Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Official Athletics Website

Irish Send Three Women's Swimmers And One Diver To NCAA Meet

March 18, 2003

Auburn, Ala. – The Notre Dame women’s swimming and diving team will send three swimmers and one diver to the 2003 NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships Thursday-Saturday, March 20-22, in Auburn, Ala. Juniors Lisa Garcia, Danielle Hulick, Marie Labosky and diver Meghan Perry-Eaton, will represent the Irish at the meet.

Garcia, from Denver, Colo., has been Notre Dame’s most consistent swimmer this season and is making her second appearance at the NCAA Championships. Last year, Garcia was an honorable mention All-American after placing 15th in the 400 free relay with Kristen Peterson, Carrie Nixon and Kelly Hecking.

In 2002-03, Garcia qualified for six events at the BIG EAST Championships, winning the 200 butterfly and 200 individual medley. She set a Notre Dame and BIG EAST record in the 200 IM with a time of 2:01.00. At the NCAA meet, she will compete in the 200 individual medley, where she has the 20th fastest time (2:01.00); the 100 butterfly with the 38th best time (54.90) and the 200 butterfly with the 25th best time (1:59.48).

Hulick has been the biggest surprise for the Irish in 2002-03 as she dramatically improved her times over the season and will be making her first appearance at the NCAA meet. The native of Galesburg, Ill., won three events at the BIG EAST Championships including the 50 freestyle. She also was a member of the 200 and 400 free relay teams. Hulick will compete in the 50 freestyle, the 100 backstroke and the 200 backstroke. She is seeded 21st in the 50 freestyle (22.93), 23rd in the 100 backstroke (54.83) and 39th in the 200 backstroke (2:00.27).

Labosky is making her third trip to the NCAA meet after earning honorable mention All-America honors in the 400 individual medley as a freshman in 2000-01. Labosky will compete in both the 200 and 400 individual medley events and the 200 backstroke. She is ranked 54th in the 200 IM (2:03.37), 17th in the 400 IM (4:16.24) and 40th in the 200 backstroke (2:00.49).

Labosky has had another strong year for the Irish as she won the 400 individual medley at the 2003 BIG EAST Championships just edging out archrival Maddy Crippen of Villanova (who will also be at the NCAA meet). Labosky finished in a time of 4:16.24 to Crippen’s 4:16.46. She was also sixth in the 200 IM at the conference meet.

Perry-Eaton was named the 2003 BIG EAST Diver of the Year after placing first on the one-meter board and second on the three-meter board at the conference meet. She then went on to place third on the one-meter board and seventh on the three-meter event at the NCAA Zone Diving meet held last weekend. The native of Brandon, Fla., making her first NCAA Championship appearance, will compete on both the one- and three-meter events.

The schedule of events for the weekend will see Garcia and Labosky compete in the 200 IM and Hulick in the 50 free on Thursday. Perry-Eaton will also see action on the one-meter board on Thursday. On Friday, Labosky will swim the 400 IM, while Garcia will compete in the 100 butterfly, Hulick in the 100 backstroke and Perry-Eaton on the three-meter board. The final day has Hulick and Labosky swimming the 200 backstroke and Garcia in the 200 butterfly.

For complete results during the meet, please visit www.auburntigers.com.