Feb. 18, 2006
EAST MEADOW, N.Y. – For the second straight season, the Notre Dame men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams captured the BIG EAST championship. The Notre Dame men’s squad dominated en route to posting a 224.5-point (809-584.5) victory over Pittsburgh and the rest of the 11-team field on Saturday evening. The Fighting Irish women used a hard-fought effort to defeat Rutgers by 18-points (705.5-687.5). The victory gives the Irish women their 10th straight BIG EAST title, while the men successfully defended the program’s first-ever BIG EAST championship.
There was no margin for error on the women’s side of things as the Irish were tied with Rutgers at 587.5 apiece with just three events remaining in the Nassau County Aquatic Center. Then Notre Dame stepped it up as juniors Julia Quinn and Jessica Stephens went 1-2 in the 200-yard breaststroke and then fellow junior Katie Carroll took second in the 200-yard butterfly to secure the win.
The 10th straight win by the Irish women ties a conference record for most consecutive BIG EAST titles in any sport. The Pittsburgh men’s swimming diving team won 10 straight from 1983-1992. Notre Dame has become the first team in any sport to win 10 BIG EAST championships since 1995-96, the year the Irish joined the league. First-year head coach Carrie Nixon has been a part of six of those titles. She won four league crowns as an All-American swimmer for the Irish and was an assistant coach last season.
For all of the suspense in the women’s competition, there was none to be found on the men’s as the Fighting Irish ran away with the title for the second straight season. Notre Dame added to its lead on Saturday evening as sophomore Jay Vanden Berg defended his 1,650-yard freestyle title in a school-record time of 15:15.99. Freshman Jace Hopper earned all-BIG EAST honors in that event as well by placing third.
Vanden Berg led the Irish men by totaling 56 points throughout the meet, which placed him third among male competitors. In all, 31 Notre Dame men’s swimmers or divers scored points during the competition.
The championship gives Notre Dame men’s head coach Tim Welsh his 27th career conference title. He has won 18 championships since arriving at Notre Dame in 1985.
Diving coach Caiming Xie garnered BIG EAST Men’s Diving Coach of the Year honors as two of his divers, Michael Bulfin and Sam Stoner, earned all-BIG EAST honors. Bulfin and Stoner became just the second and third divers in program history to earn all-BIG EAST accolades.
Carroll led the Irish with seven all-BIG EAST honors. She now has 21 (9-individual, 12-relay) all-BIG EAST honors for her career, which places her third all-time in Fighting Irish women’s history. Her nine individual awards places her in a tie for second in program history.
Vanden Berg and senior Doug Bauman led the Irish with three all-BIG EAST honors apiece. Bauman finishes his career with eight (4-individal, 4-relay) all-BIG EAST awards, which puts him second in program history. Junior Tim Kegelman earned all-BIG EAST honors in the 200 medley relay and that moved him in a tie for first all-time with Ray Fitzpatrick as they each have nine.
(See list below for full list of Notre Dame’s 2006 all-BIG EAST performers.)
SATURDAY EVENING SESSION RECAP (all events are finals):
Women’s 1,650-Yard Freestyle: Freshman Claire Hutchinson clocked a second-place finish as she lowered her NCAA `B’ time in 16:34.37 to earn all-BIG EAST honors. Villanova’s Jenny Somerville took first in 16:29.92.
Men’s 1,650-Yard Freestyle: Sophomore Jay Vanden Berg defended his title in a school-record time of 15:15.99, which was also an NCAA `B’ cut. His 1,000-yard split of 9:14.25 was also a school record. Freshman Jace Hopper placed third in a NCAA `B’ time of 15:29.12 to take home all-conference accolades. Sophomore Rob Seery was right behind Hopper in fourth with a career-best mark of 15:38.65.
Women’s 200-Yard Backstroke: Junior Ann Barton swam a career-best time of 2:01.29 (NCAA `B’) to place third and collect all-BIG EAST honors. Caroline Johnson placed seventh for the Irish in 2:02.83. Kelly Harrigan from Rutgers placed first with a BIG EAST-record and automatic NCAA qualifying time of 1:54.76.
Notre Dame’s Ellen Johnson won the consolation final in 2:04.07.
Men’s 200-Yard Backstroke: Senior Doug Bauman notched another all-BIG EAST performance by placing third in a career-best time of 1:48.05. That matched his highest-ever finish in a BIG EAST event. Senior co-captain Jamie Lutkus also posted a career-best time of 1:49.40 to place sixth, while his classmate Steve Shomberger was behind him in seventh in 1:50.12. Pittsburgh’s Jeff Leath took the title with a time of 1:46.68.
Women’s 100-Yard Freestyle: Freshman Christa Riggins claimed her second individual all-conference honor of the meet by finishing third and lowering her NCAA consideration time with a mark of 50.47. Junior Rebecca Grove posted another NCAA `B’ cut in the event by going 50.76 to place fifth overall. Madison Kennedy from Rutgers took first in an NCAA `A’ time of 49.33.
