In its 87-year history, the Michigan men's swimming and diving team has never faced Tennessee in a dual meet.

And judging from the Wolverines' 200-98 victory in their first-ever meeting Saturday, it might be a while before the teams swim against each other again.

No. 4 Michigan expected better competition from the sixth-ranked Volunteers, but a Wolverine victory was never in question. Michigan began the meet by winning five of the first six events, including a sweep of the top four places in both the 200-yard freestyle and butterfly. By the end of the meet, Michigan's strong start was too much for Tennessee to overcome, and as the Volunteers failed to win a single swimming event.

"We started off with great swims and that gave us an early advantage," Michigan coach Mike Bottom said. "Once we started to roll, they just didn't respond. And that happens sometimes when you come in with high expectations and you get upset early."

The meet was held at the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatics Center in Bloomington where the Wolverines also won their dual meet against No. 14 Indiana, 176-104. This was the second meeting between the teams this season and Michigan's second victory against the Hoosiers. The Wolverines defeated Indiana 227-151 on Nov. 1.

Michigan's decision to wear faster swimsuits at the meet undoubtedly impaced the final score. The new suits are typically used for championship meets at the end of the season, but Bottom said the coaches chose to have the team wear the suits at this meet to see what kind of technique changes are necessary before wearing the suits again at the Big Ten Championships in February.

Senior co-captain Matt Patton won both the 1,000-yard freestyle and the 500-yard freestyle (4:22.14) Saturday. His time of 4:12.80 on Dec. 4th is currently the country's fastest collegiate 500-yard freestyle time this season. Sophomore Tyler Clary also had a pair of individual wins in the 200-yard backstroke and individual medley events.

Michigan showed significant improvement in the breaststroke, one of the Wolverines' weak strokes. One of the more exciting races was sophomore Jared Miller's second-place finish second in the 200-yard breaststroke (1:59.77). Miller lost to Indiana's Heath Tameris by just 0.42 seconds, and Bottom said swimming under two minutes was a "big step" for Miller as a breaststroker.

The meet came just one week after Michigan competed in the Orange Bowl Classic in Key Largo, Fla. where the Wolverines held a training camp. Freshman Dan Madwed, who won the 200-yard butterfly Saturday, pointed to the time the team spent together training in Florida as a key to helping everyone come together as a team.

"We really bonded a lot on our trip and instead of 29 individual guys we became one united team," he said. "Mike (Bottom) really understands the value of team chemistry and I think we're beginning to understand how powerful that can be when we get behind each other."

Junior Alon Mandel, who won the 100-yard backstroke said the team has become more confident together and with first-year coaches Bottom and Josh White.

"We all really supported each other throughout the meet," he said. "When we swam Indiana the first time, we had just met Mike (Bottom) a few weeks earlier, but now we know him a lot better and our confidence has grown, as well as our physical abilities in the water."

Bottom has noticed a difference as well. With the help of the captains, he said the team is in the right mindset and is now more sure of itself.

"I think they're gaining an understanding of who they are, which is what we talked about at the end of the meet," Bottom said. "These guys are looking in the mirror and see that they are getting better and are capable of competing at a high level."