March 16, 2011
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Making her fourth appearance at the NCAA Championships in as many seasons, senior Samantha Maxwell will lead the Notre Dame women’s swimming team into the fray at the national meet this week. Hosted by the University of Texas at the Lee & Joe Jamail Swimming Center, the three-day meet in Austin, Texas, spans from March 17-19.
Maxwell, who has earned three All-American honors in years past while swimming the 100 and 200 breast, will be joined at the NCAA Championships by sophomore Kim Holden.
Live video, results and additional meet information will be provided throughout the NCAAs at UND.com.
Maxwell is seeded 25th in the 100 breast (1:00.53) and 28th in the 200 breast (2:11.06), while holding school records in each of those events. The 2010 BIG EAST Conference Swimmer of the Year is the seventh four-time NCAA qualifier in program history.
Holden, the school record holder in both the 100 back and 200 back, is seeded 20th and 29th in those respective events. She will also swim the 100 fly after recording an NCAA B-cut time of 53.83 earlier this season.
Since the inception of the women’s program at Notre Dame, 23 individuals representing the Irish have earned All-American honors at the NCAAs. At least one Irish swimmer has garnered All-American recognition in every season from 1996-2007. Carrie Nixon leads the pack as a 12-time honoree from 1999-2002. She posted the highest finish of any Irish swimmer to compete in the NCAAs by placing fourth in the 50 free in 2000.
Jeanine Blatt and Betsy Shadley were the program’s first All-Americans, claiming the honor in 1979 when the Irish competed at the Division III level.
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