Nov. 21, 2003
by Nicole Rapagnani
THIS WEEK: The 19th-ranked Notre Dame women’s swimming and diving team travels to College Station, Texas, Friday-Sunday, Nov. 21-23, for the three-day Texas A&M Fall Invitational. Prelims begin at 10:00 a.m., while finals start at 6:00 p.m., in what will be a preview for the Irish in the pool where the NCAA Championships will take place in March.
Six ranked teams are participating this weekend Invitational including No. 8 SMU, No. 11 UCLA, No. 17 Texas A&M, No. 17 Virginia, No. 19 Notre Dame, No. 20 Florida State and Purdue.
IRISH SWIMMING WITHOUT 11 ATHLETES: Notre Dame will be competing without 11 athletes this weekend as a flu-like virus has hit the team. Some of the swimmers not competing this weekend include seniors Marie Labosky and juniors Katie Eckholt and Kristen Peterson among others. Also sophomore Christel Bouvron will not compete this weekend as she is preparing for the Asian Games scheduled for December.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FOR THE WEEKEND: The following is the championship schedule of events with platform diving for this weekend’s Invitational.
Friday, November 21
10:00 a.m.: Preliminaries
11:30 a.m.: Diving Preliminaries
1:00 p.m.: Diving Preliminaries
5:15 p.m.: Diving Finals
6:00 p.m.: Finals
Day 1 Trials:
1. 200-yard freestyle relay
2. 500-yard freestyle
3. 200-yard individual medley
4. 50-yard freestyle
20-minute intermission
5. One-meter diving-Trials
6. 400-yard medley relay
Day 1 Finals:
1. 200-yard freestyle relay
2. 500-yard freestyle
3. 200-yard individual medley
4. 50-yard freestyle
5. One-meter diving-Finals
6. 400-yard medley relay
Saturday, November 22
10:00 a.m.: Preliminaries
11:30 a.m.: Diving Preliminaries
1:00 p.m.: Diving Preliminaries
5:15 p.m.: Diving Finals
6:00 p.m.: Finals
Day 2 Trials:
7. 200-yard medley relay
8. 400-yard individual medley
9. 100-yard butterfly
10. 200-yard freestyle
11. 100-yard breaststroke
12. 100-yard backstroke
13. Three-meter diving-Trials
14. 800-yard freestyle relay-Four or more heats
Day 2 Finals:
7. 200-yard medley relay
8. 400-yard individual medley
9. 100-yard butterfly
10. 200-yard freestyle
11. 100-yard breaststroke
12. 100-yard backstroke
13. Three-meter diving-Finals
800-yard freestyle relay-Finals or time finals
Sunday, November 23
9:30 a.m.: Prelims
1:00 p.m.: Platform Diving
4:30 p.m.: Finals
Day 3 Trials:
16. 200-yard backstroke
17. 100-yard freestyle
18. 200-yard breaststroke
19. 200-yard butterfly
21. 400-yard freestyle relay
14. 1,650-yard freestyle-All but last heat of time finals
20. Platform diving–Trials
Day 3 Finals:
15.1,650-yard freestyle-Last heat of time finals
15. 200-yard backstroke
16. 100-yard freestyle
17. 200-yard breaststroke
18. 200-yard butterfly
19. Platform diving-Finals
20. 400-yard freestyle relay
ABOUT NOTRE DAME: Notre Dame is 4-1 on the year after starting the dual-meet season by defeating Tampa on Oct. 23, falling to Indiana on Oct. 30, beating Pittsburgh Nov. 7 and defeating both Bowling Green and Louisville in a dual meet this past Friday.
Against Tampa, the Irish won 11 of 14 events claiming a 158-114 win in Florida to conclude their fall training trip. Freshman Katie Carroll won two events for the Irish, the 200 individual medley and the 200 butterfly, while eight other people won individual events. Other winners for the Irish included junior Kristen Peterson (1,000 freestyle), freshman Ann Barton (200 free), freshman Rebecca Grove (100 back), freshman Jessica Stephens (100 breast), senior Danielle Hulick (100 free), freshman Kiley Gooch (200 back), sophomore Courtney Choura (200 breaststroke) and freshman Abby Strang (500 free). The Notre Dame team of Grove, senior Laurie Musgrave , sophomore Christel Bouvron and Hulick also won the 200 medley relay starting the meet.
