Dec. 3, 2005

Results

The University of Notre Dame men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams captured the team titles at the 2005 Notre Dame Invitational on Saturday evening at the Rolfs Aquatic Center. Both Irish teams led from the first to last event during the meet, with the men posting a dominating 2,813 points, while the women cruised to victory with 1,822 points.

The highlight of the evening was a spectacular 1,650 freestyle effort by junior Katie Carroll. Already in possession of an NCAA automatic qualification time in the 400 individual medley, along with five other NCAA consideration times, Carroll added a sixth in the mile. She finished in 16:37.58, breaking Linda Gallo’s eight-year old meet record (16:44.91) and besting Michigan’s Emily-Clare Fenn’s pool record of 16:40.28 from 2003.

Jay Vanden Berg won the 1,650 free for the men’s team, while the squad displayed its depth with several top-eight finishes during Saturday night’s finals.

Both Irish teams will now take a break from competition for the holidays. While they will continue to train, neither team will compete again until Jan. 13, 2006. The men will host Evansville that day, while the women will begin a two-day meet against Michigan and Illinois in Ann Arbor, Mich.

FINAL TEAM SCORES

WOMEN:
1. Notre Dame, 1,822
2. Truman State, 1,643
3. Utah, 1,467
4. Wyoming, 954.5
5. North Dakota, 735.5
6. Indianapolis, 638
7. Saint Louis, 623
8. Hillsdale, 289
9. Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 204*
10. Southern Illinois, 92*
11. Youngstown State, 47*

MEN:
1. Notre Dame, 2,813
2. Utah, 1,366
3. North Dakota, 978
4. Wyoming, 937.5
5. Truman State, 892.5
6. Indianapolis, 679
7. Saint Louis, 441
8. Southern Illinois, 112*
9. Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 106*

* – competed in diving only

DAY THREE NOTRE DAME MEET RECAP:

Junior Katie Carroll, who entered the weekend with the nation’s top time in the 400 individual medley added to her list of accomplishments on Saturday. Carroll has entered the 1,650-yard freestyle (the length of a mile) just a few times in her Notre Dame career. She won Saturday’s event in 16:37.58, setting a meet record and pool record along the way. In addition, the time is good enough for an NCAA “B” cut – giving her an amazing six NCAA consideration (and one automatic) times this season. The effort also marks the fifth-best women’s 1,650-freestyle time in school history and the time would have finished 10th in the men’s 1,650 free competition.

Carroll has automatically qualified for the NCAA Championship in the 400 IM, posting a blistering 4:15.34 at the Minnesota Invitational on Nov. 18. NCAA Championship rules allow any swimmer that automatically qualifies for the national meet to enter any other event in which they have achieved an NCAA “B” cut. Carroll has reached an NCAA “B” in the 100 freestyle (58.85), 200 freestyle (1:48.73), 100 butterfly (55.28), 200 butterfly (2:00.61), 200 individual medley (2:02.69) and now the 1,650 freestyle. All of those achievements have been posted in the FIRST HALF of the 2005-06 season without rest or shaving.

Following the pattern of the entire meet, the men’s team posted not only a victory in the 1,650 freestyle – they dominated the top five. Sophomore Jay Vanden Berg won the event in a season-best time of 15:44.74, followed by teammate Rob Seery in second place (15:11.11). Junior Chris Zeches finished fourth with a time of 15:57.60.

Truman State’s Whitney Wodstrchill posted a great swim in the women’s 200 backstroke, winning the event in 2:00.92. Notre Dame finished second and third in the race, with Caroline Johnson logging a season-best effort of 2:01.99, followed by Ann Barton in 2:02.89.

The men also dominated the top eight of the 200 backstroke. Utah’s Andrew Cole won in 1:49.84, but the Irish finished third through seventh, led by Doug Bauman (1:50.33). Bauman was followed by Brian Freeman (1:50.73), Mitchell Sherman (1:52.12), Jamie Lutkus (1:52.55) and Alan Carter (1:55.24).

The Irish women showed their depth in the 100 freestyle. Although Amber Walter from Utah placed first in 50.48, Rebecca Grove took third (51.90), Casey Wagner fourth (51.95) and Christa Riggins sixth (52.25) to pile more points on Notre Dame’s team total.

The Utah men’s team took home another victory in the 100 freestyle, as Jonathan Larsen touched the wall first in 44.07. Junior Louis Cavadini ended up second with a team season-best time of 45.92. Tim Randolph (47.17) and Chris Barnes (47.23) finished fifth and sixth, respectively.

The women’s team returned to the victory stand in the 200 breaststroke when junior Julia Quinn placed first in 2:19.27. That performance was followed by more domination on the men’s side of the event. Freshman Daniel Rave won in 2:04.08, followed by Tyler Grenda (2:04.79) and Graham Parker (2:05.28), in second and third respectively. The Irish were not done there, as Eric Swenson placed fifth (2:06.71) and Jamie Lutkus in sixth (2:08.95).

Freshman Casey Wagner posted the second straight victory for the women’s team in the 200 butterfly, easing into first placed with a career-best time of 2:02.79. Teammate and sophomore Katie Hopkins finished fourth in 2:06.48. Brian Guarnier finished third in the men’s 200 fly (1:52.33) for the men’s squad.

The women’s team capped the meet with a fine race in the 400 freestyle relay, posting a season-best time of 3:25.47. The team of Carroll, Christa Riggins, Wagner and Rebecca Grove rallied in the final 50 yards to out-touch Utah at the wall.

The men’s 400 freestyle relay team ended up second, as the group of Louis Cavadini, Tim Randolph, Nick Fanslau and Tim Kegelman touched the wall at 3:05.38 – a season-best time for the Irish.