Sophomore Tim Kegelman is the first Notre Dame men's swimmer ever to qualify for the NCAA Championships.

Kegelman Ties BIG EAST 100 Fly Record As #22 Irish Men's Swimming & Diving Continues Strong Performances

Feb. 18, 2005

EAST MEADOW, N.Y. – Tim Kegelman (Yorktown, Va./Tabb H.S.) matched the BIG EAST Championships record in the 100-yard butterfly, and the 22nd-ranked University of Notre Dame again lead all schools in evening qualifiers on Friday morning in the Nassau County Aquatics Center. The sophomore became the first Irish swimmer or diver ever to enter the BIG EAST record books, going 48.10 in being the top seed in prelims.

Kegelman matched Jaak Savvi (St. John’s) time established in 2001 in becoming the top qualifier in the 100 fly. It was the second-fastest time ever by an Irish swimmer, behind his record of 47.66. Right behind him was senior Frank Krakowski (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep School), who turned in a career-best and NCAA “B” cut time of 48.30. Sophomore Louis Cavadini (South Bend, Ind./Riley H.S.) also made the championship final with a time of 49.60 that ranked sixth. Junior Steve Shomberger (Spotsylvania, Va./Courtland H.S.) just missed the championship final, coming in ninth with a career-best time of 49.98.

Again it was the Irish depth that was the decisive factor in the morning session. That was nowhere more evident than in the 100 backstroke, which saw Notre Dame put four among the top six qualifiers. Leading that group was Shomberger, who was second with a career-best time of 50.37. University record holder Doug Bauman (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep School) qualified fourth at 50.61, while sophomore Alan Carter (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel H.S.) was right behind in 50.71, and freshman Andrew MacKay (Georgetown, Cayman Islands/Cayman Prep & H.S.) came in sixth with a 51.04.

The Irish also were dominant and deep in the 400 individual medley. Leading that effort was defending champion Jamie Lutkus (Granger, Ind./Penn H.S.), who qualified second with a time of 3:55.07. The 2004 runner-up, senior David Moisan (Fisherville, Ky./Louisville Male H.S.), qualified fourth with a time of 3:57.95, while sophomore Justin Barber (Carson City, Nev./Carson H.S.) was eighth in 4:01.15. MacKay earned a trip to the consolation final with a time of 4:02.09 that ranked 10th, while junior Patrick Heffernan (Norcross, Ga./Norcross H.S.) was 14th in 4:04.03.

Notre Dame lead all schools with five qualifiers – all posting career-best times – for the finals in the 200 freestyle. Leading that effort was sophomore Ted Brown (Kokomo, Ind./Western H.S.), who qualified fourth with a time of 1:39.71. He was eighth in the race last year. Sophomore Brian Freeman (Sanger, Calif./Immanuel H.S.) earned a spot in the championship final by turning in a 1:40.80 that was good for seventh in prelims. He will swim in the evening in the race for the second straight year. Senior captain Matt Bertke (Edgewood, Ky./Covington Catholic H.S.) qualified 10th with a time of 1:41.10, while rookie Jay Vanden Berg (Holland, Mich./Southfield Christian School) was right behind in 1:41.51, and another freshman, Long Island native Rob Seery (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City H.S.), was 13th with a time of 1:41.96. Bertke earned a spot in the evening after three previous failed attempts.

All three Irish entrants in the 100 breaststroke earned evening swims, as junior Tim Randolph (Crown Point, Ind./Merrillville H.S.) qualified for the championship final for the third consecutive year. He turned in a season best by 1.34 seconds, notching the third-quickest prelims time, a 56.03 that stands as the fourth-fastest mark in program history. Sophomore Nick Fanslau (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn H.S.) turned in a career-best time of 57.10 to qualify seventh after finishing 22nd in the race as a rookie. Junior Tyler Grenda (Hockessin, Del./Salesianum H.S.) just missed a spot in the championship final, coming in .09 seconds behind Felipe Cunha of West Virginia in ninth place with a season-best time of 57.27. It is Grenda’s third consecutive berth in the evening finals.

Friday’s final event was three-meter diving, in which Pittsburgh positioned itself to make up major ground on the Irish. The Panthers had five of the top six qualifiers, while Notre Dame placed only one in the championship final. Rookie Sam Stoner (Valparaiso, Ind./Valparaiso H.S.), who was fifth off the one-meter board on Wednesday, led the Irish with a score of 433.80 points that was good enough to qualify seventh. Another rookie, Chris Kane (San Antonio, Texas/Ronald Reagan H.S.), finished 10th with a collegiate-best 11-dive score of 418.25, and sophomore Scott Coyle (Indianapolis, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern H.S.) was 11th with 412.45 points. Freshman Steven Crowe (Brockport, N.Y./Brockport H.S.) finished 14th with 370.95 points. There is no consolation diving final.

Friday’s finals will begin at 6 p.m. (EST) and will feature the 400 IM, 100 butterfly, 200 free, 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke, 1-meter diving, and the 400 medley relay.

After two nights of competition and seven of 20 events, the Irish are in first place with 302 points, while Pittsburgh is second, 54 points behind.