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Irish Set For Saturday Dual Meet At #15 Northwestern

Jan. 23, 2004

EVANSTON, Ill. – The University of Notre Dame men’s swimming and diving team (5-6) will take part in its final road meet of the regular season this weekend, traveling to #15 Northwestern for a 2 p.m. (CST) competition on Saturday. The Irish, 4-1 this month, will face a top-20 team in its own pool for the second time in as many weeks prior to a trio of home dual meets leading up to the Feb. 19-21 BIG EAST Championships.

LAST TIME IN THE POOL: Notre Dame improved to 4-1 in 2004 by posting a pair of victories in a quadrangular dual meet in Pittsburgh last weekend. The Irish defeated Maryland 201-140 and topped Villanova 282-51, but fell to seven-time defending BIG EAST champion #17 Pittsburgh 228-123. The meet featured action on both Friday and Saturday in a mini-championship format. The Irish won four events against the Panthers and 10 vs. the Terrapins, while taking the top spot in each competition against the Wildcats. Notre Dame set school records for most points and largest margin of victory in a dual meet vs. Villanova.

The highlight of the opening day for the Irish was the 400-meter individual medley, in which Notre Dame swimmers took each of the top three spots. Junior David Moisan (Fisherville, Ky./Louisville Male H.S.) led the way with a time of 4:02.37. He was followed by sophomore University recordholder Jamie Lutkus (Granger, Ind./Penn H.S.) in 4:04.24 and freshman Ted Brown (Kokomo, Ind./Western H.S.) in 4:05.92. Freshman Tim Kegelman (Yorktown, Va./Tabb H.S.) was also a winner for Notre Dame, topping the field in the 100 butterfly with a season-best mark of 49.19. It is the best time for an Irish swimmer in the event in 2003-04 and is the third-best ever. Brown’s season-best time of 15:55.79 was good enough for second place in the 1,650 freestyle.

On Saturday, Kegelman posted his second event victory in as many days by winning the 200-yard butterfly in 1:51.25. Notre Dame’s other victor on Saturday was Brown, who took the top spot in the 500 freestyle with a time of 4:32.60. Brown finished 2.39 seconds ahead of Pittsburgh senior Eric Limkemann, who has the fastest time among BIG EAST competitors in the event this season. Lutkus completed a meet in which he had a trio of top-three finishes. After coming in second in the 400 IM on Friday, he was second in the 200 IM (1:54.68) and third in the 200 breaststroke (2:09.11) on Saturday. Sophomore Tyler Grenda (Hockessin, Del./Salesianum H.S.) took second in the 200 breast with a time of 2:07.61. In the 400 medley relay, Notre Dame’s team of sophomore Doug Bauman (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Preparatory School), sophomore Tim Randolph (Crown Point, Ind./Merrillville H.S.), Kegelman, and junior Frank Krakowski (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Preparatory School) took second place in 3:24.76.

IRISH vs. WILDCATS: Northwestern, ranked 15th in the latest College Swim Coaches Association (CSCAA) dual-meet rankings, is 5-2 (2-2 Big Ten) in dual meets this season, having also finished first in its NU Relays and second to the host at the Purdue Invitational, despite competing without any divers. The Wildcats’ losses came to #8 Minnesota and #12 Wisconsin, while they have victories over #25 Indiana, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Michigan State, Eastern Michigan, and Illinois-Chicago. The Spartans are the lone common opponent for the Irish and Northwestern. Despite taking three of the top four positions in six of 11 swimming races, Notre Dame fell to MSU 125.5-113.5 on the road on Nov. 7. The Wildcats topped Michigan State 129-111 last Friday.

Northwestern returned 15 of 19 letterwinners from last year’s team that was 5-7 (1-5 Big Ten) but finished 26th in the NCAA Championships. Two current Wildcat seniors earned invitations to last year’s NCAAs: Mark Hamming (11th in 200 fly, 20th in 200 IM, 33rd in 100 fly) and Anthony Swanson (30th in 200 IM, 31st in 100 back, 32nd in 200 back). Head coach Bob Groseth is in his 15th season leading Northwestern, having compiled an 85-92 (.480) mark.

The Irish and Wildcats will meet for the second straight year and 19th time overall. Northwestern leads the series 11-7 and has won each of the last three meets. The Wildcats were one of the most common opponents in the early years of Irish varsity swimming and diving, as the teams met 12 times (NU won 8) from 1960-72. After a 16-year hiatus, the teams matched up again five times from 1988-93 (ND won 3). Last season marked another renewal of the rivalry. Notre Dame is 2-4 in Evanston, Ill., but this will be the first trip there since 1988 and just the second since ’72.

On Jan. 25, 2003, Northwestern prevailed 172-126 in the Rolfs Aquatic Center in the final home meet of the season for the Irish. The Wildcats won 10 of 16 events, but Notre Dame got a sweep of the diving competitions from Andy Maggio. The Irish also got victories from Matt Obringer (Jacksonville, Fla./The Bolles School) in the 200 free, Frank Krakowski (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Preparatory School) in the 50 free, and the 400 freestyle relay team of Tim Randolph (Crown Point, Ind./Merrillville H.S.), Krakowski, J.R. Teddy (Spring, Texas/Klein H.S.), and Obringer.

