Jan. 15, 2004
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NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame men’s swimming and diving team (3-5) will try to continue its early success in 2004 when it travels to Pittsburgh, Pa. this weekend for a two-day quadrangular meet against #17 Pittsburgh (5-1), Maryland (3-4), and Villanova (0-4). The Panthers have won each of the last seven BIG EAST Conference titles, while the Irish finished fourth a year ago and Villanova was 10th. Notre Dame and Maryland have never before met in a dual meet. It will be the only time the Irish will face BIG EAST teams in dual-meet action before the Feb. 19-21 conference meet.
The mini-championship meet will feature nine events — 1650 free, 200 medley relay, 100 fly, 100 back, 400 IM, 100 free, 100 breast, 200 free relay, 3-meter diving — on Friday followed by 10 competitions — 1-meter diving, 500 free, 400 medley relay, 200 free, 200 IM, 200 fly, 50 free, 200 back, 200 breast, and 400 free relay — on Saturday.
LAST TIME IN THE POOL: Notre Dame started 2004 with a pair of road victories in triangular dual-meet action last Friday afternoon in the UCSB Campus Pool. The Irish rallied from a 21-point deficit with four events remaining for a 104-101 triumph over host UC Santa Barbara (2-2) and also defeated Wyoming (4-2) by a score of 133-98. The meet was the culmination of Notre Dame’s 12-day training trip, spent mostly in Mission Viejo, Calif.
UCSB held a 95-93 lead over the Irish with only the 400 freestyle relay left to be swum, meaning that whichever team won that race would capture the meet, regardless of any other finishes. The top quartets for both squads were side-by-side throughout the entire distance, but Notre Dame senior co-captain Matt Obringer (Jacksonville, Fla./The Bolles School) touched the wall .44 seconds ahead of UCSB freshman Pat Cary to give the Irish a thrilling triumph. Junior Frank Krakowski (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Preparatory School), sophomore Tim Randolph (Crown Point, Ind./Merrillville H.S.), and freshman Louis Cavadini (South Bend, Ind./Riley H.S.) put the outcome in Obringer’s hands with strong initial legs. The quartet finished with a time of 3:08.62.
After holding a four-point lead over the Irish at the break, the Gauchos expanded their advantage to 76-55 with four races to go. It was then that Notre Dame took control, winning each of the final events to snatch the victory. Sophomore Doug Bauman (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Preparatory School), the school recordholder in the event, initiated the comeback with a first-place finish in the 200-yard backstroke in a time of 1:52.24. The 500 freestyle saw the Irish take the top two spots, with freshman Ted Brown (Kokomo, Ind./Western H.S.) winning in 4:37.32 and sophomore Patrick Davis (Clearwater, Fla./Jesuit H.S.) coming in second in 4:39.13. Sophomore Tyler Grenda (Hockessin, Del./Salesianum H.S.) ensured the meet would be decided in the final event by taking first in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:06.56.
In addition to Bauman, Brown, and the 400 free relay team winning their late races over the entire meet field, Notre Dame had two other swimmers win their events over both the UCSB and Wyoming competitors. Brown was a double winner, outtouching UCSB’s Brent Nolan by just .06 for a win in the 1,000 freestyle. His time of 9:26.53 was his best this season and the fourth-quickest in Irish history. Brown is the second-fastest Notre Dame swimmer ever in the event. Two events later, Krakowski won the 50 free in 21.45. He is the University recordholder in the race.
Notre Dame won eight of 13 events against the Cowboys, including the first event victory for freshman Scott Coyle (Indianapolis, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern H.S.), Notre Dame’s lone diver, who won the one-meter competition, which was held Jan. 7. UCSB does not have any divers.
PANTHERS, TERRAPINS, AND WILDCATS: Notre Dame will get a preview of some of the competition in the Feb. 19-21 BIG EAST Championships this weekend when it takes on Villanova, seven-time defending league champion Pittsburgh, as well as Maryland. The three BIG EAST teams met last season in a triangular meet at Villanova on Jan. 13, 2003. Notre Dame lost to Pittsburgh (183-59) but defeated the Wildcats (168-69).
The Irish and Terrapins have never met in dual-meet action, while the Panthers hold a 6-1 all-time advantage against the Irish, and Villanova has won four of six previous meets. Notre Dame has defeated Villanova in each of the last two seasons and had its lone victory over Pittsburgh come in 1960, the second year of varsity swimming at the school.
