Jan. 26, 2001
NOTRE DAME, Ind.- The Notre Dame men’s swimming team beat Wisconsin-Milwaukee 139-92 on Friday at Rolfs Aquatic Center to improve to 4-2 in dual-meet action in 2000-01. The Irish won the first six swimming events in taking control of the meet and eight different performers won individual events for Notre Dame.
After a victory in the 400-medley relay, junior Elliott Drury (Mukilteo, Wash.) and sophomore Michael Flanagan (San Diego, Calif.) took the top two spots in the 1,000 freestyle. The success continued in the 200 freestyle with Notre Dame taking the first three positions. Junior Jonathon Pierce (Newburgh, Ind.), sophomore Clay Miller (Mead, Wash.) and freshman Brian Coughlin (Moraga, Calif.) finished first, second and third respectively.
After junior Russell Preston (Boca Raton, Fla.) won the 50 freestyle, senior Matt Grunewald (Centerville, Ohio) and freshman Josh Dermott (El Dorado Hills, Calif.) had the two best times in the 200 individual medley. In the one-meter diving competition, Wisconsin-Milwaukee stopped Notre Dame’s streak of victories, but sophomore Andy Maggio (Cincinnati, Ohio) had a score of 302.77 in exhibition competition, one of the best of his career.
Senior Ryan Verlin (Rye, N.Y.) kept up the Irish dominance in the swimming events with a win in the 200 butterfly, while freshman Lucas Wymore (Arlington, Texas) and junior Grant Burrall (Cedarburg, Wisc.) were right behind him. After Wisconsin-Milwaukee won the 100 freestyle, senior Brian Skorney (Staten Island, N.Y.) captured the 200 backstroke and sophomore John Hudson (Alpharetta, Ga.) was second.
Flanagan then clinched the victory for Notre Dame with a win in the 500 freestyle. Next, Maggio was edged out in the three-meter diving event by .15 points, but he still dove well enough to post an NCAA-qualifying score of 318.67.
Notre Dame will be back in action tomorrow, Saturday Jan. 27, as it travels to Muncie, Ind. to take on Ball State in a dual meet at 2:00 p.m.