Feb. 26, 2014
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – For the second time in her career, University of Notre Dame women’s swimming standout Emma Reaney has been named the Women’s Division I Phillip Hunsaker CollegeSwimming.com Swimmer of the Week, the organization announced Wednesday.
Reaney also earned the honor after breaking Olympian Rebecca Soni’s Rolfs Aquatic Center records in the 100 and 200-yard breaststroke back in January 2013.
The honor is just the latest in a swell of support for Reaney after her historic performance at last weekend’s Atlantic Coast Conference Championships.
On day one (Wednesday), Reaney teamed with freshman Catherine Mulquin, junior Courtney Whyte and senior Kelly Ryan to automatically qualify for next month’s NCAA Championships in the 200-medley relay with a school-record time of 1:37.61. Later in the evening, Reaney, Ryan, freshman Katie Miller and junior Suzanne Bessire locked in an NCAA B cut time of 7:11.92 in the 800-free relay to add Miller and Bessire to the group of NCAA qualifiers.
Over the next three days, Reaney went on to win the 200 IM (1:54.92) and the 100 (58.46) and 200 breaststroke (2:04.34) all in school-, ACC- and ACC Championship-record times as she earned ACC Most Valuable Swimmer honors.
Reaney saved her best for last as her time in the 200 breaststroke broke the American record previously held by Texas A&M senior and 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist Breeja Larson (2:04.48).
After some research over the weekend and into the early parts of the week, it is believed that Reaney’s American record is the first by a current Notre Dame student-athlete in school history. Track and field stars Greg Rice and Molly Huddle also broke American records, but it was after they graduated from under the Golden Dome.
With the publicity of a remarkable weekend behind her now, Reaney and her Irish teammates are already back in the pool working hard in preparation for the NCAA Championships that are set for March 20-22 in Minneapolis, Minn.
Just two short years ago, Reaney and Ryan were the only two Notre Dame women’s swimmers to advance to NCAAs. Last year, the total was upped to six as senior Kim Holden, sophomore Bridget Casey, freshman Catherine Galletti and senior diver Jenny Chiang joined Reaney and Ryan. This year, six standouts are already qualified, with several others still in contention to earn spots.
For the divers, their shot at qualifying for NCAAs comes in a couple of weeks at the NCAA Zone C Diving qualifying meet in Columbus, Ohio March 13-15.
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Reaney’s 2013-14 Year At A Glance
July: Swims in two “B” finals at the Phillips 66 National Championships
August: Totals five top-12 finishes, including three top-four showings, at U.S. Open
September: Named to the 2013-14 USA Swimming National Team
October-January: Selected ACC Swimmer of the Week five times
February: Breaks American record in the 200-yard breaststroke at the ACC Championships / Named ACC Most Valuable Swimmer
–Russell Dorn, Assistant Media Relations Director
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