DOMINATING PERFORMANCE: Notre Dame won every event last weekend against Villanova en route to a 282-51 dual-meet victory. The Irish set school records for total points in a dual meet and margin of victory in a dual meet (231 points). The previous marks in both categories came in a 234-66 triumph at Boston College on Nov. 8, 1996.

TOUGH COMPETITION: Saturday will mark the first time Notre Dame has taken on a top-15 team in a dual meet since Nov. 2, 2001, when the Irish lost at home to #5 Tennessee 134.5-81.5.

WELSH NEARING MILESTONE: Head coach Tim Welsh is one dual-meet victory away from his 250th at Notre Dame. In his 19 years leading the Irish, he holds a 249-139 (.642) record coaching both men’s and women’s swimming and diving. He led the Notre Dame women’s program from 1985-95, compiling a 93-50 (.642) record, and Welsh remains the winningest coach in Irish women’s swimming and diving history. Welsh has a 157-89 (.638) mark leading the Notre Dame men. He is 10 victories shy of becoming the all-time winningest Irish men’s swimming and diving coach. The program’s first and only other mentor was Dennis Stark, who had a 167-137 (.549) record from 1958-85.

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, updated prior to last week’s quadrangular, 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 seven 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 21st 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 27th 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 29th with a time of 1:31.62. The same four are 38th in the 400 medley 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 39th in the 400 IM with a pool-record time of 3:57.62. Kegelman is 40th in the 100 butterfly with a time of 49.19, while Bauman is 49th in the 200 back with his school record of 1:48.98.

HIGH SCORERS: Freshman Ted Brown (Kokomo, Ind./Western H.S.) remains the top pointscorer for Notre Dame this season, with 371.75 points. His 342 points in individual competition are by far the most for any Notre Dame competitor, with freshman Tim Kegelman (Yorktown, Va./Tabb H.S.) second with 201. When adding relay points (1/4 of total earned in each race), Kegelman has 300.25 this season, joining Brown as the only two Irish student-athletes to hit the 300-point plateau. Junior Frank Krakowski (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Preparatory School) is third in total points (274.75) and fourth in individual points (170.5), while sophomore Patrick Davis (Clearwater, Fla./Jesuit H.S.) is third in individiaul competition with 173 and sophomore Tim Randolph (Crown Point, Ind./Merrillville H.S.) is fourth in overall points with 248.75. Senior co-captain Matt Obringer (Jacksonville, Fla./The Bolles School) is fifth in both individual (142) and total points (192.25). In all, 19 of the 29 Irish competitors have scored at least 100 points this season.

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 (L, 123-228) 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 371-230 (.617) overall dual-meet mark, including a 221-125 (.639) record coaching men’s swimming and diving. He is just one win away from 250 at Notre Dame, holding a 249-139 (.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.

IRISH SIGN THREE FOR NEXT SEASON: Head coach Tim Welsh recently announced the signing of three incoming freshmen for the 2004-05 season. Graham Parker (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill H.S. East), Rob Seery (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City H.S.), and Jay VandenBerg (Beverly Hills, Mich./Southfield Christian School) have signed national letters of intent to enroll at Notre Dame next year and join the Irish men’s swimming and diving team. Welsh anticipates the addition of further recruits for the class of 2008, but is unable to comment on them at this time due to NCAA regulations.

Parker is a three-time New Jersey state champion, having won titles in the 200 medley relay (2002), the 200 individual medley (’03), and the 400 freestyle relay (’03). He has earned high school All-America honors in the 100 breaststroke, 200 IM, and 200 medley relay and is a spring 2004 senior U.S. national qualifier in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:04.24. Seery posted the 14th-fastest time in the nation for 15- and 16-year-old boys in the 1,650 freestyle in 2003, 15:39.39. He has earned All-America honors in the 200 and 500 freestyle and qualified for the 2003 national championships in the 800 free relay. His top times in the 1,000 (9:26.26) and 1,650 freestyle (15:35.01, done after he turned 17) would rank him as the second-quickest swimmer in Notre Dame history in both events. VandenBerg boasted the 15th-fastest time in the nation for 17- and 18-year olds in the 1,650 freestyle last year, 15:32.52. He has posted senior national qualifying marks in the 800 free, 1500 free, and 1650 free. A U.S. Open qualifier in six events (400 free, 800 free, 1000 free, 1500 free, 1650 free, 400 IM), VandenBerg also holds the 16-and-under Michigan postal distance record for 3,000-yard freestyle. VandenBerg’s top 1,650 freestyle time of 15:32.52 has been bettered only once in the history of Notre Dame swimming, while his 9:21.76 mark in the 1,000 free would rank third on the all-time Irish list.

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.