Feb. 25, 2001
Notre Dame, Ind. – The Notre Dame men’s and women’s swimming team won five events between them Sunday during the second day of the Shamrock Invitational at the Rolfs Aquatic Center. The Shamrock Invitational is the last chance swimmers have to qualify for the 2001 NCAA Championships. The women’s NCAAs are Thursday-Saturday, March 15-17 in Long Island, N.Y., while the men’s championships are Thursday-Saturday, March 22-24 in College Station, Texas.
The women’s team had four different winners Sunday as sophomore Christina Jackson won the 100 breaststroke in 1:13.48, narrowly defeating teammate Nicole Kohrt (1:16.13). Kohrt rebounded though to win the 100 freestyle in 54.85. Kohrt edged out Irish freshman Sara Cerrata (55:24) and two other first-year swimmers from Illinois in Kelly McGawran (57.20) and Melissa Kelley (1:02.27). Cerrata earned a championship of her own in the 200-yard backstroke, finishing in 2:19.37. Freshman Lisa Garcia was the other Irish winner taking the 100 backstroke in 58.26.
Irish men’s senior swimmer Matt Grunewald won the final race of his career, the 100 backstroke in a time of 53.63. Grunewald beat teammates Matt Obringer (54.88), Matt Hedden (55.32), Mike Koss (56.88) and Jason Fitzpatrick (59.59).
Four meet records and one pool record were set in today’s competition. Illinois’ Ilkay Dikmen won the 200 breaststroke in 2:17.23, a new pool and meet record breaking former Irish swimmer Shannon Suddarth’s time of 2:17.99. Michigan State’s Ildike Szekely set a meet record in the women’s 200 butterfly, winning in 2:00.65, while Eastern Michigan’s David Ruch set a meet record in claiming the men’s 200 butterfly in 1:52.06. Also Eastern Michigan’s 800 freestyle relay of Ruch, Josh Davidson, Ben Stubbs and David Marine set a meet record placing first in 6:48.71.