The 5-0 Notre Dame swimming and diving team competes for the final time in 2012 at the Hawkeye Invitational this weekend.

Irish Close Fall Slate At Hawkeye Invitational

Nov. 29, 2012

Hawkeye Invitational Information

Hawkeye Invitational Live Results

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame men’s swimming and diving team will wrap up the first half of the 2012-13 schedule this weekend at the Hawkeye Invitational in the Wellness Center Pool on the campus of the University of Iowa.

Notre Dame will compete against four other teams in the semester’s final meet, including event host Iowa, Denver, Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the No. 1 team in the current College Swimming Coaches Association of America rankings, Michigan. The Wolverines are the defending Hawkeye Invitational champions.

“This is a three-day meet that will mirror the national championships,” Fighting Irish head coach Tim Welsh said. “We really like it for that reason. It’s an excellent facility, and an excellent chance to see our team in a championship format.”

Notre Dame earned a third place finish at the 2011 Hawkeye Invitational, powered by a crucial race victory from Frank Dyer in the 200 free. Dyer ultimately finished fourth in the 200 free at the 2012 NCAA Championships to earn the first All-America honor in program history.

Dyer has already put together a strong fall campaign, copping NCAA Division I Men’s Swimmer of the Week (Nov. 14) and a pair of BIG EAST Athlete of the Week accolades (Nov. 7 and 14) to open his junior season. Sophomore Zachary Stephens has also gotten off to a hot start, setting a Rolfs Aquatic Center record of 1:59.53 in the 200 breast against Louisville Nov. 10.

“We’ll have a chance to bring everybody to the meet, and we joke that we like to take our final exam in swimming first,” Welsh said. “The question ultimately is, ‘How did the first semester come out?’ We will know after the Hawkeye Invitational.”

Following the holiday break and annual winter training sessions in Puerto Rico, the Fighting Irish return to competition Jan. 18 at Cleveland State.

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