Feb. 16, 2011
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A pair of very respectable relay performances – including a record-setting 1:38.97 in the 200 medley relay – put Notre Dame in second place after the first day of the swimming portion of 2011 BIG EAST Conference Championships. Day one featured just two races at Louisville’s Wright Natatorium.
The 200 medley relay went 1:38.97 for a school record and NCAA B-cut while placing second in the race.
Louisville leads the standings with 145 points as the Irish (132) are second. Pittsburgh is third with 111 points.
“Setting the school record in the 200 medley relay was nice for the team, but we have to remember that this is a seven-session meet,” Irish head coach Brian Barnes said. “Our women need to keep their heads on straight and take this one swim at a time. From this point on, nothing is going to hinge on anything we did tonight. It will hinge on how we approach each and every swim from here on out, which will help us understand the pace of the meet.”
Thursday’s preliminary races begin at 10:00 a.m. (ET), with the finals kicking off at 6:00 p.m.
Live results and video will be available at UND.com.
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800 Free Relay: Notre Dame touched fourth in 7:19.79, nearly eight seconds better than its previous season best … Lauren Sylvester, Kelly Ryan, Jaime Malandra and Gracie Fredlake gave the Irish 30 relay points for the fourth-place effort … Louisville won in 7:11.10.
200 Medley Relay: Louisville set a league record in 1:38.43 to better Notre Dame’s league-best 1:39.31 set in 2010 … the Irish went 1:38.97 as the quartet of Kim Holden, Samantha Maxwell, Kellyn Kuhlke and Amy Prestinario took second with an NCAA B-cut and school record … Prestinario charged through with a blistering 22.16 to freeze the clock.
–ND–