Nov. 9, 2001
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Women’s swimming and diving begins 2001-02 season in impressive fashion:
Just a few short weeks into the new season, the University of Notre Dame women’s swimming and diving team has turned in several dominating performances and has been recognized for its outstanding display with a top ranking from the College Swim Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) coaches poll.
In the poll released on Nov. 1, the Irish were 15th, the highest the team has ever been ranked in the program’s history. The Irish rose as high as 17th place last season, before capturing the BIG EAST team championship and sending Kelly Hecking and Marie Labosky to the 2001 NCAA Championships.
The Irish stand at 4-0 this season and will enter the Minnesota Invitational in Minneapolis, Minn., on Nov. 16.
Clean sweep of BIG EAST top times:
Not only have the Irish jumped out to a great dual-meet season start, the Irish have posted the top time in each BIG EAST Championship event this season. It is the first time in Irish swimming and diving history that Notre Dame has, at one time, held all the top times on the conference list in which they have competed (the 50 back and 1650 freestyle also appear on the conference list, but the Irish have yet to swim those events in this season).
A list of the BIG EAST top times:
50 free 23.18 Carrie Nixon100 free 50.95 Carrie Nixon200 free 1:51.96 Lisa Garcia500 free 4:58.86 Marie Labosky1000 free 9:57.54 Marie Labosky100 back 55.88 Kelly Hecking200 back 2:01.22 Kristen Peterson100 breast 1:03.96 Laurie Musgrave200 breast 2:18.71 Laurie Musgrave100 fly 56.22 Lisa D'Olier200 fly 2:03.04 Lisa D'Olier200 IM 2:06.51 Marie Labosky400 IM 4:23.08 Marie Labosky1-meter 304.50 Heather Mattingly3-meter 328.27 Heather Mattingly
The list above contains a number of “B” qualifying times for the NCAA Championship meet. Nixon’s 23.18 effort in the 50 freestyle is a “B” time, as well as her 100 free time of 50.95. Hecking’s 100 back time (55.88) also is a “B” qualifier. Other Irish swimmers that have posted “B” times this season are, Kristen Peterson in the 200 back (2:01.22), Laurie Musgrave in the 100 breast (1:03.96), Marie Labosky in the 400 IM (4:23.03) and Lisa D’Olier in the 200 fly (2:03.04).
Notre Dame’s display of strength at the top of the BIG EAST top times list does not end with just its swimmers and divers that are ranked first. In all, the Irish have 41 different times ranked among the top five in the conference.
Strong schedule this season:
Among the tough competitors the Irish will face yet this season are #16 Michigan, #21 Northwestern and #24 Minnesota.
The CSCAA Top 25 (Nov. 1, 2001)
Rank School Pts 1. Stanford (7) 199 2. Georgia (1) 188 3. Auburn 182 4. Texas 171 5. Arizona 170 6. USC 159 7. California 154 8. Florida 153 9. UCLA 130 10. Penn State 125 11. SMU 121 12. Virginia 105 13. Arizona State 102 14. North Carolina 97 15. Notre Dame 83 16. Michigan 77 17. Indiana 75 18. Miami 66 19. Alabama 48 20. LSU 37 21. Northwestern 32 22. Rice 26 23. Villanova 23 24. Minnesota 13 25. Princeton 12 Wisconsin 12 Florida State 12
Also receiving votes: Maryland (11), Tennessee (5), Texas A&M (5), Purdue (4), and Missouri (3).
Poll dates: Nov. 1, Nov. 15, Nov. 29, Dec. 13, Jan. 17, Jan. 31, Feb. 14, March 7.