Pittsburgh is ranked 17th in the nation and holds a 5-1 (2-0 BIG EAST) record in dual-meet action. The Panthers have victories against St. Bonaventure, Syracuse, Washington, Princeton, and West Virginia. Their lone defeat was a 140.5-100.5 decision against Texas A&M. In the most recent CSCAA poll, the Aggies are 14th, the Huskies are 18th, and the Tigers are receiving votes. Pittsburgh also won the Indiana University Invitational in November. The Panthers returned 26 of 28 letterwinners from last season’s team that was 9-4 in dual meets and won their 18th BIG EAST title in 21 seasons of conference play. Diver Dennis Nemtsanov, now a junior, posted three top-25 finishes in last year’s NCAA Championships, singlehandedly allowing Pittsburgh to finish 36th. He was 11th off the platform, 18th in the three-meter competition, and 22nd off the one-meter board. Head coach Chuck Knoles is in his 13th season, having compiled a 108-38 (.740) dual-meet record and captured 10 BIG EAST titles.
Maryland is 3-4 (1-3 ACC) in dual-meet action this season, with wins over Johns Hopkins, Howard, and Duke. The Terps have lost to North Carolina State, Virginia Tech, Clemson, and Georgia Tech and also finished third in the Terrapin Cup Invitational. Maryland lost to the Wolfpack 154-83 on Oct. 18, just five days before N.C. State beat the Irish 139-98. Last season, the Terrapins were 4-7 and finished seventh at the ACC Championships. Head coach Jim Wenhold and is in his 11th season with a 63-53 (.543) record. Irish assistant coach Matt Tallman was an assistant at Maryland in 2000-01, prior to joining Notre Dame’s staff.
Villanova has an 0-4 (0-3 BIG EAST) record this season in dual meets and finished ninth in the Princeton Invitational. The Wildcats have swum against La Salle, Seton Hall, Connecticut, and Virginia Tech in dual-meet action. In 2002-03, Villanova was 0-8 in dual-meet action and finished 10th in the BIG EAST Championships. The Wildcats returned 12 of 17 letterwinners from that team. Head coach Rick Simpson is in his fourth season at Villanova.
IRISH AMONG THE BIG EAST LEADERS: Just past the midway point of the season, Notre Dame has seen 24 of its 29 student-athletes qualify for the BIG EAST Championships. In order to gain entrance to the conference meet, one must achieve an “A” qualifying time in at least one event. Once in the field, a student-athlete may participate in up to two additional events in which he has achieved a “B” qualifying time.
On this season’s BIG EAST top times list, Notre Dame has at least one participant in the top 10 in every swimming event and features multiple student-athletes among the top eight in seven categories. Junior David Moisan (Fisherville, Ky./Louisville Male H.S.) and sophomore Doug Bauman (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Preparatory School) are the highest-ranking Irish athletes, coming in second among league competitors in the 400 individual medley and 200 backstroke, respectively. Bauman’s 1:48.98 in the Notre Dame Invitational set a school record, while Moisan’s time of 3:57.62 set both meet and Rolfs Aquatic Center records. Bauman also heads a quartet posting the third-best times in the BIG EAST this season. He holds that spot with a 50.33 in the 100 backstroke, while sophomore Tyler Grenda (Hockessin, Del./Salesianum H.S.) in the 200 breaststroke (2:03.83), classmate Jamie Lutkus (Granger, Ind./Penn H.S.) in the 200 IM (1:52.23), and freshman Chris Zeches (Tucson, Ariz./Salpointe Catholic H.S.) in the 1,650 freestyle (15:48.77) each rank third in the league this season.
Notre Dame’s depth is most apparent in the two individual medleys, the 200 backstroke, and the 1650 free, as the Irish have at least three of the top eight swimmers in the conference in each competition. In the 200 IM, four of the league’s top seven are Notre Dame student-athletes; Lutkus (3rd, 1:52.23) is followed by senior co-captain Josh Dermott (El Dorado Hills, Calif./Rio Americano H.S.) at fifth (1:52.48), Moisan in sixth (1:52.49), and freshman Alan Carter (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park H.S.) in seventh (1:52.52). The Irish also have six of the top 12 in that event.
Freshman Ted Brown (Kokomo, Ind./Western H.S.) has been the most versatile Irish swimmer in hitting BIG EAST qualifying marks. He has five “A” times and a “B” mark, meaning he is eligible to swim in six races (200 free, 500 free, 1650 free, 200 fly, 200 IM, and 400 IM) in the BIG EAST Championships. Carter (50 free, 100 free, 100 back, 200 back, and 200 IM), Moisan (200 free, 500 free, 200 back, 200 IM, and 400 IM), and freshman Tim Kegelman (Yorktown, Va./Tabb H.S.) (50 free, 100 breast, 100 fly, 200 fly, 200 IM) all have qualified for five events.