Against Indiana, Notre Dame won five events but lost 176-124. Senior Meghan Perry-Eaton easily swept both diving boards winning the one-meter with 285.15 points and the three-meter with 283.65 points. Ann Barton posted Notre Dame’s first victory against the Hoosiers in the 200 backstroke, touching the wall in 2:03.29, while Carroll claimed the second event victory in the 100 butterfly (56.21) and junior Brooke Taylor was first in the 200 race with a time of 2:03.90.
Against Pittsburgh, the 19th ranked Irish won 12 of 16 events winning 184-116. The Irish had a number of multiple winners as Hulick won three events (100 backstroke, 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle), while seniors Marie Labosky (1,000 freestyle, 200 backstroke) and Perry-Eaton (one- and three-meter boards) and Carroll (100 butterfly, 200 individual medley) won two races each. Other winners for the Irish included Bouvron (200 butterfly), Choura (200 breaststroke) and freshman Ellen Johnson (500 freestyle).
In a dual meet against Bowling Green and Louisville, the still 19th-ranked Irish won 15 of 16 events defeating Bowling Green, 188-90, and Louisville, 187-89. Notre Dame had a number of multiple winners including senior Lisa Garcia who won three events (200 butterfly, 100 butterfly, 200 individual medley), while Carroll (50 freestyle, 100 freestyle) and Johnson (1,000 freestyle, 200 backstroke) and Perry-Eaton (one- and three-meter boards) claimed two victories each. Other event winners included freshmen Ann Barton (200 freestyle), Jessica Stephens (100 breaststroke), junior Kelli Barton (200 breaststroke) and Bouvron (500 freestyle). The 200 freestyle relay of Alwen, Bouvron, Ann Barton and Courtney Campbell also took first.
ABOUT TEXAS A&M: The 17th-ranked Aggies hold a perfect season record of 4-0 in dual-meets going into the Invitational this weekend.
Texas A&M opened the 2003-04 season with a 171-109 defeat of North Texas. The Aggies won all 16 events with underclassmen playing a key role in nine of them.
The Aggies finished runner-up at the Big 12 Relays, with a total score of 90.5. Texas won with 119 points while Missouri was third at 63. The Aggies walked away with victories in multiple events, including the 400 individual and free relays and team one-meter diving.
Texas A&M came out ahead of both Iowa State (195-105) and Missouri (166.5-97.5) in a double-dual meet. Rebecca Sturdy won all three of her individual events, the 200 free, 200 back and 200 IM, and was part of the winning 400 free relay. Jenna Wheeler (200 fly), Alida DiPlacido (three-meter), Tiffany Moore (500 free), Courtney Paterson (100 back), Erin Briskie (100 breast), Danielle Townsend (100 free) and Millie Reynolds (100 fly) all contributed to winning individual events for the Aggies.
The Aggies defeated Arkansas 178-113, winning 12 of 16 events, which included both relays (400 free). Sturdy is a perfect 7-0 in individual races this season, winning both the 100 back, 200 back against the Razorbacks. Kelsey Savage (200 breast, 200 IM) and Townsend (50 free, 100 free) each won two events for the Aggies. Townsend also was the only swimmer to compete on both of the winning relays for the Aggies. Also recording wins for the Aggies were Casey Mucha (200 free), Britney Pesek (100 breast) and Wheeler (200 fly).
ABOUT FLORIDA STATE: The 20th ranked Seminoles are 8-2 overall this season going into the Texas A&M Invitational.
The Seminoles produced a 141-94 victory over the Hurricanes while also beating Florida A&M 157-67. FSU scored a 140-77 triumph over Florida International, while taking down cross-town rival Florida A&M 141-62. In their last meet at home until January, the Seminoles won 15 of 16 events to beat Florida Atlantic 182-106 and Indian River 209-69. In a tri-meet, FSU dropped a 146-136 decision to #15 Michigan and a 199-83 victory over Michigan State.
The Seminoles beat the Wolverines on Nov. 8 103-47. The Seminoles won nine of the 10 events. Emily Breen was part of five winning events (300 backstroke, 300 butterfly, 400 medley relay, 200 free quartet, 500 “pineapple” relay). Emma Dutton and Rachel Dong were also part of the winning relays of the 400 medley, 200 free, and 500 pineapple. These two also swam in the winning 300 breaststroke team along with Lauren Brick and Katie Byrnes. In the diving competition, FSU diver’s Tiffany Manning and Courtney McClow swept the competition on both the one- and three-meter boards.
