Feb. 20, 2016
By Lizzie Mikes
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The University of Notre Dame women’s swimming and diving team finished seventh at the 2015 ACC Championship. The Irish scored 537.5 points over four days of competition, with numerous top times swam throughout the meet.
“I thought we worked really hard, and competed as best as we could this year,” head coach Mike Litzinger said. “This is an unbelievably fast meet, and it just gets better and better every year. For us to be here, and finish seventh, I’m pretty happy with that. We’re a work in progress, the girls know that, the staff knows that, and we’re going to keep working hard and improving.”
Saturday’s races included the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly and 1650 free, before culminating in the 400 free relay. The Irish advanced seven swimmers into various finals heats in the back, breast and fly events.
“As for the meet within the meet, I thought we handled that pretty well,” Litzinger commented on the team’s goals for the week, “We accomplished some of our goals, but we also left some stuff on the table. It’s up to us as a staff to find a way to take care of those items for next year. The good news is that Ella [Moynihan] is probably going on to race at NCAAs, and we have a diving regional in a few weeks, so our season isn’t over just yet.”
In the 200 back, freshman Alice Treuth swam a 1:55.44 in the prelims, and finished seventh in the A final heat (1:55.84). Kyra Sarazen touched the wall in 1:56.63, earning her a spot in the B final where she finished 13th (1:56.82). Katie Miller clocked in at 1:58.63 in her prelim, finishing 20th overall in the C final (1:58.72). All six swims were NCAA B-cut times.
In the 100 free, junior Catherine Mulquin had the top time of 50.29, good for 27th in the overall standings. Ella Moynihan (50.32) touched in at 29th, and Sofia Revilak (50.40) came in 31st.
In the 200 breast, senior Genevieve Bradford finished her career with the highest finish for the Irish. After swimming a 2:15.28 in the morning, she placed 16th in the B final (2:16.01). Junior Danielle Margheret qualified for the C final with her 2:16.04 prelim, and swam a 2:14.90 time in the evening to place 19th. Freshman Meaghan O’Donnell also advanced into the C final (2:16.95 prelims), finishing 22nd (2:16.93). Sherri McIntee (2:17.70) and Alyssa Storino (2:19.10) also swam in the morning prelims.
In the 200 fly, Nicole Smith was the only swimmer to advance, on the strength of her 1:59.71 time. She finished 15th (2:00.92). Paige Kaplan and Ellie Berdusco also swam in the prelims, with Kaplan touching in at 35th (2:03.16) and Berdusco, 32nd (2:07.74).
The only Irish entrant in the 1650 free, Molly Treble did not disappoint, swimming the mile in 16:54.12 and finishing 19th.
In platform diving, five of the six divers (men’s and women’s) competed, with Lindsey Streepey finishing 10th (242.40) and Emma Gaboury, 17th (222.85). Annie Crea scored 184.80 and Deidre Worth, 126.25. James Lichtenstein was the sole entrant for the men’s squad, finishing 13th in the standings with his score of 299.15.
In the last race of the night, the 400 free relay, the school-record lineup of Mulquin, Moynihan, Revilak and Catherine Galletti let the gas pedal down and finished in 3:21.08, earning 32 points towards the team standings. Mulquin swam a lead split-time of 50.07, while Moynihan clocked in at 50.00, Revilak, 49.92 and Galletti, 51.09.
For Lichtenstein’s and teammate Zane Parker’s efforts, the men’s team earned 24 points before the swimming portion of their championship begins Wednesday, February 24. Full coverage of the meet will be provided through und.com.
— ND —
Lizzie Mikes serves as Media Services Coordinator at the University of Notre Dame. A 2013 graduate of Johnson & Wales University, she oversees credential management and is the athletic communications director for Fighting Irish men’s and women’s swimming and diving and track and field. She has assisted with numerous NCAA postseason events hosted by Notre Dame, and is heavily involved in the day-to-day tasks of the athletic communications office.