RECORDS MADE TO BE BROKEN: The 2003 Notre Dame Invitational saw Irish swimmers set two University records and a meet and pool record. On Friday, Dec. 5, the quartet of senior co-captain Matt Obringer (Jacksonville, Fla./The Bolles School), junior Matt Bertke (Edgewood, Ky./Covington Catholic H.S.), and freshmen Brian Freeman (Sanger, Calif./Immanuel H.S.) and Ted Brown (Kokomo, Ind./Western H.S.) outdistanced the field by five seconds in winning the 800-yard freestyle relay in 6:45.44. The time was .19 seconds quicker than the previous Irish record, which had stood for 12 and a half years (since March 8, 1991), longer than any other mark still on the books heading into this fall.
The following morning, sophomore Doug Bauman (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Preparatory School) posted the top qualifying time in the 200-yard backstroke, finishing in 1:48.98 and breaking the previous Notre Dame record of 1:49.30, set by David Horak at the 2002 BIG EAST meet. In the evening session, Bauman went 1:49.49, posting the third-best time in school history. He now holds five of the best 10 Irish times ever in the event and his record ranks 47th in the nation this season. Bauman also is tops on the team in the 100 backstroke, with his time of 50.33 ranking third among all BIG EAST swimmers. He has five of the top eight Irish times ever in that event, including second-, third-, and fourth-best marks, having twice come within 0.1 seconds of Horak’s school record of 50.23.
Junior David Moisan (Fisherville, Ky./Louisville Male H.S.) won the 400 IM in 3:57.62, setting meet and pool records. He is the only current Irish competitor and just the third overall to hold a pool or Notre Dame Invitational record. That time is best on the Irish this season and second in the conference and 34th in the nation, while ranking as the fifth-best time ever by an Irish swimmer.
IRISH IN THE COLLEGE QUICK 50: Notre Dame is represented eight times in the College Quick 50, the list of the top times in the nation this season in each event. Four Irish relay teams are listed among the nation’s top 40. The 200 free relay team of sophomore Tim Randolph (Crown Point, Ind./Merrillville H.S.), junior Frank Krakowski (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Preparatory School), and freshmen Tim Kegelman (Yorktown, Va./Tabb H.S.) and Louis Cavadini (South Bend, Ind./Riley H.S.) ranks 20th in Division I with a time of 1:22.41. The 800 free relay squad of senior co-captain Matt Obringer (Jacksonville, Fla./The Bolles School), junior Matt Bertke (Edgewood, Ky./Covington Catholic H.S.), and freshmen Brian Freeman (Sanger, Calif./Immanuel H.S.) and Ted Brown (Kokomo, Ind./Western H.S.) that set the Irish record with a 6:45.44 is 26th in the nation. In the 200 medley relay, Notre Dame’s quartet of sophomore Doug Bauman (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Preparatory School), Randolph, Kegelman, and Krakowski rank 28th wit ha time of 1:31.62. The same four are 36th in the 400 medley relay with a time of 3:22.71.
Junior David Moisan (Fisherville, Ky./Louisville Male H.S.) is the top Irish competitor in individual events, coming in 34th in the 400 IM with a pool-record time of 3:57.62. Kegelman is 46th in the 100 butterfly with a time of 49.30, while Brown is 47th in the 1000 free (9:26.53) and Bauman is 47th in the 200 back with his school-record of 1:48.98.
HIGH SCORERS: In the triangular at UC Santa Barbara, freshman Ted Brown (Kokomo, Ind./Western H.S.) became the first Irish student-athlete to rack up 300 points this season, finishing the competition with 303.75. His 274 points in individual competition are by far the most of any Notre Dame competitor, with sophomore Patrick Davis (Clearwater, Fla./Jesuit H.S.) second with 154 . Freshman Tim Kegelman (Yorktown, Va./Tabb H.S.) is second in combined (relays included as 1/4 points scored by the team) points, with 233.25, and third in individual points (147). Junior Frank Krakowski (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Preparatory School) is third in total points (228) and fourth in individual points (145.5), while sophomore Tim Randolph (Crown Point, Ind./Merrillville H.S.) is fourth in overall points with 218.75. Senior co-captain Matt Obringer (Jacksonville, Fla./The Bolles School) is fifth in both individual (142) and total points (192.25). In all, 18 of the 29 Irish competitors have scored at least 100 points this season.
ANOTHER RARE QUADRANGULAR: Friday’s quadrangular dual meet is a rare form of competition for the Irish. It marks the second time this season — but just the third in the 46-year history of varsity swimming and diving at Notre Dame — that the Irish have participate in a quadrangular dual meet. The only four-way dual meet prior to this year came on Feb. 8, 1985 in Indianapolis, Ind., when Notre Dame beat St. Louis, Vincennes, and Xavier. On Nov. 14, the Irish beat Louisville, but lost to #19 BYU and Iowa in a quadrangular in the Rolfs Aquatic Center.