The Seminoles fell to the second-ranked Florida Gators 132.5-104.5. Against the Gators, the Seminoles set three season-best times. FSU stated the meet with a victory in the 400 medley relay in a conference-best time of 3:44.91. Emma Dutton finished first in both the 50 free and 100 free. Andree-Anne LeRoy won the 200-yard individual medley. In the diving competition, FSU placed second, with Manning and McClow finishing runner-up in the one- and three-meter boards, respectively.
ABOUT PURDUE: The Boilermakers enter this weekend’s competition with a record of 2-2 in dual meets and a dominating win in the Indiana Intercollegiates meet.
In the season opening Indiana Intercollegiates, the Boilermakers dominated the competition with 736.5 points, followed by Ball State (452), Indiana (335), Indianapolis (202.5), IUPUI (88), Butler (82) and Valparaiso (74). Erica Chandler (500 free, 100 breast), Christine Leupold (200 free), Brandi Keever (100 back), xxxx Hentschel (100 free), Tracy Duchac (50 free), Carrie McCambridge (one- and three-meter) brought in wins for the Boilermakers at the meet.
Purdue opened its dual season with a victory over Miami of Ohio (188-112). Four Boilermaker swimmers: Keever (200 medley relay, 100 back, 200 back), Leupold (200 medley relay, 100 free, 100 fly), Duchac (200 medley relay, 400 free relay) and Chandler (200 free, 200 breast, 200 IM), each won three events, while diver McCambridge swept the one- and three-meter boards.
The Boilermakers fell to Iowa (154-144). McCambridge swept the diving competition for the third consecutive week. Duchac (50 free), Leupold (100 free) and Chandler (1000 free) had wins for Purdue.
In the triangular meet against Georgia Tech and Florida Atlantic, the Boilermakers defeated the Owls 233-114, but were edged out by the Yellow Jackets 180-173. McCambridge again won both the one- and three-meter springboards. Hentschel finished the meet with four victories (100 free, 400 free relay) and one second-place showing.
ABOUT VIRGINIA: The 17th ranked Cavaliers are 3-2 overall and 2-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference moving coming into this weekend.
To open the fall season, UVA fell to Auburn (218-127), the defending NCAA Champion, and to Penn State (191-162). Kimi Kelly (1000 free, 500 free), Katy Bland (200 free) and Amy Baly (400 IM) recorded wins for the Cavaliers in the double-dual meet.
UVA came away with a 134-109 victory over South Carolina. Kelly (200 fly, 500 free), Jenny Steiner (200 breast), Baly (200 IM), Corey Berg (200 back) and Kate Wrenshall (1,000 free) led the Cavaliers with wins in their individual events.
The nationally-ranked Virginia team opened ACC competition with a victory over Clemson (151-90). The Cavaliers won 10 of 13 events in the victory. Kelly won three events against the Tigers (1000 free, 200 fly, 500 free). Diver Katie Prior swept the both the one- and three-meter diving events. Individual event winners were Steiner (200 breast), Bland (200 free), Baly (200 IM) and Berg (200 back).
The Cavaliers came away with a 139-98 win over Georgia Tech, winning eight of 13 events. Fran Crippen and Rachael Burke both automatically qualified for the 2004 NCAA Championships in the 1,650 freestyle. Event winners included Bland (100 free), Erin Corgan (200 IM), Berg (200 back), Katie Gordon (500 free), Steiner (200 breast) and Shannon Hogan (50 free). UVA also pulled away with wins in the 200 medley relay and 800 free relay.
ABOUT SMU: The eighth-ranked Mustangs, who finished fourth at the 2003 NCAAs started off their fall season finishing second at the SMU Swimming and Diving Classic. Florida finished first (360.5), followed by SMU (303), Indiana (252), Washington (239), South Carolina (234.5) and TCU (196). SMU finished third in the 400 free relay while finishing fourth in the 200 free relay. Georgiana Lee finished third in the 500 free and second in the 200 fly. Dallas Marshall took fourth in the 200 back while Corrie Clark took silver medalist honors in the 200 breast. Leane Darling took second in the 100 free. In the three-meter diving competition, Elizabeth Pike took third. Sara Nordenstam finished second in the 200 IM.
