March 28, 2014
ESPN3 VIDEO (Friday and Saturday Finals)
AUSTIN, Texas – Senior Frank Dyer nearly surpassed his own program record in the preliminary round of the 200 freestyle on Friday, claiming a fifth-place finish to lead the University of Notre Dame men’s swimming and diving team during the morning session of day two at the 2014 NCAA Championships at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center.
Dyer’s prelim swim of 1:33.26 was a mere .06 seconds from equaling the Notre Dame mark of 1:33.20 he established last month at the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Championship. In the process, Dyer clinched the third overall All-America citation of his collegiate career by qualifying for the event `A’ final on Friday night, his second All-America scroll in four NCAA starts in the 200 freestyle.
The Loudonville, N.Y. native previously became the first Irish men’s swimmer to achieve All-America status when he qualified for the finals of the 200 freestyle at the 2012 NCAA Championships in Federal Way, Wash. Dyer later earned the best Notre Dame men’s swimming NCAA finish during the `A’ final heat, swimming to a fourth-place result in 1:34.00.
Notre Dame began the second day of the 2014 NCAA meet in the preliminary phase of the 200 medley relay. Sophomore Matthew Buerger, senior co-captain Colin Babcock, Dyer and junior All-American Zach Stephens clocked a time of 1:27.35 for 25th place.
Racing in the 100 breaststroke at the NCAA Championships for the second straight year, Stephens turned in an effort of 53.47 to place 25th overall in the field. The Bloomsburg, Pa. native improved both his time (53.89) and finish (26th) in the 100 breaststroke from his first career start at the national championship meet in 2013.
Junior All-American John Williamson posted his NCAA personal-best 100 butterfly finish, touching the wall in 47.72 and 38th place. Williamson shaved nearly half a second off last season’s time (48.27) in the distance at the 2013 NCAA Championships in Indianapolis, Ind.
Freshman diver Joe Coumos took part in his first NCAA start in the 3-meter diving discipline to close out the preliminary session, the board that he qualified on earlier this month at the NCAA Zone C Diving Championships. In preliminary competition, Coumos finished in 27th place with 325.60 points.
The Irish concluded the morning preliminary session by taking part in the 800 freestyle relay. Notre Dame’s entry of Babcock, Dyer, junior All-American Kevin Hughes and freshman Tom Anderson finished third in its heat with a time of 6:26.18, finishing in 19th place overall.
The second night of finals sessions at the 2014 NCAA Championships will begin at 7 p.m. (CT) on Friday, with Dyer and the remainder of the 200 freestyle field scheduled to swim as the fourth event of the session. Live video will be available on ESPN3.
NOTRE DAME AT THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Complete Results:
Frank Dyer
5th – 200 Freestyle (1:33.26-prelims)
18th – 500 Freestyle (school record 4:17.13-prelims)
19th – 800 Freestyle Relay (prelims)
25th – 200 Medley Relay (prelims)
Zach Stephens
25th – 100 Breaststroke (53.47-prelims)
25th – 200 Medley Relay (prelims)
34th – 200 IM (1:45.52-prelims)
John Williamson
38th – 100 Butterfly (47.72-prelims)
52nd – 500 Freestyle (4:29.57-prelims)
Joe Coumos
19th – 1-Meter Diving (324.10 points-prelims)
27th – 3-Meter Diving (325.60 points-prelims)
Colin Babcock
19th – 800 Freestyle Relay (prelims)
25th – 200 Medley Relay (prelims)
26th – 200 Freestyle Relay (prelims)
Kevin Hughes
19th – 800 Freestyle Relay (prelims)
26th – 200 Freestyle Relay (prelims)
Matthew Buerger
25th – 200 Medley Relay (prelims)
26th – 200 Freestyle Relay (prelims)
Tom Anderson
19th – 800 Freestyle Relay (prelims)
26th – 200 Freestyle Relay (prelims)
–ND–