With a Saturday’s Blue/Green/Gold Meet on the horizon and the first official meet on the calendar for Oct. 21, the Notre Dame swimming and diving programs are putting the final touches on their preseason work under new head swimming coach Chris Lindauer and third-year diving coach Mark Bradshaw.
With ample talent and a new outlook for the program, the coaches are excited about what is in store for their respective teams.
On the women’s side, Lindauer’s team starts with the senior class, one with which he has been immensely impressed since arriving in South Bend this summer.
“As a body, they’re almost like another coach for us because they’re echoing, communicating and supporting what we’re saying,” Lindauer said. “It’s so massive to have such a powerful group of women.”
Versatile senior Sarah Boyle is a huge contributor in that arena, always quick to vocalize her thoughts as needed. A year younger than Boyle, Kallie Chelsvig and Megan Deuel are emerging as glue for the team both in and out of the pool. Both women have the ability to make an impact at both the conference and national level.
Chelsvig, who hails from Nashville, earned the No. 11 spot at ACCs in the 200 backstroke last year (1:55.16). That mark ranks eighth in program history.
New York native Megan Deuel is primarily a butterflier, but the all-purpose junior will find herself dabbling in several fields this season for the Irish. A 1:56.17 time in the 200 fly from last year’s ‘Last Chance Meet’ ranks fourth in Irish history.
Back for her second year in South Bend, Madelyn Christman is a superstar in the making. The Carmel, Ind., native and high school Olympic Trials qualifier made noise as a freshman, posting a 52.74 time in the 100 backstroke (third-best in program history) and a 1:55.08 time in the 200 backstroke (seventh-best in program history). Now, it’s time for her to take the next step.
“You can see the lights have come on,” Lindauer said. “She’s thinking ‘Wow, I can do this.’”
As far as the freshmen are concerned, Lindauer inherited a top-notch group that is one of the best he’s had to date.
Mary Codevilla’s specialty is breaststroke, but she brings depth to the freestyle relays as well. Gretchen Lueking, a high school teammate of Christman’s, will also play a large role on the freestyle relays in her rookie season.
Renee Gillilan joins her sister and now-senior Coleen on the Irish squad, and the duo will certainly make noise. The elder Gillilan sister is progressing well from an injury after an NCAA meet appearance in March. She is the school record holder in both the 100 and 200 butterfly.
“She’s hungrier than ever,” Lindauer added.
Bradshaw enters his third year at Notre Dame with a couple of big roles to fill following the departure of NCAA scorer Kelly Straub and NCAA qualifier Annie Weise.
Sophomore Calie Brady, who had a standout freshman year ending with an NCAA appearance, is expected to take on a bigger role with the two aforementioned departures.
“She really rose to the occasion at the qualifying event last year on the 1 meter,” Bradshaw said. “She had some really strong dual meet performances, and I think she’ll be even better in the ACC this year with more experience.”
Despite battling an injury last season, senior Sam Gillis made Zones as well. She will look to build upon that performance as she navigates her final undergraduate year.
Bradshaw has two newcomers on the women’s side: freshman Grace Courtney and Michigan graduate transfer Allie Klein.
Like the women’s team, the men’s team’s chemistry and leadership is going to be critical to the group’s success. Senior Cason Wilburn is someone who brings that quality and who is also able to perform in the water.
“He’s somebody that I completely trust with this program,” Lindauer said. “I never have to look over my shoulder with him. He’s great and gets the overall picture of what it means to be a student-athlete.”
After an injury caused him to miss the 2021-22 season, senior Jack Hoagland is back with high national aspirations. The 2020-21 program MVP was a First-Team All-American in the 1650 freestyle, but his versatile skill set allowed him to bring home 2021 ACC titles in the 1650, 500 freestyle and 400 IM. Hoagland holds the school record in the 400 IM (3:40.73).
Stepping down a grade, Tyler Christianson and Sean Faikish bring a wealth of talent to the table. Both men are breaststroke and IM specialists and rank in the top five in program history in the 200 breaststroke. Christianson, who competes for the Panama National Swim Team, has his eyes on the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Sophomore Chris Guiliano sits atop the Rolfs Aquatic Center record boards in both the 50 freestyle (19.17) and 100 freestyle (42.34).
“He is hungry and had a great freshman year,” Lindauer said of the Pennsylvania native. “He wants it. He could be the go-to in dual meets, ACCs, NCAAs on relays, individually. He brings it all.”
Fresh off of his seventh place finish at FINA World Junior Open Water Swimming Championships in Seychelles, distance swimmer and fellow sophomore Josh Brown will look to best his freshman year times in both the 1000 freestyle (9:06.28) and 1650 freestyle (15:04.02).
As far as the rookies go, this is a loaded freshmen class for Lindauer ranked No. 10 nationally by SwimSwam.
“It is pretty hard to single anyone out,” Lindauer said of the 2026 group.
Like Brown, freshman Tommy Janton was in the national spotlight in recent weeks after being named to the Junior National Team in the 100 backstroke. He has ample room to grow and will continue to build upon his football IQ as he starts his time as a collegiate athlete.
Lastly, graduate senior Colton Paulson followed Lindauer from Louisville and is an ACC champion in the 200 freestyle. Look for him to challenge the school record in his signature event and play a huge role on the 800 freestyle relay.
On the men’s diving side, the Irish are now without platform specialist David Petrison. The sole returning diver is Will Rains.
“We have big goals for Will,” Bradshaw said. “We are trying to get him back to the Zone meet. That would be awesome.”
Freshmen Daniel Knapp and Ben Nguyen join Rains on the men’s diving team. Knapp is no stranger to the national spotlight, as he was a top-five finisher at the level in the 3 meter springboard in 2022.
“He’s been highlighted as one of the up and coming stars in USA diving,” Bradshaw said. “And he’s only scratched the surface of where he can be.”