March 18, 2000

INDIANAPOLIS — Notre Dame swimmers Carrie Nixon (Ouray, Colo.), Shannon Suddarth (Topeka, Kan.) and Alison Newell (Parker, Colo.) each qualified for the consolation finals of their respective events Saturday morning in final day action of the 2000 NCAA championships. By finishing in the top 16 in the preliminaries, each swimmer automatically garners honorable mention All-America honors.

Nixon finished in a tie for ninth in the 100- meter freestyle with a time of 55.34 to advance to tonight’s consolation championships. The 6-5 ? junior has already earned All-America honors once (50 freestyle) and honorable mention All-America honors three times (100 butterfly, 200 and 400 medley relay) at this year’s meet.

Suddarth, who finished 11th in the 100 breaststroke on Friday, placed 10th with a time of 2:29.50 in the 200 breaststroke to advance to the consolation finals for the fourth straight season. Newell, meanwhile, earned her second career trip to the consolation finals of the 200 butterfly after coming in 15th with a time of 2:13.35 in the morning’s preliminaries.

Other Notre Dame women’s swimmers competing in Saturday’s prelims were sophomore Kelly Hecking (Rutherford, N.J.), who placed 36th in the 200 backstroke (2:16.93), and senior Elizabeth Barger (Littleton, Colo.), who finished 38th in the 200 butterfly (2:16.98).

Day Three Preliminaries — 2000 NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships

200-Meter Backstroke
36. Kelly Hecking, ND (2:16.93)

100-Meter Freestyle
T9. Carrie Nixon, ND (55.34)

200 Breaststroke
10. Shannon Suddarth, ND (2:29.50)

200 Butterfly
15. Alison Newell, ND (2:13.35)
38. Elizabeth Barger, ND (2:16.98)