GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Notre Dame swimming and diving programs wrapped up the ACC Championships on Saturday after five days of competition. The women’s team finished 12th with 275 points.
The meet started off with a bang on Day 1, as the 200 medley relay composed of Jess Geriane, Gigi Baldacci, Katie Drumm and Madelyn Christman broke the school record and placed ninth with a time of 1:36.73.
Freshman Carli Cronk was the standout swimmer for the meet. The rookie made a final in her three individual events — 500 free, 400 IM and 200 fly — and she won the consolation heat of the 400 IM (4:08.42) and the bonus heat of the 500 free. Cronk already holds the school record in the 400 IM but she etched her name in the record books in the 500, breaking the school record with a new time of 4:42.59. She also now ranks 10th in school history in the 200 free after leading off the 800 free relay with a time of 1:47.02.
Sophomore Lainey Mullins swam the same events as Cronk and placed 20th in the 400 IM with a time of 4:13.49, which is now the sixth-fastest mark in program history. She also placed 19th in the 200 fly with a time of 1:57.47.
The top individual finish of the meet came from senior Maggie Graves, who placed sixth in the 1650 free (16:09.03). That mark made last season’s NCAA Championships, and Graves will see if she makes the cut this season.
Geriane also made the bonus heat in both the 50 free and 100 back, placing 23rd in both events with times of 22.52 and 53.17, respectively. While they did not make it back to finals, both Drumm and Imogen Meers cracked the top 10 all-time in the 50 free. Meers went 22.42 which is now eighth, and Drumm went 22.49 which is now ninth.
Junior Grace Courtney was the top scorer for the Irish women’s divers, placing 10th in the 1-meter (267.80) and 20th in the platform (222.15).
Ben Nguyen competed for the Irish men and placed fourth in the platform (392.25). He also took 13th in the 1-meter (294.55) and 20th in the 3-meter (306.65), thus scoring in all three events for the Irish.
The divers will compete at the NCAA Zone C Championships next with a chance to qualify for the NCAA Championships in March. The meet will be at Ohio State from Feb. 28-March 1.