Nov. 16, 2016
By Sinhue Mendoza
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The top 25 ranked University of Notre Dame swimming and diving program is headed south to compete in the 2016 Greensboro Invitational at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, North Carolina. The meet will follow a three-day championship format starting on Thursday, November 17 and concluding on Saturday, November 19.
The Irish are off to a strong start this season with the women currently undefeated (9-0) and the men owning a 6-1 record. Notre Dame also currently has 26 top 50 times nationally; 15 for the women and 11 for the men. The women’s team, which is currently #19 in the latest CSCAA rankings also has registered 41 top 24 ACC times so far this season while the Irish men, ranked #21 in the CSCAA poll, has recorded 37 top 24 ACC times. Entering the Greensboro Invitational, 12 Notre Dame swimmers have a total of 15 NCAA B-cut standards, but the Irish are looking to increase that total as they race strong competition.
“The GAC Invite will be among the fastest [meets] in the country,” said Head Coach Mike Litzinger. “It is time for our swimmers and divers to put into practice what we have been training to do and compete at a very high level. The team and staff are truly looking forward to this competition. Some the NCAA’s best will be participating, and it is an opportunity to see how we have grown as a team.”
Fellow ACC member North Carolina State University will host the three day event at which the Irish will be joined by elite competition, including Duke University, the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, University of Miami (women only), Marshall University (women only), United States Air Force Academy (men only), University of Tennessee – Knoxville, and West Virginia University.
The Irish are coming off a successful road trip in Pittsburgh where the women swept Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech and the men split against the ACC rivals. The women beat Virginia Tech 190-163 and defeated Pittsburgh 244-109. The men beat Pittsburgh 238-115 and fell to Virginia Tech 203-150.
The meet begins at 9:30 am Thursday morning with the preliminary races of the 500 Freestyle, 200 Individual Medley and 50 Freestyle.
Schedule Of Events
Thursday
200 Freestyle Relay
500 Freestyle
200 IM
50 Freestyle
Women’s 3M Dive
Men’s 1M Dive
400 Medley Relay
Friday
200 Medley Relay
400 IM
100 Butterfly
200 Freestyle
100 Breaststroke
100 Backstroke
Women’s 1M Dive
Men’s 3M Dive
800 Freestyle Relay
Saturday
1650 Freestyle
200 Backstroke
100 Freestyle
200 Breaststroke
200 Butterfly
10M Diving
400 Freestyle Relay
NCAA B-Cuts
WOMEN
50 Free
Katie Smith, 22.69
100 Free
Abbie Dolan, 49.89
200 Free
Abbie Dolan, 1:47.14
100 Back
Catherine Mulquin, 54.20
200 Back
Alice Treuth, 1:56.57
Kyra Sarazen, 1:58.67
100 Breast
Meaghan O’Donnell, 1:01.88
Danielle Margheret, 1:02.49
200 Breast
Meaghan O’Donnell, 2:14.09
100 Fly
Sofia Revilak, 54.28
MEN
50 Free
Justin Plaschka, 22.00
100 Free
Tabahn Afrik, 44.24
200 Back
Robert Whitacre, 1:45.28
100 Fly
Justin Plaschka, 48.26
200 Fly
Matthew Grauslys, 1:46.86