SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The Notre Dame men’s swim team earned three individual selections and four relay teams for the NCAA Championships on March 23-26 from the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
Senior Josh Bottelberghe, sophomore Tyler Christianson and Chris Guiliano will represent the Irish at the national meet. Qualifying outright with five times, the Irish are eligible for seven individual swims. In addition, the Irish 200 Medley, 200 Free, 400 Medley and 400 Free Relays were selected for the championships. In addition to the three individual qualifiers, Kaden Smesko, Cason Wilburn, Luke Uttley and Stephan Lukashev will compete in the relays for the Irish.
Bottelberghe will be making his third trip to NCAA’s and has qualified in each of the last four years (2020 was cancelled due to COVID-19). Christianson and Wilburn both joined Bottelberghe at the national meet last season.
Swimmer: Qualifying Event (Qualifying Time)
- Bottelberghe: 100 Breast (51.61) and 200 Breast (1:52.44)
- Christianson: 100 Breast (54.24) and 200 Breast (1:52.90)
- Guiliano: 50 Free (19.17), 100 Free (42.34) and 200 Free (1:35.95)
- 200 Free Relay: (1:16:98): Guiliano, Wilburn, Lukashev and Bottelberghe
- 400 Free Relay: (2:51:68): Guiliano, Wilburn, Uttley and Lukashev
- 200 Medley Relay: (1:23:81): Smesko, Bottelberghe, Wilburn and Guiliano
- 400 Medley Relay: (3:06:28): Smesko, Bottelberghe, Wilburn and Guiliano
All four of the relay qualifying times occurred at the 2022 ACC Championships, which were also held at McAuley Aquatic Center, in February. The 200 and 400 medley relay times at ACC’s both set school records while the 200 free relay was :01 shy of tying the school record.
Both of Bottelberghe’s qualifying times were also school records that were set during the season. He broke the 200 breaststroke school record at the Ohio State Invitational back in November. The 100 breaststroke time came in the finals at the ACC Championships. Bottelberghe broke the school record and finished second in the finals and earned a silver medal.
Guiliano had two school record breaking times earn him qualification to the NCAA meet. Both of his school record qualifying times came in relay legs at the ACC Championships. He broke the school record in the 50 freestyle in the first leg of the 200 freestyle relay squad that finished sixth. It was the second time that day that Guiliano set the record in the 500 freestyle. At the final day of ACC’s, he set the school record in the 100 freestyle in the opening leg of the 400 medley relay that also finished sixth. His 200 freestyle time came at the Ohio State Invitational when he finished fifth in the finals.
Christianson earned his 200 breaststroke qualifying this past weekend at the Boiler-Make-It Qualification Meet. His 100 breaststroke time was set at the Tim Welsh Classic and he finished second in the event.
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