November 7, 1998

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – In two separate quad-meets held at Rolfs Acquatic Center, the Notre Dame women’s swimming team beat all three of its opponents, while the men’s team held onto third place to finish just 13 points ahead of fourth place Miami (Ohio).

The women defeated Pittsburgh 196-106, Purdue 195-105 and Miami 218-82. The Irish won eight of the 16 total events including the 400 medley relay, the 100 and 200 backstroke, the 100 and 200 butterfly, the 50 and 100 freestyle and the three-meter diving event. Notre Dame freshman Kelly Hecking (Rutherford, N.J.) and sophomore Carrie Nixon (Ouray, Colo.) were both double-event winners in the backstroke and sprint freestyle events. Liz Barger (Littleton, Colo.), Allison Newell (Parker, Colo.), Heather Mattingly (Houston, Texas) and the 400 medley relay team, also picked up wins for the Irish who moved to 5-2 overall this season.

The Notre Dame men, who swam in a championship style format, were ahead by only four points going into the 200 individual medley, the second to last event of the meet. Senior Scott Zumbach (Katonah, N.Y.), however, came through with a third-place finish in the 200 IM and the 400 freestyle relay team of Ray Fitzpatrick (Doylestown, Pa.), Vince Kuna (Naperville, Ill.), Russell Preston (Boca Raton, Fla.) and Steele Whowell (Fontana, Wis.) captured fourth-place to allow the Irish to place just above Miami (Ohio).

Women’s meet: Notre Dame 194, Pittsburgh 106; Notre Dame 195, Purdue 105; Notre Dame 218, Miami 82; Purdue 164, Pittsburgh 136; Pittsburgh 197, Miami 106

Men’s meet: 1. Purdue 468 2. Iowa State 441 3. Notre Dame 291 4. Miami (Ohio) 278