Men’s 100-Yard Freestyle: Junior Louis Cavadini placed eighth with a time of 45.51. Chris Hagedorn from West Virginia won in a time of 44.48.
Women’s 200-Yard Breaststroke: With Notre Dame and Rutgers in a deadlock at 587.5 all with just three events remaining, the Irish delivered with a 1-2 performance by juniors Julia Quinn and Jessica Stephens to put the Irish up 640.5-626.5. Quinn took the title in a career-best time of 2:14.27, which lowered her NCAA `B’ cut, and Stephens was right behind in 2:16.79 (NCAA `B’). Senior Courtney Choura placed seventh in 2:21.44.
Men’s 200-Yard Breaststroke: Freshman Daniel Rave took fourth in 2:02.25, while his sophomore teammate Graham Parker was fifth in a career-best mark of 2:03.49. Vali Preda from Louisville claimed the victory in a meet-record time of 1:56.95.
Women’s 200-Yard Butterfly: A second-place finish by junior Katie Carroll in a career-best time of 2:00.04 helped to push the Fighting Irish lead to 26 over Rutgers at 673.5-647.5. Freshman Casey Wagner swam a time of 2:02.81 to place seventh. Ann Degenstein took the win in a BIG EAST Championship record time of 1:58.28.
Irish sophomore Kelly Battle swam a career-top time of 2:05.53 to place 13th overall.
Men’s 200-Yard Butterfly: Senior Bryan Guarnier came through in the final race of his Notre Dame career with a career-best time of 1:50.41 to place fifth, which is his highest-ever finish in a BIG EAST event. Juniors Ted Brown (1:50.65) and Tim Kegelman (1:51.77) followed Guarnier in places sixth and seventh, respectively.
Men’s Three-Meter Diving: Sophomore Sam Stoner became just the third diver in program history to collect all-BIG EAST honors as he placed third with a total of 542.60 points. He joins his teammate Michael Bulfin, who earned all-conference accolades on Thursday in the one-meter competition, and Andy Maggio (class of 2003) as the only three Irish divers to garner all-BIG EAST honors. Bulfin, a freshman, placed fourth off the three-meter board with 530.95 points. Jeremy Stulz from Pittsburgh claimed the victory with a total of 572.85.
Men’s and Women’s Platform Diving (exhibition): Notre Dame’s Tara Hyer was the only competitor in the women’s competition. She would compile 156.10 points. Michael Bulfin placed second for the Irish on the men’s side with 195.80 points.
Women’s 400-Yard Freestyle Relay: The Notre Dame team of Christa Riggins, Casey Wagner, Katie Carroll and Rebecca Grove earned all-BIG EAST honors by placing third in a season-best and NCAA `B’ cut time of 3:22.48. Rutgers claimed the win in a BIG EAST meet record time of 3:20.48.
Men’s 400-Yard Freestyle Relay: The Irish quartet of Louis Cavadini, Tim Randolph, Ted Brown and Tim Kegelman combined to place fourth in a season-best time of 3:00.91. The squad from West Virginia took first in 2:57.39.
For more information on the 2006 BIG EAST Swimming & Diving Championships, including results from each day’s action, please log onto bigeast.org.
Stay up-to-date on the Notre Dame’s men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams by logging on to und.com or by calling the Notre Dame athletics hotline at (574) 631-3000.
