March 4, 2010
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Juniors Amywren Miller and Samantha Maxwell will represent Notre Dame in the 2010 NCAA Championships set for March 18-20 in West Lafayette, Ind., at the Boilermaker Aquatic Center. It will be the third straight appearance for each swimmer on the heels of leading Notre Dame to its 14th straight BIG EAST Conference Championship team title in February.
Miller qualified for the 50 free (22.47) and ranks 20th nationally in the event. She will also swim the 100 free (49.33) with the 31st-best qualifying mark.
Maxwell, who was named the Most Outstanding Female Swimmer at the BIG EAST Championships, is fourth overall in the 100 breast (59.64) and 19th in the 200 breast (2:11.37). At the time of the swim, her 100 breast performance at the league meet was the fastest in the nation.
Miller earned six all-BIG EAST citations this season while finishing first in the 50 free and second in the 100 free. Maxwell earned individual titles in the 100 and 200 breast, sweeping the events for the second straight year. Maxwell earned All-American status in the 100 breast with a sixth-place finish at the 2009 NCAAs and was an Honorable Mention All-America performer in the 200 breast.
The Irish pair joins Marie Labosky and Meghan Perry-Eaton as the other two Notre Dame student-athletes to qualify for three NCAA Championships. There have been six four-time NCAA qualifiers in the Irish annals.
Since the inception of the women’s program at Notre Dame, 22 individuals representing the Irish have earned All-American honors at the NCAAs, with Maxwell being the most recent. At least one Irish swimmer has garnered All-American recognition in every season from 1996-2007. Carrie Nixon leads the pack as a 12-time honoree from 1999-2002. She posted the highest finish of any Irish swimmer to compete in the NCAAs by placing fourth in the 50 free in 2000.
Jeanine Blatt and Betsy Shadley were the program’s first All-Americans, claiming the honor in 1979 when the Irish competed at the Division III level.
Live stats and additional meet information will be provided throughout the NCAAs at UND.com.
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