NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The No. 21 Notre Dame women’s swim and dive team heads to Greensboro, North Carolina, this week to compete in the 2021 NCAA Championships.
Freshman Megan Deuel, junior Sammie Eyolfson, sophomore Coleen Gillilan, junior Madeline LaPorte, junior Bayley Stewart and junior Luciana Thomas will represent the Irish at the national meet on the swimming end. Qualifying outright with nine times, the Irish are eligible for 12 total swims. In addition, senior diver Kelly Straub will compete on the 1-meter, 3-meter and platform after qualifying outright on all three at the Zone C meet.
Click for meet notes.
DETAILS
- Date: March 17-20
- Schedule: Click here
- Broadcast/Live Stream: ESPN3
- Location: Greensboro Aquatic Center (Greensboro, North Carolina)
SWIMMER: QUALIFYING EVENT (QUALIFYING TIME)
- Deuel: 200 Fly (1:56.42)
- Eyolfson: 1650 Free (16:25.47)
- Gillilan: 200 IM (1:57.21), 100 Fly (52.27) and 200 Fly (1:55.37)
- LaPorte: 1650 Free (16:19.02)
- Stewart: 200 Back (1:53.46)
- Thomas: 400 IM (4:12.89), 200 Fly (1:55.90)
Deuel will compete in her first NCAA Championships after posting a season-best 1:56.42 in the 200 Fly at the Louisville last-chance meet. She will be joined in the event by Gillilan and Thomas.
Eyolfson heads to the NCAA meet in the middle of a breakout season in the distance events, as she has shot up the program Top 10 lists in the 1000 and 1650 Free. She placed eighth overall in the 1650 Free at the 2021 ACC Championships, also making finals in the 500 Free and 400 IM. At the national meet, she will compete in the 1650 Free, qualifying with a time of 16:25.47.
Gillilan, a bronze medalist at the 2020 ACC Championships and qualifier for the 2020 NCAA meet, will also take on her first national meet with the Irish, as the 2020 championships were cancelled due to COVID-19. She is the only Irish swimmer to qualify outright in three events (200 IM, 100 Fly, 200 Fly).
LaPorte has led the Irish in distance events this season, noting Top 10 program times in the 1000 Free (9:52.21, fourth) and 1650 Free (16:19.02, third). In addition to the 1650 Free, LaPorte will swim the 500 Free, thanks to her B-cut 4:46.26.
Stewart qualifies for the NCAA Championships for the second time in her career, earning a spot first as a freshman in 2019. In addition to the 200 Back, for which she qualified outright, she will also swim in the 100 Back after posting a provisional 53.23.
Thomas is a three-time qualifier for the championships, punched her 2021 national meet ticket in two events, the 400 IM and 200 Fly. She will also swim the 500 Free, thanks to her provisional time of 4:45.47.