Katie Casey

On The Clock With Katie Casey

Nov. 9, 2009

Junior swimmer Katie Casey is expected to make major contributions to the Irish squad this year. Casey is a nine-time All-American, earning the nod three times for the 200 fly, two times in the 500 free and once each in the 100 fly, 200 free relay, and 400 free relay. In 2009 she took the BIG EAST Conference title in the 200 fly. She also swam the 200 fly at the United States Olympic Trials. Casey sat down with UND.com to share some insights into her life.

What is the best class you’ve taken at Notre Dame?
My freshman seminar with Professor Leahy. It was an economics seminar that focused on how you could find it in everyday life, but we really just talked about anything. It was great.

What is your favorite book?
The Twilight series or anything by Dan Brown or Nicholas Sparks

If you could change one thing about Notre Dame, what would it be?
The rules; there are too many.

What is the your favorite destination you’ve traveled to for swimming?
We went to the Bahamas last year for a training trip.

What food could you always eat and never get sick of?
Ice cream. I think it can make anything better.

What was your favorite childhood television show?
I loved old-school Nickelodeon like “Legends of the Hidden Temple” and “Salute Your Shorts”. I also loved “Boy Meets World”.

What are your personal goals for this season?
To make NCAAS, win the 200 fly at BIG EAST and break 2:00 in the 200 fly in season.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
The most important thing is time.

Who is your favorite athlete?
Brady Quinn

When did you start swimming competitively?
I think I started swimming when I was six, but I didn’t actually get competitive with it until I was 12 or 13.

Do you have any pre-race rituals?
I like to have my goggles really tight, so I constantly push them into my face.

What do you think about right before you jump in the pool?
How I really don’t want to jump in because it is so cold. I am one of the last ones in the pool everyday.

What do you enjoy doing during your free time?
I love to nap, shop, go to movies or go get ice cream.

What is your favorite memory at Notre Dame so far?
During my sophomore year, we jumped into Stonehenge after the football team beat Michigan. It was pouring for the whole game, so we were already soaking wet, then ran into Stonehenge after we won and were chanting cheers and singing the fight song for like an hour.

What was your favorite meet to swim in?
Olympic Trials was my favorite meet. It was so cool and overwhelming at the same time.

What is the hardest part of being a student-athlete?
Balancing school and swimming can be hard, but also waking up at 5:30, because I want to nap after.

How did you transition from high school to collegiate swimming?
I came from a good club team so the swimming wasn’t the biggest struggle for me, but weights and dry land were the biggest adjustment. Swimming is just different in college because it is more race specific, so I get to focus on butterfly more than other strokes.

What are your favorite campus events?
Football and Bookstore Basketball

— ND —