CHALLENGING SLATE: Notre Dame will face a total of six teams this season that are currently ranked or receiving votes in the College Swimming Coaches Association of America’s national top 25. Leading the way is Northwestern (Jan. 24, away) tied for 15th, followed by defending BIG EAST champion Pittsburgh (Jan. 16-17, away) at 17th, with BYU (L, 116-178) 20th, North Carolina (L, 111.5-181.5) 22nd, and Harvard (2nd to ND, 2259.5-1549.5, at Notre Dame Invitational) 23rd. Iowa (L, 119-174) is second among teams receiving votes.
YOUTHFUL AIRS: This year’s Irish team has a definite youthful side to it. Of the 29 student-athletes, only eight came into 2003-04 more than one previous season of collegiate experience. There are just four members of the class of ’03 and just four juniors, while 10 sophomores and 11 freshmen fill out the roster.
IT TAKES TWO: In returning to a Notre Dame men’s swimming and diving tradition, the Irish will be led by a pair of co-captains in 2003-04 — seniors Josh Dermott (El Dorado Hills, Calif./Rio Americano H.S.) and Matt Obringer (Jacksonville, Fla./The Bolles School). After Notre Dame had tri-captains a season ago for just the second time in the 46-year history of the program, the Irish will have co-captains for the 21st time in the last 24 years.
HEAD COACH Tim Welsh: Irish head coach Tim Welsh is in his 19th season leading the Irish men’s swimming and diving program after helming both the men’s and women’s teams from 1985-94. In his career, which spans 26 previous seasons, Welsh has compiled a 369-229 (.617) overall dual-meet mark, including a 219-124 (.638) record coaching men’s swimming and diving. He is just three wins away from 250 at Notre Dame, holding a 247-138 (.642) mark. A former Division III National Coach of the Year, Welsh has helped his teams to a pair of national titles, as well as 24 conference championships (15 Midwestern Collegiate, 9 Middle Atlantic, 1 North Star). Prior to coming to Notre Dame, he led the Johns Hopkins men’s and women’s programs for eight years, winning back-to-back men’s Division III national titles in 1978 and ’79, being named National Coach of the Year on the latter occasion. Since coming to Notre Dame, he has coached 11 athletes who have earned berths in the NCAA Championships. His impact on the evolution of the men’s program is evidenced by the fact that all but one current University record has been set since 1999. Welsh was named the BIG EAST Coach of the Year in 1999 and has been awarded an honorary monogram for his distinguished service to the swimming programs by Notre Dame’s National Monogram Club. He currently has the second-longest tenure of any Irish coach at Notre Dame (track and field coach Joe Piane is first at 29 years).
Welsh also is involved with the sport at the national and international levels, as he served on the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Swimming Committee from 1991-97 and was president of the group at one time. He also has served as the president of the BIG EAST swimming coaches, is a board member of the American Swimming Coaches Association, and will serve on the technical director’s staff for the 2005 World University Games in Turkey.
HEAD DIVING COACH Caiming Xie: Caiming Xie is in his ninth season as the head diving coach at Notre Dame for both the men’s and women’s teams. During his tenure, he has coached two All-Americans on the women’s side, as well as the top two men’s divers in school history: Herb Huesman and Andy Maggio, who barely missed being the first Irish male ever to qualify for the NCAA Championships, in 2002. Caiming has been named his conference’s top diving coach on three occasions, most recently in the BIG EAST in 1999. On the women’s side, Caiming was responsible for the development of Heather Mattingly and Meghan Perry-Eaton, the first two diving All-Americans in Notre Dame history. Caiming also has a great deal of international coaching experience, serving as diving coach for the Chinese Olympic and national team from 1977-90, being recognized as the Chinese National Diving Coach of the Year twice (1986 and ’87). His divers have won a number of medals in international events, including a gold in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain by Sun Shu-Wei.
KEEPING UP WITH NOTRE DAME MEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING: For the fastest results of Notre Dame men’s swimming and diving meets, call the Notre Dame Sports Hotline at (574) 631-3000 and choose #7. The hotline provides schedule and results information for all 26 varsity sports and serves as a supplement to the meet previews and recaps provided on the official athletic website, www.und.com. The hotline is the first medium updated with the results of each Notre Dame men’s swimming and diving meet. In addition, media members and fans may be added to the sports information e-mail release list by contacting Bo Rottenborn at Rottenborn.2@nd.edu. He also can provide any needed information about the Irish men’s swimming and diving program.