Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Official Athletics Website

Men's Swimming And Diving Ready To Welcome Northwestern On Saturday

Jan. 22, 2003

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Notre Dame vs. Northwestern *Rolfs Aquatics Center * Notre Dame, Ind. Saturday, Jan. 25 * 2 p.m.

Notre Dame vs. Northwestern set for Saturday in Rolfs:

The University of Notre Dame men’s swimming and diving team returns to Rolfs Aquatic Center on Saturday for its final home dual meet of the season against Big Ten opponent Northwestern. It will be the 17th meeting between the two teams and the Wildcats hold a 10-7 advantage in the series. Northwestern is 3-6 this season and coming off its first dual-meet victory in over three months, defeating UIC 194-96 on Jan. 17. The Wildcats and Irish share three common opponents this season, as each team has faced Purdue, Pittsburgh and Michigan State. Northwestern lost to all three opponents, while the Irish were able to get a victory over Michigan State at home back in November.

Season winding down, Irish getting ready for the BIG EAST Championship:

After a grueling three weeks of action, Notre Dame is getting mentally prepared for the upcoming BIG EAST Championship and looking to end the dual meet season on a high note. After its meet with Michigan State on Saturday, Notre Dame will hit the road for road dual meets at Cleveland State (Jan. 31), St. Bonaventure (Feb. 1) and Oakland (Feb. 8) before the BIG EAST Championship on Feb. 20.

Over the last month Notre Dame has spent two weeks of hard training in Acapulco, Mexico, during semester break and turned around to face Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh and Villanova in two days on the road last weekend. A hard training Irish team ran into a rested Pennsylvania team and the Quakers handed Notre Dame its fourth dual-meet loss of the season. The Irish came back the next day to split a pair of duals with Villanova and Pittsburgh, pushing their record to 5-5 this year.

BIG EAST qualification update:

Notre Dame has qualified a majority of its roster for the 2003 BIG EAST Championship in Uniondale, NY, (Feb. 20-22) and have a number of swimmers on the league’s top times list. Senior Jason Fitzpatrick seems determined to end his final season with the Irish on the winner’s podium in Uniondale. Fitzpatrick’s 55.71 100 breast time from the ND Invite is currently (as of Jan.22) ranked second in the conference. His 200 breast time is equally impressive, ranking third at 2:02.76. The Gilbert, Ariz., native finished fifth in the 100 breast at last season’s conference meet.

Fitzpatrick will not be alone in the 200 breast in Uniondale, as teammates David Moisan (2:05.31) and Tyler Grenda (2:05.42) are both in the top seven in the 200 breast in the conference top times list.

Notre Dame also will be strong in the 1,000 freestyle, led by freshman Patrick Davis. Davis posted a 9:34.25 effort against Michigan State earlier this season – a time that puts him in fourth place on the league top times list. Teammate Matt Bertke is right behind Davis in fifth (9:35.58).

Another highly rated swimmer for the Irish is junior Matt Obringer. Obringer’s 45.95 effort in the highly competitive 100 freestyle is currently fourth in the league and his 500 freestyle time is ninth (4:33.83). The Jacksonville, Fla., native will be a key member of the Irish relays at the BIG EAST Championship as well.

See below for a comprehensive list of Notre Dame’s BIG EAST Championship qualifiers.

Diving update:

The diving group returned from a memorable trip in Acapulco to perform well last weekend in Pennsylvania. The Irish took five of the top six spots in both the one-meter and three-meter events vs. Pennsylvania and senior Andy Maggio defeated the Villanova divers the next day.

Against Northwestern, the outcome of the meet could be decided in the diving well. The Wildcats have just one diver one their roster, Mike Oxman, but he is one of the best in the Big Ten. If any of Notre Dame’s top divers (Maggio, Joe Miller and Tong Xie) can defeat Oxman it could sway control of the meet to the home team side.

Notre Dame BIG EAST qualifiers:
* - note: only A cut qualifiers are listed here. BIG EAST top times ranking indicated if swimmer is in the top 10.
Name Time BE rank50 FreestyleKrakowski, Frank 21.05Randolph, Tim 21.13
100 FreestyleObringer, Matt 45.95 4thKrakowski, Frank 46.34Randolph, Tim 46.45
200 FreestyleObringer, Matt 1:40.18
500 FreestyleObringer, Matt 4:33.83 9thBertke, Matt 4:36.36
1,650 FreestyleBertke, Matt 16:01.92 8thDavis, Patrick 16:03.14100 BackstrokeBauman, Doug 51.40 8thShomberger, Steve 52.95Hyde, Matt 53.18
200 BackstrokeBauman, Dough 1:51.31 10thHudson, John 1:54.82Shomberger, Steve 1:54.89
100 BreastFitzpatrick, Jason 55.71 2ndRandolph, Tim 57.46 10thDermott, Josh 58.32Grenda, Tyler 58.67
200 BreastFitzpatrick, Jason 2:02.76 3rdMoisan, David 2:05.31 6thGrenda, Tyler 2:05.42 7thDermott, Josh 2:07.34Lutkus, Jamie 2:07.67
100 ButterflyKrakowski, Frank 49.91 8thWymore, Lucas 51.35
200 ButterflyWymore, Lucas 1:52.24 6thGuarnier, Bryan 1:53.44Teddy, J.R. 1:53.82200 Individual MedleyLutkus, Jamie 1:53.65Moisan, David 1:53.75Dermott, Josh 1:54.05
400 Individual MedleyMoisan, David 4:09.01 7thLutkus, Jamie 4:03.52Heffernan, Patrick 4:07.14Flanagan, Michael 4:07.74Kline, Travis 4:08.95
One-meter divingMaggio, Andy 302.02 3rdMiller, Joe 278.55Xie, Tong 270.00
Three-meter divingXie, Tong 429.95 5thMiller, Joe 423.45Maggio, Andy 288.75