–ND–
2006 NOTRE DAME MEN’S BIG EAST CHAMPIONS
800-Yard Freestyle Relay
Brian Freeman – (800-free relay) Ted Brown – (800-free relay) Rob Seery – (800-free relay) Louis Cavadini – (800-free relay)
Jamie Lutkus – (400-IM)
Jay Vanden Berg – (500-yard freestyle, 1,650-yard freestyle)
2006 NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S BIG EAST CHAMPIONS
Katie Carroll – (400-IM)
Julia Quinn – (200-yard breaststroke)
2006 NOTRE DAME MEN’S ALL-BIG EAST
3 – Doug Bauman – (200 medley relay, 100 back, 200 back)
3 – Jay Vanden Berg – (500 free, 400 IM, 1,650 free)
2 – Ted Brown – (800 free relay, 200 free)
2 – Jace Hopper – (500 free, 1,650 free)
2 – Tim Randolph – (200 medley relay, 100 breast)
1 – Tim Kegelman – (200 medley relay)
1 – Nick Fanslau – (200 medley relay)
1 – Brian Freeman – (800 free relay)
1 – Rob Seery – (800 free relay)
1 – Louis Cavadini – (800 free relay)
1 – Michael Bulfin – (one-meter diving)
1 – Jamie Lutkus – (400 IM)
1 – Sam Stoner – (three-meter diving)
2006 NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S ALL-BIG EAST
7 – Katie Carroll – (800 free relay, 500 free, 200 free relay, 400 IM, 400 medley relay, 200 fly, 400 free relay)
5 – Rebecca Grove – (200 medley relay, 50 free, 200 free relay, 400 medley relay, 400 free relay)
5 – Christa Riggins – (800 free relay, 200 free relay, 200 free, 100 free, 400 free relay)
4 – Julia Quinn – (200 medley relay, 100 breast, 400 medley relay, 200 breast)
3 – Caroline Johnson – (200 medley relay, 200 free relay, 400 medley relay)
3 – Jessica Stephens – (200 medley relay, 200 IM, 200 breast)
3 – Casey Wagner – (800 free relay, 500 free, 400 free relay)
2 – Claire Hutchinson – (400 IM, 1,650 free)
2 – Ann Barton – (100 fly, 200 back)
1 – Ellen Johnson – (800 free relay)
1- Lucy Hirt – (three-meter diving)
1 – Tara Hyer – (three-meter diving)
NOTRE DAME MEN’S UNIVERSITY RECORDS SET AT 2006 BIG EAST
800-Yard Freestyle Relay – 6:35.47 (old-6:40.79) (Brian Freeman, Ted Brown, Rob Seery, Louis Cavadini)
200-Yard Medley Relay – 1:30.04 (old-1:30.12) (Doug Bauman, Tim Randolph, Tim Kegelman, Nick Fanslau)
500-Yard Freestyle – Jay Vanden Berg, 4:22.82 (finals) (old-4:24.09 in prelims)
100-Yard Breaststroke – Tim Randolph, 54.47 (finals) (old-54.86 in prelims)
400-Yard IM – Jamie Lutkus, 3:52.07 (finals) (old-3:54.38)
1,650-Yard Freestyle – Jay Vanden Berg, 15:15.99 (finals) (old-15:19.30)
1,000-Yard Freestyle – Jay Vanden Berg, 9:14.25 (split from 1,650-free) (old-9:15.52)
NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S UNIVERSITY RECORDS SET AT 2006 BIG EAST
200-Yard Medley Relay – 1:41.91 (old-1:41.93 ’02) (Caroline Johnson, Julia Quinn, Jessica Stephens, Rebecca Grove)
MEN’S NCAA `B’ CUTS AT 2006 BIG EAST
Jace Hopper – 500-yard free (4:26.01), 1,650-yard free (15:29.12)
Tim Kegelman – 100-yard fly (48.47),
Jamie Lutkus – 200-yard IM (1:49.79), 400-yard IM (3:52.07),
Tim Randolph – 100-yard breast (54.86/54.47),
Jay Vanden Berg – 500-yard free (4:24.09/4:22.82), 1,650-yard free (15:15.99)
800-Yard Freestyle Relay – 6:35.47 (Brian Freeman, Ted Brown, Rob Seery, Louis Cavadini)
WOMEN’S NCAA `A’ CUTS AT 2006 BIG EAST
Katie Carroll – 400-yard IM (4:14.37)
WOMEN’S NCAA `B’ CUTS AT 2006 BIG EAST
(prelims/finals)
Ann Barton – 200-yard back (2:00.80-time trial) (2:01.29), 200-yard IM (2:04.08)
Katie Carroll – 500-yard free (4:49.00/4:47.87), 400-yard IM (4:16.57), 200-yard butterfly (2:00.37/2:00.04)
Rebecca Grove – 50-yard free (23.30/23.00), 100-yard free (50.46/50.76)
Claire Hutchinson – 500-yard free (4:51.75), 400-yard IM (4:23.40/4:22.28), 1,650-yard free (16:34.37)
Ellen Johnson – 500-yard free (4:53.58), 200-yard free (1:50.23),
Julia Quinn – 100-yard breast (1:03.26/1:03.02), 200-yard breast (2:15.75/2;14.27)
Christa Riggins – 200-yard free (1:49.12), 100-yard free (50.67/50.47)
Jessica Stephens – 200-yard IM (2:02.89/2:02.78), 200-yard breast (2:17.50/2:16.79)
Casey Wagner – 500-yard free (4:50.52/4:49.19),
200-Yard Medley Relay – 1:41.91/1:42.63 (time trial) (Caroline Johnson, Julia Quinn, Jessica Stephens, Rebecca Grove)
400-Yard Medley Relay – 3:43.98 (Caroline Johnson, Julia Quinn, Katie Carroll, Rebecca Grove)
200-Yard Freestyle – 1:32.23 (Rebecca Grove, Caroline Johnson, Christa Riggins, Katie Carroll)
400-Yard Freestyle – 3:22.48 (Christa Riggins, Casey Wagner, Katie Carroll, Rebecca Grove)