Jan. 29, 2015
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Eight University of Notre Dame women’s swimming and diving senior student-athletes will be honored Saturday afternoon before the final session of the 2015 Shamrock Invitational that gets underway Friday evening at Rolfs Aquatic Center.
Suzanne Bessire, Hannah Bowen, Allison Casareto, Bridget Casey, Erin Foley, Emma Reaney, Melissa Scott and Courtney Whyte are nearing the end of the Irish careers, but will get a few more opportunities to compete at Rolfs.
Before a dual meet next Saturday (Feb. 7) against Cleveland State wraps up the 2014-15 home slate, the Irish seniors, in addition to their Notre Dame teammates, welcome in the University of Iowa and Atlantic Coast Conference opponent Clemson (diving only) for the two-day Shamrock Invitational this weekend. The co-ed meet will also see Missouri State, Incarnate Word and Iowa bring their men’s squads.
Action gets underway at 5 p.m. (ET) Friday, before two sessions on Saturday (10 a.m. ET & 5 p.m. ET) wrap up the meet. The senior ceremony will be held before the 5 p.m. Saturday session.
“We love racing in our own pool,” Irish interim coach Tim Welsh said. “This has been a good meet year after year, and we’re glad we’re home this weekend. It’s going to be a grand event.”
“The Shamrock Invitational is kind of our specialty, like our one big home meet,” sophomore Catherine Mulquin said. “It’s a little bit of a step up from a dual meet, but it’s not quite like the level of conference (ACC meet). It’s a good step up right before we go to conference, so it’s a little bit of a practice for that meet because we suit up, but we’re not fully tapered, so it’s a good racing practice for us.
“For some of our girls on the team, it’s their end-of-the-season meet, so we definitely are focusing on them and helping them do their best.” Really, just a team atmosphere is most important to us. And senior day, that’s huge, too. We’ve got eight seniors on the team, and that’s really special. There will be some tears here and there, but it’s really special.”
Notre Dame (4-9) has had a tough January thus far, as it has lost four dual meets in a row to ranked Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana squads in addition to Northwestern. Bright spots include Reaney’s perfect 6-0 mark in individual races during the month, a 1-meter diving victory for Casareto against the Badgers and Hoosiers and a 3-meter win versus the Wolverines and Wildcats, and a 100 fly victory for junior Catherine Galletti in the same meet.
Weekend results can be tracked through Meet Mobile – now a paid app on smartphones – in addition to live stats. Fans can also follow results through Twitter (@NDwSwimming).
Schedule of Events
Friday (5 p.m. ET)
200 Free Relay (W/M)
**10-Minute Break**
500 Free (W/M)
200 IM (W/M)
50 Free (W)
**20-Minute Break**
50 Free (M)
3-Meter Diving (W)
1-Meter Diving (M)
400 Medley Relay (W/M)
Saturday (10 a.m. ET)
200 Medley Relay (W/M)
**10-Minute Break**
400 IM (W/M)
100 Fly (W/M)
200 Free (W/M)
100 Breast (W/M)
100 Back (W/M)
**20-Minute Break**
800 Free Relay (W/M)
1-Meter Diving (W)
3-Meter Diving (M)
Saturday (5 p.m. ET)
1,650 Free (W/M)
200 Back (W/M)
100 Free (W/M)
200 Breast (W/M)
200 Fly (W/M)
**20-Minute Break**
400 Free Relay (W/M)
NCAA Rankings (Top 50 Only)
100 Breast
3. Emma Reaney (59.04 – converted)
200 Breast
4. Emma Reaney (2:08.27 – converted)
200 Fly
T-48. Courtney Whyte (1:58.46)
ACC Rankings (Top 3 Only)
100 Breast
1. Emma Reaney (59.04 – converted)
200 Breast
2. Emma Reaney (2:08.27 – converted)
NCAA Zone C Qualifiers
–Russell Dorn, Assistant Media Relations Director
–ND–