For the second straight day, senior Ted Brown captured two individual victories to help propel the Irish to a dual meet victory.

No. 18 Notre Dame Will Travel To Michigan State For A Showdown With The Spartans

Nov. 9, 2005

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The 18th-ranked Notre Dame men’s swimming and diving team will take on Michigan State in the Charles McCaffree Pool this Friday at 5:00 p.m. (EST). Notre Dame owns a 2-1 dual meet record so far during the 2005-06 campaign, including a dramatic 122-121 victory over BIG EAST-rival Pittsburgh last Friday. The Fighting Irish defeated the Spartans last season in the Rolfs Aquatic Center to square up the series history between the two schools at two wins apiece.

The Irish opened this dual meet season by defeating Texas A&M, 132-111, in the Rolfs Aquatic Center on Oct. 21 before falling to No. 15 Purdue 182-118 in the Boilermaker Aquatic Center on Oct. 29. Notre Dame used a spirited comeback to down Pittsburgh 122-121 on Nov. 4. The Irish trailed 119-107 entering the final event of the evening, the 400-yard free relay, and went 1-2 to secure 17 points and the meet victory.

This season has already featured Notre Dame achieving its highest-ever ranking in the College Swim Coaches Association (CSCAA) Dual Meet Rankings at No. 19 to open the campaign. The Fighting Irish improved to 18th last week.

Sophomore Jay Vanden Berg has helped to lead the way by claiming six victories. He has won both the 500 and 1,000-yard freestyle at all three dual meets so far this season. This Irish have totaled 15 individual titles this season with Doug Bauman (200-back), Ted Brown (200-free), Louis Cavadini (50-free), Bryan Guarnier (200-fly), Tim Kegelman (100-fly), Jamie Lutkus (200-IM) and Daniel Rave (200-breast) also cracking the win column. Brown has won a total of three 200-yard freestyle events.

Those student-athletes are just a handful on the Notre Dame squad that have established BIG EAST “A” cuts already this season. In all, 25 Irish swimmers have clocked conference-qualifying times.

Notre Dame dominated last year’s meet versus the Spartans, winning 213-87. Michigan State is coming off a 4-6 dual meet season in 2004-05 and return 17 letterwinners from that squad. This year, the Spartans own a 1-2 mark. They defeated Grand Valley State, 152-82, to open the season. Purdue and Northwestern topped Michigan State last weekend in West Lafayette, Ind. The Boilermakers, who are now ranked 14th, won 237-63, while the 13th-ranked Wildcats prevailed over the Spartans 205-91 in the Boilermaker Aquatic Center.

The Fighting Irish will return home to take on St. Bonaventure on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 9:30 a.m. (EST) in the Rolfs Aquatic Center. The Notre Dame football team hosts Syracuse that same day at 2:30 p.m.

Stay up-to-date on the Notre Dame men’s swimming and diving team by logging on to und.com or by calling the official Notre Dame athletics hotline at (574) 631-3000.

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