. #2 Ohio State University, a varsity program with more national championship wins than any other team, took first place with 100 points; Michigan was followed by the varsity program at Carleton College in 3rd with 69 pts, and Miami University and University of Minnesota in close succession with 64.5 and 64 points. Other top finishers were Ohio University (6th), University of Illinois (7th), and Ball State (8th). The Regional Championship is a qualifier for the U.S. Collegiate Championships, held March 26-29, and also the nation's most elite meet, the U.S. National Championships, held April 30-May 3 in Tucson, AZ.

U-M Synchro sweeps six events to take top place overall at 2008 Maize & Blue Invitational
2/17/08 - Michigan Synchro continued its highly successful 2008 season with a first-place finish at the 2008 Maize & Blue Invitational. The U-M bested teams from Miami University and the University of Illinois by taking first in all four figure groups, as well as in the trio, duet, and solo events. The team next travels to Columbus, OH for the 2008 North Regional Championships, where they will face 9 teams to earn a berth to the U.S. Collegiate Championships.

Former U-M Synchro athlete to be inducted into Michigan Hall of Honor
2/9/08 - On Saturday, February 9, former U-M Synchro athlete Ruth Pickett Thompson will be inducted to the ranks of the University of Michigan Hall of Honor. Under coach Joyce Lindeman, Ruth Pickett placed among the top three individuals at each of four Intercollegiate Synchronized Swimming Championships; was named All-American all four years of her Michigan career, in 1978 (as a member of Michigan’s national runner-up team), ’79 '80 and '81; was honored with the AIAW’s (Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women) 1979 and 1980 Broderick Awards as the nation’s top collegiate athlete in her sport; and was the University of Michigan’s 1981 Marie Hartwig Award winner as female athlete of the year. In 1998, the Richmond, Virginia native received the University of Michigan Athletic Department’s Gerald R. Ford Award, presented to a former student-athlete who epitomizes excellence in scholarship, sport and society. Thompson will be recognized along other inductees during the Michigan-Penn State basketball game. [More information from the M Club Letter Winners page]
[Article on Thompson in the Port Huron Times Herald]

U-M Synchro earns first place in two divisions, places 3rd overall at Gator Invitational
2/2/08 - The University of Michigan Synchronized Swimming Team took home first in the B and D figure divisions at the 2008 Gator Invitational, but it wasn't enough to best teams from the varsity University of Incarnate Word and club program from the University of Florida. Senior Rochelle Ross earned first place in the B figure division with a score of 73.521, behind one exhibition swimmer from UIW and ahead of both UIW and UF athletes. Sophomore Sarah Williams picked up her second win of the season in D figures, with a score of 58.757; sophomore Ayumi Ueda was close behind in second with 56.180. Michigan returns to action on Sunday, February 17 for the 2008 Maize & Blue Invitational, welcoming Ohio University, Miami University, Michigan State, and University of Illinois. [More] [Results]

U-M Synchro in close finish with Keuka College, taking 3rd at OSU Tri-Meet
1/19/08 - Only two points kept the University of Michigan Synchronized Swimming Team from a tie for 2nd at the Ohio State University Tri-Meet, attended by #2 OSU and #6 Keuka College, both varsity programs. Michigan finished with an overall score of 68, just two points behind Keuka (70); OSU finished with a score of 96. Michigan's duet of senior Rochelle Ross and sophmore Emily Terwelp earned 3rd place in duet, behind two OSU routines and besting Keuka's duet. Terwelp and Ross were joined by junior Megan Muma in the trio event, taking 4th with an overall score of 80.833. Sophomore Sarah Williams, who finished the 2007 season with an 8th place at the Collegiate National Championships, brought home first place in D Figures, with a score of 57.630. Other notable figure results include a 2nd place for Muma in C Figures, 5th for Ross in B Figures, and 19th in a competitive A Element group for Terwelp. Michigan next travels to Gainesville, FL on February 2 for a tri-meet with UF and UIW. [Results]

U-M Synchro hosts 2007 Michigan Age Group Clinic
11/12/07 - University of Michigan Synchronized Swimming was the host organization for the 2007 Michigan Association Age Group Clinic, held November 10-11 at Canham Natatorium. Led by head coach Stephanie Sherk and assistant coach Molly Clark, with assistance from the 2007-08 team, athletes ranging from ages 10-18 attended sessions on core strengthening, flexibility, general strength, landdrilling, and routine skills, as well as skills specific to the 2008 age group figures.

U-M Synchro alumnae featured in Metro Times article
9/12/07 - Several University of Michigan Synchronized Swimming alumnae were featured in a September 2007 Metro Times article about Michigan athletics prior to Title IX. Jane Campbell ('74) and Lynn Sandmann ('70s) were among a number of athletes represented in the article titled "Long Shots," by Meghana Keshavan and Sandra Svoboda. The article can be accessed online at the Metro Times web site.

Michigan Synchro featured in Synchro Swimming USA magazine
6/12/07 - An article by head coach Stephanie Sherk was featured in the Spring 2007 edition of Synchro Swimming USA, published by United States Synchronized Swimming. Titled "Why Collegiate Synchro?", the article includes interviews with current and prospective student athletes from across the country, including Rochelle Ross, a senior with the University of Michigan Synchronized Swimming Team. The article also featured Michigan Synchro's status as a Varsity Club sport, and the benefits of participating in the hybrid program. [Click to access online edition]

04/04/07 - U-M Synchro names 2007 award recipients
4/4/07 - Recipients of the U-M Synchro Team's 2007 athlete awards were named at the team's annual end-of-season banquet on April 4. Senior Aubree Akers earned the team's top award as Ruth Pickett Thompson Athlete of the Year, honoring the athlete who has demonstrated superior work ethic, dedication to the team, and potential to achieve greatness. Freshman Emily Terwelp was named Peggy Surabian Brady Rookie of the Year. High Point Awards went to freshmen Diandra Pratt (Competition) and Ayumi Ueda (Performance). The award for Outstanding Scholar-Athlete went to senior Amanda Dine, and honors for the Wolverine Spirit Award went to senior Jessica Galimore.

03/24/07 - U-M Synchro finishes 3rd amongst clubs and 10th overall 2007 U.S. Collegiate National Championships
3/24/07 - The University of Michigan Synchronized Swimming Team capped off its successful 2006-2007 season with a Top Ten finish at the 2007 U.S. Collegiate Championships, held March 22-24. The Championships are an open-class meet of over 200 athletes, combining competition from NCAA Divisions I, II , and III and NAIA colleges and universities. The U-M Synchro Team finished 3rd among club teams and for the second time in three years, improved more in ranking than any other team (up from 16th in 2006 and 19th in 2004). Highlights included four appearances on the championship podium, including a gold and silver medal, and two routines progressing to Finals on Saturday.

U-M Synchro takes 3rd overall and 1st among club teams at 2007 Re