Sophomore diver Sam Stoner won both the one-meter and three-meter events last season versus Evansville.

Fighting Irish To Compete In Two Dual Meets This Weekend

Jan. 19, 2006

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The No. 19 Notre Dame men’s swimming and diving team will take to the pool this Friday (Jan. 20) and Saturday (Jan. 21) for a pair of dual meets. The Fighting Irish will travel to Evanston, Ill. to take on No. 16 Northwestern on Friday (6:00 p.m. CT) and then return home for a match-up against Cleveland State on Saturday in the Rolfs Aquatic Center at 2:00 p.m. (ET). Notre Dame has a 5-1 dual meet record this season, including a 163-73 victory over Evansville last week.

Friday’s meet will mark the 21st meeting all-time between Notre Dame and Northwestern, with the Wildcats leading the series 13-7. Northwestern has won the last five meetings, including a 163.5-134.5 decision last season in the Rolfs Aquatic Center. Current juniors Scott Coyle and Tim Kegelman each won twice for the Irish in last season’s dual-meet versus the Wildcats. Coyle won both diving events, while Kegelman took the 100-yard butterfly in 49.28 and the 200 fly in 1:52.28.

Northwestern owns a 2-2 dual meet record so far this season and placed second in last week’s Dallas Morning News Meet, while the Irish placed fifth.

The Fighting Irish dominated Evansville last week by winning nine of 13 events en route to the victory. Three members of the squad collected multiple wins on the evening. Senior Patrick Davis captured wins in the 1,000-yard freestyle (9:34.50) and the 500-yard freestyle (4:42.50), while junior Brian Freeman won the 200-free (1:43.46) and the 200-backstroke (1:54.57). Sophomore diver Sam Stoner was victorious in both the one-meter (281.65) and three-meter competitions (312.40).

Notre Dame and Cleveland State will continue a series that dates back to 1969. This will be the 32nd meeting all-time between the Irish and Vikings, with Notre Dame owning a 21-10 advantage. The schools have faced each other every year since the 1976-77 season. The Fighting Irish have won the last 10 meetings, including a 137-101 decision last year at Cleveland State.

In last year’s dual meet against CSU, Ted Brown (9:22.88) and Davis (9:25.02) turned in the two fastest unshaved 1,000-yard freestyle times in Notre Dame history, as the Irish posted victories over Cleveland State and Canisius in the Busbey Natatorium. Saturday will mark Cleveland State’s second trip to the Rolfs Aquatic Center this season as the Vikings also competed in the Dennis Stark Relays on Oct. 5.

Notre Dame has eight swimmers with top-five times in the BIG EAST Conference this season. Sophomore Jay Vanden Berg has the second-best time in both the 500-yard free (4:29.72) and the 1,650-yard free (15:44.74). Brown has the third-best mark in the 200-yard free (1:40.07). Owning the fourth-best times in their respective events are Rob Seery in the 1,650 free (15:51.11) and Steve Shomberger in the 100-yard back (50.95). Junior Brian Freeman is fifth in the 200 free (1:40.59), while senior Doug Bauman is fifth in the 200-yard back (1:50.33) and freshman Daniel Rave is also fifth in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:04.08). In the one-meter six dives, Stoner is third (328.75) and freshman Michael Bulfin is fifth (305.65).

Following this weekend, the Fighting Irish return to the pool on Friday, Jan. 27 as they host the Shamrock Invitational in the Rolfs Aquatic Center on the 27th and 28th.

Stay up-to-date on the Notre Dame men’s swimming and diving team by logging on to und.com or by calling the official Notre Dame athletics hotline at (574) 631-3000.

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