March 20, 1999
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Notre Dame women’s swimming and diving team placed 28th overall with 16 points at the three-day NCAA Championships in Athens, Ga., March 18-20. Host Georgia won the team competition with 504.5 points to beat defending champion Stanford for its first ever NCAA women’s swimming and diving team title.
In finals action on Saturday, Irish junior Shannon Suddarth (Topeka, Kan.) made her third straight appearance in the consolation finals of the 200-yard breaststroke and placed 15th with a time of 2:16.14. Suddarth earned honorable mention All-America status for the fourth time in her career and the second time this year. Last season, she took home 11th place in the 200 breaststroke and was 13th in the same event as a freshman. Suddarth also achieved All-America status in 1998 in the 100 breaststroke with an eighth-place finish, making her the most decorated Notre Dame women’s swimmer ever at the NCAA championships.
Overall, the Irish placed two relays and two individuals in the top 16 over the three days of competition. The team was 23rd at last year’s NCAAs with 29 points.
Finals Standings – 1. Georgia (504.5); 2. Stanford (441); 3. SMU (370.5); 4. Arizona (332); 5. California (315); 6. USC (245); 7. Michigan (163); 8. Florida (147); 9. Northwestern (145); 10. Virginia (140); 11. Auburn (138); 12. Nebraska (133); 13. Texas (126); 14. Nevada (88); 15. Wisconsin (85); 16. UCLA (83); 17. Miami (77.5); 18. Tennessee (72); 19. Villanova (50); 20. North Carolina (47); 21. Kentucky (46); 22. Indiana (40); 23. Arizona State (37.5); 24. Minnesota and South Carolina (34); 26. Lousiana State (23); 27. Cincinnati (18); 28. NOTRE DAME (16); 29. Utah (11); 30. Washington State (8); 31. Texas A&M (6); 32. Princeton (5); 33. Maryland, Penn State and Houston (4); 36. Iowa, Washington, Pittsburgh and Clemson (3); 40. BYU (2); 41. Fresno State (1).
Day Three – Finals
200 Breaststroke Finals
1. Kristy Kowal, Georgia, 2:07.66 (American, U.S. Open, NCAA, Meet and Pool Record); 2. Elin Austevoll, Stanford, 2:09.99; 3. Madeleine Crippen, Villanova, 2:11.66; 4. Riley Mants, Arizona State, 2:12.47; 5. Katie McClelland, SMU, 2:12.58; 6. Jamie Skinner, Georgia, 2:12.77; 7. Anne Mieke McReynolds, Auburn, 2:12.80; Amy Balcerzak, Northwestern, 2:13.64.
Consolation Finals
9. Ashley Roby, Georgia, 2:11.63; 10. Katie Hathaway, North Carolina, 2:12.29; 11. Danica Wizniuk, Virginia, 2:12.59; 12. Kristin MacGregor, USC, 2:13.51; 13. Erin Eldridge, Washington State, 2:14.61; 14. Rae Abbott, Washington, 2:15.67; 15. Shannon Suddarth, Notre Dame, 2:16.14; 16. Holly Gravatt, Fresno State, 2:18.33.
Notre Dame Finals Results Recap:
Thursday
400 Medley Relay – Kelly Hecking, Shannon Suddarth, Elizabeth Barger and Carrie Nixon – tied for 11th with Texas (3:43.50) – highest finish ever by a Notre Dame relay at the NCAAs; all four members earn honorable mention All-America status.
50 Freestyle – Carrie Nixon places 16th with a time of 23.25 to earn honorable mention All-America status.
Friday
200 Medley Relay – Kelly Hecking, Brittany Kline, Elizabeth Barger and Carrie Nixon – finishes 16th in a time of 1:43.36; all four members earn honorable mention All-America status.
Saturday
200 Breaststroke – Shannon Suddarth finishes 15th with a time of 2:16:14 to earn honorable mention status.
Team Points Breakdown:
400 Medley Relay (11 points); 50 Freestyle (one point); 200 medley relay (two points); 200 breaststroke (two points) = 16 points, 28th place