Feb. 19, 1998
Notre Dame Women's Swimming in First, Men Fourth at BIG EAST Championships
PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- Linda Gallo won the 500 freestyle to lead Notre Dame's
defending BIG EAST champion women's swimming and diving team into first place
with 281 points after the second of four days of competition at the BIG EAST
championship at the University of Pittsburgh. The women entered the second day
in third place, 18 points behind Miami. The Irish men, seventh in each of the
last two years, remain in fourth place with 160 points while Miami leads the
men's competition with 290.
Gallo won the 500 freestyle with a school record, meet record and NCAA
qualifying time of 4:48.02 as the Irish took five of the top nine spots in the
500 free. Alison Newell also provisionally qualified for the NCAA championships
with a third-place time of 4:52.78. The trio of Shannon Suddarth, Tiffany
O'Brien and Liz Barger finished third, fourth and fifth in the 200 individual
medley while Kathleen Rimkus was 12th. Carrie Nixon finished second in the 50
freestyle in 23.34 while Laura Shepard was fifth in 23.88.
"We are pleased with how the meet is going," said women's head coach Bailey
Weathers. "All of our relays have done well, and our times should get even
better as the meet progresses."
The men's 400 medley relay team of Chris Fugate, Steele Whowell, Scott Zumbach
and Robert Fetter placed fifth in 3:22.87 to break the five-year school record
3:23.93. Fugate led off the relay with a school-record 100 backstroke time of
51.81. Zumbach gave the Irish their highest finish of the meet thus far by
placing third in the 200 individual medley in 1:51.18, while Rob Fetter was
eighth in 1:54.00. Herb Huesman finished fourth in the diving for the second
consecutive day, scoring 471.10 in the one-meter diving after placing fourth in
the three-meter on Wednesday. John Lubker was ninth in the 500 freestyle with a
school-record time of 4:31.41. Ron Royer finished 10th in the 50 freestyle in
21.09.
"This was a great night for us," said men's head coach Tim Welsh. "Three school
record fell and we are swimming extremely well."
BIG EAST Swimming and Diving Championships
Day Two of Four
Women's Standings
1. Notre Dame 281
2. Pittsburgh 211
3. Villanova 199
4. Miami 180
5. Syracuse 163
6. Connecticut 98
7. West Virginia 96
8. St. John's 73
9. Rutgers 60
10. Boston College 59
11. Providence 40
12. Seton Hall 28
12. Georgetown 26
Men's Standings
1. Miami 290
2. Pittsburgh 196.5
3. Syracuse 193.50
4. Notre Dame 160
5. Connecticut 148
6. Villanova 126
7. St. John's 125
8. Rutgers 93
9. West Virginia 85
10. Seton Hall 80
11. Providence 69
12. Boston College 50
13. Georgetown 37
Women's 500 Freestyle
1. Linda Gallo, Notre Dame 4:48.02
3. Alison Newell, Notre Dame 4:52.78
5. Kristen Van Saun, Notre Dame 4:57.61
8. Allison Vendt, Notre Dame 5:01.65
9. Brenda Reilly, Notre Dame 4:59.16
Men's 500 Freestyle
1. M. Vucetic, Syracuse 4:25.85
9. John Lubker, Notre Dame 4:31.41
12. Ray Fitzpatrick, Notre Dame 4:38.08
Women's 200 Individual Medley
1. Rhiannon Leier, Miami 2:03.87
3. Shannon Suddarth, Notre Dame 2:06.13
4. Tiffany O'Brien, Notre Dame 2:06.78
5. Liz Barger, Notre Dame 2:06.79
12. Kathleen Rimkus, Notre Dame 2:09.81
Men's 200 Individual Medley
1. Daniel Karlsson, Syracuse 1:48.51
3. Scott Zumbach, Notre Dame 1:51.18
8. Robert Fetter, Notre Dame 1:54.00
Women's 50 Freestyle
1. Kristen Olson, Villanova 23.22
2. Carrie Nixon, Notre Dame 23.34
5. Laura Shepard, Notre Dame 23.88
15. Courtney South, Notre Dame 24.43
Men's 50 Freestyle
1. Nick Folker, Miami 20.26
10. Ron Royer, Notre Dame 21.09
Men's One-Meter Diving
1. Rio Ramirez, Miami 620.05
4. Herb Huesman, Notre Dame 471.10
Women's 400 Medley Relay
1. Notre Dame 3:45.86
Tiffany O'Brien 58.45
Shannon Suddarth 1:02.26
Liz Barger 54.70
Carrie Nixon 50.45
Men's 400 Medley Relay
1. Syracuse 3:17.08
5. Notre Dame 3:22.87
Chris Fugate 51.81
Steele Whowell 56.09
Scott Zumbach 50.05
Robert Fetter 44.92
