GREENSBORO, N.C. — Tommy Janton had an elite freshman season for the Irish, and now he has the hardware to show for it.
On Monday, the backstroker from outside of Philadelphia was named the ACC Rookie of the Year.
“I am extremely thrilled and excited for Tommy,” Peterson Family Head Swimming Coach Chris Lindauer said. “A lot of hard work and dedication went into this. It’s been great to watch Tommy grow this year. Obviously, he’s had significant time drops, but the biggest thing is seeing his mentality grow into someone that believes they can compete at the highest level.
“Super excited for where this can take him and the momentum this gives him for what lies ahead. The future is bright.”
Janton was a 2023 NCAA qualifier and broke three school records while competing at the meet in Minneapolis: 100-yard backstroke (45.12), 200-yard backstroke (1:39.45) and the 200-yard medley relay (1:23.35). He earned All-America Honorable Mention status in both individual events, finishing 14th in the 100 and 10th in the 200. In doing so, Janton was a major contributor to Notre Dame’s 18th-place finish at NCAAs, the highest mark in program history.
The rookie made the A final in the backstroke events at ACCs, finishing seventh in both (45.97/1:41.44). He was part of a freshman class that notched more points at the conference meet than any other team’s freshmen, and the Irish finished fifth overall.
In addition to his feats in the 25-yard pool, Janton also broke the school record in the 100-meter backstroke in December with a time of 54.96. He qualified for 2024 Olympic Trials in both the 100- and 200-meter backstroke. He competed at the meet in those events in 2021.
In addition to an impressive late-season performance, Janton was a consistent scorer for the Irish during early season meets. For example, he won the 200 back against Louisville (1:45.33), and he brought home fifth in the 100 back at the Ohio State Invitational (47.22). In his first collegiate meet ever, which took place in October against Pittsburgh and Penn State, Janton finished second in both the 100 and 200 back (48.25/1:47.37).
In winning ACC Freshman of the Year, Janton joins current Irish senior Jack Hoagland as the only two swimmers to earn the honor since the Irish joined the ACC a decade ago. Hoagland won the award in 2020.