Freshman Emma Reaney earned her third BIG EAST weekly award this season following a four-victory meet on Saturday.

Freshman Reaney Earns BIG EAST Weekly Accolades

Nov. 15, 2011

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame freshman Emma Reaney has been named BIG EAST Women’s Swimming and Diving Athlete of the Week for the week of Nov. 8-14, the conference office announced on Tuesday.

The Lawrence, Kan., native put together quite a meet in Notre Dame’s loss to Louisville on Saturday, playing a role in four of the Irish’s six victories. In addition to a trio of individual victories, Reaney helped the 400 free relay team to a first place finish over the Cardinals.

“It is a well deserved honor for Emma,” said head coach Brian Barnes. “She went down to Louisville and performed very well. It is a good honor for her to have early in her career and probably the first of many.”

Reaney opened her day with an impressive victory in the 100 breaststroke, which saw her finish in a NCAA B-cut time of 1:02.65. The only freshman in the field, Reaney topped Louisville senior Lindsay Rogers by 1.35 seconds. It was the first time in her young college career that she had swam the 100 breast.

The next event on the docket was the 200 breast, which Reaney won in another NCAA B-cut time of 2:13.55. The win marked her second victory of the season in the 200 breast. Again the only freshman in the field, Reaney defeated Louisville senior Fanny Lilliestrom by 1.51 seconds.

Her final individual event of the day was the 200 IM, which she won in 2:02.13. Reaney edged out Louisville freshman Tanja Kylliainen by 2.11 seconds, running her season record to 4-0 in IM events.

Reaney may have saved her most impressive performance for the final event of the day though. With her team trailing by .10 seconds as she hit the water as the anchor leg, Reaney swam a blistering 50.60 to surge past the Cardinals’ Dani Barbiea, giving the Irish the victory in 3:25.11, just .18 seconds faster than Louisville.

Notre Dame will take the remainder of November off from action to continue training before heading to The Ohio State Invitational on Dec. 2 for a three-day meet.

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