Feb. 18, 2014
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – After 18 dominant years in the BIG EAST Conference, the No. 20 University of Notre Dame women’s swimming and diving team is bound for its first Atlantic Coast Conference Championship meet this week (Feb. 19-22) as the Irish are set to battle 11 other conference foes at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, N.C.
The Irish head to Greensboro with plenty of confidence after a solid 2013-14 season has featured a 7-5 record during dual meets and convincing wins at both the Hawkeye and Shamrock Invitationals. In addition, junior Emma Reaney has earned five ACC Swimmer of the Week scrolls, while junior Allison Casareto and sophomore Lindsey Streepey have each earned ACC Diver of the Week honors once. Around the ACC, the Irish are seeded in the top eight 21 times in 15 events.
“What’s great about this meet is that every person on the team matters,” said head coach Brian Barnes. “If we can operate under the mindset that no one person is more important than the other we will have a fun meet. This meet needs to start because I’m so excited for our swimmers and divers to get out there and start competing. They’ve worked hard all year for this meet and appear poised and ready to go.”
Action gets underway at 6 p.m. (ET) Wednesday night with the 200 medley and 800 free relays. Thursday morning features prelims in the 500 free, 200 IM and 50 free beginning at 11 a.m. (ET). Diving will get underway a 1 p.m. (ET) with the men’s 3-meter. The women’s 1-meter is set for 3:30 p.m. (ET).
The only rule change for this year’s championships is all 24 finals participants will earn points for their respective squads. Each final will feature eight competitors each.
Last year, the Irish closed out their BIG EAST tenure with a third consecutive runner-up finish to rival Louisville. However, Notre Dame cleaned up the conference awards as Reaney was named swimmer of the year, then-senior Jenny Chiang was selected diver of the year, head coach Brian Barnes earned swimming coach of the year honors and head diving coach Caiming Xie received diving coach of the year accolades.
Admission to this year’s ACC Championships is free for fans. However, parking will be $8 a day or $15 for the week. Session passes that cover Wednesday through Saturday are only available for purchase the first two days of the meet.
Fans that can’t make it to Greensboro can watch the free live stream on theACC.com on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights with Dean Linke handling play-by-play and Frank Comfort adding color commentary.
Championship updates will be available on Facebook (/NDwSwimmingDiving) and Twitter (@NDwSwimming and @NDsidRuss – WSD Media Relations Director).
2013-14 ACC Weekly Honorees
Swimmer of the Week
Oct. 15 – Emma Reaney
Nov. 5 – Emma Reaney
Nov. 19 – Emma Reaney
Dec. 10 – Emma Reaney
Jan. 14 – Emma Reaney
Diver of the Week
Nov. 19 – Allison Casareto
Dec. 10 – Lindsey Streepey
ACC Rankings (Top 8 Only)
1-Meter Dive
2. Casareto – 324.7
3-Meter Dive
2. Casareto – 361.2
100 Backstroke
7. Kelly Ryan – 53.87 (NCAA B Cut)
200 Backstroke
6. Ryan – 1:55.75 (NCAA B Cut)
7. Courtney Whyte – 1:56.84 (NCAA B Cut)
8. Katie Miller – 1:56.90 (NCAA B Cut)
100 Breaststroke
1. Reaney – 59.22 (NCAA B Cut)
5. Christen McDonough – 1:00.51 (NCAA B Cut)
200 Breaststroke
1. Reaney – 2:05.85 (NCAA A Cut)
100 Butterfly
3. Whyte – 53.44 (NCAA B Cut)
8. Catherine Galletti – 53.95 (NCAA B Cut)
200 Butterfly
5. Bridget Casey – 1:57.62 (NCAA B Cut)
8. Reaney – 1:58.39 (NCAA B Cut)
200 IM
1. Reaney – 1:55.18 (NCAA A Cut)
6. Miller – 1:58.16 (NCAA B Cut)
400 IM
6. Miller – 4:12.06 (NCAA B Cut)
200 Free Relay
4. McDonough / Ryan / Galletti / Reaney – 1:31.55 (No Standard)
400 Free Relay
5. Ryan / Reaney / Catherine Mulquin / Galletti – 3:20.55 (No Standard)
800 Free Relay
4. Ryan / Reaney / Miller / Suzanne Bessire – 7:19.94 (No Standard)
200 Medley Relay
2. Mulquin / Reaney / Galletti / Ryan – 1:39.80 (No Standard)
400 Medley Relay
1. Miller / Reaney / Whyte / Ryan – 3:36.84 (No Standard)
NCAA Zone C Qualifier
Casareto – 1M, 3M, Platform
Emma Gaboury – 1M, 3M, Platform
Streepey – 1M, 3M, Platform
NCAA Rankings – Individual (Top 50 Only)
100 Breaststroke
6. Reaney – 59.22 (NCAA B Cut)
22. McDonough – 1:00.51 (NCAA B Cut)
200 Breaststroke
1. Reaney – 2:05.85 (NCAA A Cut)
200 IM
6. Reaney – 1:55.18 (NCAA A Cut)
28. Miller – 1:58.16 (NCAA B Cut)
400 IM
27. Miller – 4:12.06 (NCAA B Cut)
200 Backstroke
35. Ryan – 1:55.75 (NCAA B Cut)
100 Butterfly
T-43. Whyte – 53.44 (NCAA B Cut)
200 Butterfly
32. Casey – 1:57.62 (NCAA B Cut)
NCAA Rankings – Relays (Top 25 Only)
200 Free Relay
24. McDonough / Ryan / Galletti / Reaney – 1:31.55 (No Standard)
200 Medley Relay
21. Mulquin / Reaney / Galletti / Ryan – 1:39.80 (No Standard)
400 Medley Relay
15. Miller / Reaney / Whyte / Ryan – 3:36.84 (No Standard)
2013-14 School Records
200 Breaststroke
Reaney – 2:05.85 (NCAA A Cut)
2013-14 Rolfs Aquatic Center Pool Records
200 IM
Reaney – 1:58.42 (NCAA B Cut)
800 Free Relay
Reaney / Ryan / Miller / Casey – 7:22.65 (No Standard)
–Russell Dorn, Assistant Media Relations Director
–ND–