Nov. 18, 2001
Minneapolis, Minn. – The Notre Dame women’s swimming and diving team continued its weekend domination, winning the Minnesota Invitational by over 300 points at the University Aquatics Center on the campus of the University of Minnesota. Notre Dame, who led from start to finish, finished the meet with 1,039 points. Wisconsin was second with 711 points, while Minnesota placed third with 608 points.
Notre Dame had three event winners on Sunday and 12 on the weekend. Senior Kelly Hecking won her second individual event of the weekend, taking the 200 backstroke in 2:00.36. Hecking also led a 1-2-3- finish in the 100 backstroke on Saturday, winning in a time of 56.20.
Senior Carrie Nixon, who also won the 50 freestyle and the 100 butterfly over the weekend, continued her dominating meet as she won the 100 freestyle. Nixon finished the race in 50.93, well ahead of second-place finisher Marie Marsman of Carleton College. Notre Dame sophomore Danielle Hulick was sixth in 52.46 and freshman Katie Eckholt was eighth in 53.79.
Notre Dame’s younger swimmers fared well in the 1,650 freestyle, claiming three places in the top 10, including first and second. Freshman Kelli Barton swam the fifth- fastest time in Notre Dame history, taking first place in 16:37.77. Sophomore Marie Labosky, who qualified for the 2001 NCAA meet in the event, was second in 16:39.79. Freshman Sarah Alwen finished 10th in 17:23.45.
Senior Allison Lloyd led an Irish 200-breaststroke crew that placed four swimmers in the top eight. Lloyd was second in 2:17.89, while sophomore Laurie Musgrave was fifth in 2:20.31. Barton finished seventh in 2:23.73, while Labosky was eighth in 2:29.48.
Hecking and Nixon closed out their fine meets by leading Notre Dame to a second-place finish in the 400 freestyle relay. The duo along with Eckholt and Hulick finished in 3:27.95. Wisconsin was first in 3:25.29.
The Irish women compete again Thursday-Sunday, Dec. 6-8, at the Notre Dame Invitational at the Rolfs Aquatic Center.