The Mustangs fell in their dual meet against sixth ranked Texas, 176-124. SMU won five events, but it was not enough to secure the victory. Sarah Daly captured the 1,000 free. Celina Lemmen followed with a first place showing in the 20 free, while Lee finished second. Lee finished first in the 200 fly with teammates Andrea Cassidy and Daly in second and third place, respectively. Marizanne Grundlingh won the 500 free, while Daly and Lemmen took second and third, respectively. The Mustangs also won the 400 free relay. Christina Hussong finished runner-up in the one-meter competition while Elizabeth Pike took fourth in the three-meter.
NOTRE DAME RANKED #19: The Irish women’s swimming and diving team remains ranked 19th in the second Collegiate Swimming Coaches Association Poll of 2003-04. Defending national champion Auburn received all eight first-place votes and is first with 200 points, for the second consecutive week, followed by Florida, Georgia, Stanford and USC. Here is the complete poll:
1. Auburn (8)
2. Florida
3. Georgia
4. Stanford
5. USC
6. Texas
7. Arizona
8. SMU
9. California
10. Wisconsin
11. UCLA
12. Penn State
13. Arizona State
13. Indiana
15. North Carolina
16. Michigan
17. Texas A&M
17. Virginia
19. Notre Dame
20. Florida State
21. Washington
22. Maryland
23. Missouri
24. Hawaii
25. Minnesota
Others receiving votes: Tennessee, Alabama
FRESHMEN MAKING BIG SPLASH FOR IRISH: The 2003-04 Irish freshman class is making a big splash through the early part of the dual-meet schedule. Against Tampa, six different freshmen were credited with wins, while two others would have claimed victories if they did not swim exhibition. Winners against Tampa included Ann Barton ,Katie Carroll (twice), Kiley Gooch ,Rebecca Grove ,Jessica Stephens and Abby Strang . Other winners would have included Grove and Ellen Johnson if they had not been competing exhibition.
The freshmen also performed well against Indiana as Barton and Carroll both were winners for the Irish. Johnson and Stephens recorded second- or third-place finishes during the meet in their respective events.
Against Pittsburgh, Carroll continued her impressive season with wins in the 100 butterfly and 200 individual medley. Carroll also was second in the 50 free, while Johnson was runner-up to Danielle Hulick in the 100 free. Strang and Barton also posted third-place finishes in the 1,000 freestyle and 200 backstroke, respectively.
Irish freshmen earned seven wins in the dual meet against Bowling Green and Louisville. Carroll extended her impressive fall season with victories in the 50 and 100 freestyle races. Fellow freshman Grove was second to Carroll in both races. Johnson dominated the distance races winning both the 1,000 free and 200 backstroke. Ann Barton also finished first in the 200 freestyle while also contributing to a first-place finish in the 200 freestyle relay. Other winners for the freshmen included Grove (100 backstroke) and Stephens (100 breaststroke).
PERRY-EATON CONTINUES TO SHINE: Senior diver Meghan Perry-Eaton continues to excel for the Irish in 2003-04. After earning BIG EAST Diver of the Year accolades in 2003 and All-America honors at the national meet, Perry-Eaton continues her winning ways this fall. Against North Carolina State, where only the Irish divers competed, Perry-Eaton won both the one- and three-meter event. The native of Brandon, Fla. has remained undefeated and continued this streak through the dual meets this fall, taking first on both boards against Indiana, Pittsburgh, Bowling Green and Louisville.
SENIORS ARE HEARD AGAINST PITTSBURGH: In addition to Meghan Perry-Eaton’s two wins against Pittsburgh, senior Danielle Hulick won three events and Marie Labosky two in Notre Dame’s convincing victory over the Panthers. Hulick was first in the 100 backstroke, 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle), while Labosky won the 1,000 freestyle and 200 backstroke.
