Nov. 18, 1999

SOUTH BEND, Ind.— Notre Dame women’s swimming coach Bailey Weathers has announced the signings today of seven high school seniors to national letters of intent. Sarah Bowman (Cheshire, Conn.), Lisa Garcia (Denver, Colo.), Danielle Hulick (Galesburg, Ill.), Marie Labosky (Churchville, Pa.), Laurie Musgrave (Littleton, Colo.), Jessica Roberts (Oak Brook, Ill.) and Jilen Siroky (Charlotte, N.C.) will make up Notre Dame’s class of 2004.

“We’re really excited with this recruiting class and feel like it’s one of our best overall recruiting classes, and certainly the best one we’ve had in the fall,” Weathers said. “We went into the season concerned about being able to replace the athletes that are now seniors in the program, which was our first recruiting class here at Notre Dame, and I think we’ve done that. “

Bowman is a four-time all-state honoree and five-time school record-holder from Cheshire High School. She will swim the butterfly events as well as the 100 and 200 freestyle and 200 individual medley for the Irish. Bowman has earned All-America and scholastic All-America honors and has posted senior national and junior national level qualifying times.

“When I came up for my recruiting trip, I felt like I fit in really well with the team and the coaching staff,” Bowman said. “I liked the atmosphere, the tradition and spirit of the university, which is what I had been looking for.”

Garcia, a senior at Cherry Creek High School in Englewood, Colo., will swim both butterflys, individual medley and backstroke events for Notre Dame. Garcia is an All-American in two individual events and two relays and is a member of the national record-holding 200 medley relay team. Garcia, who swam a Olympic Trial qualifying time in the 100 butterfly, is the reigning 200 individual medley state high school champion and the state runner-up in the 100 butterfly.

” Lisa will add a lot of depth in both the butterfly and individual medley events,” Weathers said. “Along with Sarah Bowman and the girls that are here now, it will be really hard to pick who is the best butterflier, especially for the relays.”

Hulick will add depth to Notre Dame’s sprint freestyle corps and can swim both the sprint backstroke and butterfly events. A two-time runner-up in the 50 and 100 freestyle at the Illinois state meet, Hulick holds every Galesburg High School swim record except in the breaststroke events.

“Danielle is one of the best sprinters in the country and will really blossom in our program with good swimmers to train with,” Weathers said. “Danielle will really compliment our sprinting corps, but at the same time, I think she is one of the best swimmers in her own right.”

Labosky, a senior at Germantown Academy in Fort Washington, Pa., has posted Olympic Trial qualifying times in both the 100 and 200 backstroke and the 400 individual medley. A two-time All-American, Labosky was second in the 100 backstroke and third in the 200 individual medley at the 1999 Eastern Interscholastic Swimming Championships.

“Marie adds a lot of versatility, in that she can also swim some distance freestyle events, in addition to the backstroke and individual medleys,” Weathers said. “She’s been in a good training program and will step up the level of training in practice everyday.”

A senior at Arapahoe High School, Musgrave is a senior national qualifier in the 100 and 200 breaststroke, in addition to being a three-time high school All-American and a two-time scholastic All-American. Holder of seven state age-group records, Musgrave led her high school team to a runner-up finish in last year’s Colorado state meet. She also is a teammate of Garcia’s on the University of Denver Hilltoppers.

“Laurie has a really good feel for the water and has quick hands and feet,” Weathers says. “We will look at her to solidify where we are in the breaststroke events over the next four years and add a lot of speed to our medley relays.”

A three-time Illinois state high school champion in the 100 backstroke, Roberts, a senior at Hinsdale Central High School, has achieved All-America status three-times.

“Jessica has been enthusiastic about Notre Dame and we’ve really enjoyed having her look at the program,” Weathers said. “She will add a lot to our sprint backstroke, and in particular, will be a good one-two punch with current sophomore Kelly Hecking and have an immediate impact for us at NCAAs.”

Siroky was a member of the 1996 United States Olympic squad in the 200 breaststroke and since then has led her Providence High School team to two state championships. As a member of the Mecklenburg Aquatic Club, she was the 1996 U.S. senior national champion in the 100-meter breaststroke and led the club to the team championships at the senior nationals in both 1996 and 1997.

“Choosing Notre Dame was the best decision I’ve ever made in my entire life and it’s the only thing I can think about right now,” Siroky said. “Academically and athletically it’s one of the best, if not the best, universities in the country. Between the coaches and the team, it couldn’t be a better match.”