“The team, the team, the team.”

Revered Michigan football coach Bo Schembechler coined that famous phrase back in 1983 and since then, it’s been associated with Michigan – and not just with the football team. It’s a saying that has traveled from the Big House, to Crisler Arena, to Yost Arena and, believe it or not, all the way to Canham Natatorium.

It’s a phrase the No. 2 Michigan men’s swimming and diving team (6-0 Big Ten, 8-0 overall) took to heart on Saturday afternoon in East Lansing. In typical fashion, the Wolverines obliterated Michigan State, 168-61, while improving to 83-5 all-time against their in-state rival.

The team set seven in-pool records at the historic McCaffree Pool, and won 14-of-16 events. Success was spread throughout the pool deck, and the middle-distance freestylers looked especially strong. Freshman Peter Brumm earned an individual victory in the 200-yard freestyle, and sophomores Bruno Ortiz and Justin Glanda finished with first-place wins in the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle races, respectively.

“It’s a team movement and that’s why our depth is widening each meet,” said coach Mike Bottom. “Every meet, we have a different swimmer that comes in and does something that’s fun and exciting.”

Newcomer Anders Lie Neilsen, a freshman from Denmark, performed incredibly well on Saturday. He broke the in-pool record for the 500-yard freestyle, with a time of 4:22.23, nearly three seconds faster than the record set by Michigan swimmer Tom Dolan 18 years ago.

“We’re really excited about that addition and he’s really showing that he will make an impact right away,” Bottom said. “That’s what we were hoping.”

Neilsen is only one of the many underclassmen that have been making major strides this season. Sophomore Richard Funk was part of the 200-yard medley relay to start of the meet on Saturday and broke the in-pool record for 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 54.51.

“Funk has shown some amazing improvement over the last two years and now is ranked at the top of the country,” Bottom said. “He’s beating a whole bunch of guys.”

The Wolverine coaching staff knows it has a lot of talent to work with. But Bottom stresses that as important as talent and training are, swimming for the team and learning from one another is the driving force behind Michigan’s victories.

“Working hard becomes part of the equation but not the full equation because you can only work so hard – then you have to improve technically, and then the thing that works above all for us is team,” Bottom said. “I alluded to it in the fact that we have these new guys coming in. Connor Jaeger is mentoring a guy from Denmark, and we have Paul Corbae, a freshman, and Richard Funk is mentoring him.”

For Michigan to continue its undefeated ways in the Big Ten Championships at the end of February, it will have to continue following the mantra of Schembechler and focus on “the team.”