IRISH MOVING UP THE CHARTS IN BIG EAST HISTORY: The Notre Dame women’s swimming and diving team has won seven consecutive conference titles (1997-current) and are inching ever closer to the all-time consecutive conference title mark. The Pittsburgh men’s swimming and diving program holds the record at 10, winning from 1983-92, while the Panther women won nine straight titles from 1983-91. Here is the list for most consecutive BIG EAST titles:
10 – Pittsburgh men’s swimming and diving (’83-’92)
9 – Pittsburgh women’s swimming and diving (’83-’91)
9 – Connecticut women’s basketball (’94-’02)
8 – Boston College men’s tennis (’81-’88)
7 – Pittsburgh volleyball (’88-’94)
7 – Notre Dame women’s soccer (’95-’01)
7 – Notre Dame women’s swimming (’97-active)
HEAD SWIMMING COACH: Bailey Weathers :Irish head swimming coach Bailey Weathers is in his ninth year at the helm of the Irish roster. During his tenure, Notre Dame has won seven straight BIG EAST Conference crowns and he has been named conference coach of the year five times. Weathers coached 16 different swimmers to All-America honors while at Notre Dame and over 30 swimmers to 63 BIG EAST Championships. He also has coached 17 swimmers to 17 BIG EAST Championship records and every school record has been broken under his tenure. He also has coached seven College Swimming Coaches Association of America All-Academic selections and 12 honorable mention All-Americans.
Before coming to Notre Dame, Weathers coached at South Carolina where he was three-time Metro Conference Coach of the Year and had two top-12 NCAA finishes. Before South Carolina, he was at Southern Illinois where he was named the 1986 NCAA Division I Coach of the Year after placing fifth at the NCAA meet. He also has been an assistant coach at the University of Texas and Indiana University, and coaching the Mission Aurora Swim Club in Colorado from 1990-95.
HEAD DIVING COACH Caiming Xie: Caiming Xie is in his ninth season as the head diving coach at Notre Dame for both the men’s and women’s team. During his tenure, he has coached two All-Americans in Heather Mattingly and Meghan Perry-Eaton and was named the 1999 BIG EAST Coach of the Year. Caiming was responsible for the development of Mattingly as she became the first Notre Dame diver to earn All-America honors after placing eighth in the three-meter competition at the 2002 NCAA meet. The next season, Perry-Eaton became the first Notre Dame diver in history to win a BIG EAST Conference title when she defeated Miami’s Katie Beth Bryant to win the one-meter competition. She also was named the 2003 BIG EAST Diver of the Year after placing second in the three-meter event. The then-junior went on to place ninth at the 2003 NCAA meet on the one-meter board.
ASSISTANT COACH Anne Marie Stricklin: Assistant swimming coach Anne Marie Stricklin is currently on maternity leave after the birth of her daughter Sara on Oct. 29. Stricklin is in her second season with the Irish.
THE CAPTAINS: Seniors Laurie Musgrave and Lisa Garcia will serve as co-captains for the 2003-04 season. Musgrave, a breaststroke specialist, earned all-BIG EAST honors in 2003 and was the winner of the 2001 Beeler-Hipp Award given to the outstanding freshman who best exemplifies the vitality, competitiveness and love for Notre Dame as former swimmers Meghan Beeler and Colleen Hipp. Garcia was the 2003 team most valuable swimmer after earning All-America honors in the 200 butterfly at the NCAA meet and winning both the 200 butterfly and 200 IM at the 2003 BIG EAST meet.
FORMER IRISH SWIMMER LINDA GALLO PLACES SECOND IN WORLD TRIATHLON: After qualifying for the World Championships by finishing second in her age group at the Ironman Wisconsin Triathlon in September, former Irish swimmer Linda Gallo competed in the Ironman World Championships, finishing in a time of 10:09.27. Her time was first in her age group (25-29), as she finished the race as the top American amateur and the 19th woman overall. She plans on turning professional in the next few months.
Gallo competed for the Irish from 1995-98. She still holds three university records in the 500-yard freestyle (4:50:44), 1,000 freestyle (9:56:34) and the 1,650 freestyle (16:34.43) and one relay record as a member of the 800 freestyle team. In 1998, as captain of the women’s team, she earned All-America honors by virtue of a 14th-place finish in the 500 freestyle at the NCAA Championships.
UP NEXT: Notre Dame returns home Thursday-Saturday, Dec. 4-6, for the Notre Dame Swimming and Diving Invitational. Prelims start at 10 a.m., while finals take place at 6:30 p.m.