March 21, 2017
By Sinhue Mendoza
NOTRE DAME, Indiana – The No. 19 University of Notre Dame women’s swimming and diving program concluded its breakthrough 2016-17 season with a strong showing at the 2017 NCAA Division I Women’s Championships. The Irish sent a school-record 10 athletes and senior Catherine Mulquin earned All-America honors in the 100 backstroke.
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
- The Irish sent a program-record 10 athletes to the NCAA Championships, including nine swimmers and freshman diver Claire Andrews.
- Senior Catherine Mulquin was Notre Dame’s first All-American since Emma Reaney captured three All-America honors in 2015.
- Two of the four Irish relays that competed in the championships set Notre Dame records.
- Alice Treuth set a school record in the 200 back and came in 26th in the event.
- Abbie Dolan’s time in the 200 free earned her a 22nd-place finish.
Irish All-American
Senior Catherine Mulquin’s sendoff was one to remember when she placed 15th in the morning prelims of the 100 back with a time of 51.72, which earned her honorable mention All-America honors. Mulquin then swam 51.89 and finished sixth in the evening’s consolation final. The senior’s prelim time was the fastest in school history and broke her own school record twice. She set the previous record just over a week ago at the Boilermaker Aquatic Center’s Make-It meet (52.13). Mulquin swam the 50 free at the NCAA Championships for the first time in her career. Her time of 22.52 was good for 40th and is the fourth-fastest time in school history.
Backing in for the Record
Alice Treuth swam the 200 back in 1:53.45 to set the Notre Dame record. Treuth broke Kelly Ryan’s record of 1:53.57 (2013). The Irish sophomore finished 26th.
#IRISHRELAYS
The Irish relays continued their sensational season by setting two Notre Dame records. The first came in the 200 free relay. The Irish quartet of Katie Smith, Catherine Mulquin, Abbie Dolan and Sofia Revilak broke their own record in the relay at 1:28.93. They set the previous mark just two weeks ago at the ACC Championships (1:29.47). The group narrowly missed the evening’s finals coming in 17th.
The next record that fell in Indy was in the 400 medley relay. The foursome of Catherine Mulquin, Meaghan O’Donnell, Erin Sheehan and Abbie Dolan came in at 3:33.38 — besting the time of 3:33.93 set in 2014.
The 200 medley relay group of Mulquin, Meaghan O’Donnell, Nicole Smith and Katie Smith earned 18th place with a time of 1:37.60 and were an alternate for the consolation final. The top-16 teams earned spots in the finals.
Notre Dame’s last relay appearance of the championships was the 400 free relay. The group of Abbie Dolan, Catherine Mulquin, Katie Smith and Sofia Revilak came in at 3:16.76. The swim was good for 22nd in the field.
Freshman Phenom
Freshman Abbie Dolan continued her great first season with a top-25 time in the 200 free. Her time of 1:45.24 placed her 22nd and was the third-fastest in school history. The freshman also swam the 100 free and came in with a time of 48.94, good for 42nd. The time was the second-fastest ever at Notre Dame.
Flying to Top-35
Erin Sheehan placed 35th in the 200 fly with a time of 1:57.90. The time was the sixth-best in the history of the program and her second-best of the season.
The Breaststroke
Meaghan O’Donnell swam both the 100 and 200 breast for the Irish. O’Donnell finished 31st in the 100 breast after tapping in at 1:00.68. Her time was the fifth-best time in program history. The Irish sophomore tapped the wall at 2:12.42 in the 200 breast. Her time was the fourth-fastest in program history and second-best of the season.