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Tuesday, April 16, 2024
The Observer

ND WOMEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING: Irish set to continue winning tradition

This is what they have been working for all year.

Today, Notre Dame begins its quest for a ninth straight Big East Championship in East Meadow, N.Y.

Standing in the way of a ninth straight title is a much-improved Big East conference, including foes Pittsburgh and Rutgers.

"Rutgers has improved a lot, so has Pittsburgh," Weathers said. "I think this one's going to be pretty hard."

Leading the way for the Irish in their championship charge will be senior All-American diver Meghan Perry-Eaton and a host of young and talented swimmers.

Perry-Eaton has won three conference titles for the Irish, taking the 3-meter board title last year and the 1-meter board each of the last two years. She was also named the Big East Championship's Most Outstanding Diver in the last two years.

Last year Perry-Eaton dominated the competition, finishing at least 40 points ahead of the competition in both events.

Also leading the Irish charge will be sophomore Katie Carroll and junior Christel Bouvron.

Carroll is the defending Big East Champion in the 200 individual medley, and has posted NCAA cuts in both the 200 and 400-yard individual medley. Her 200 IM time of 2 minutes, 3.75 seconds against Michigan earlier in the season is the fastest in the Big East this year.

Bouvron also owns one of the fastest Big East times this year. Her mark of 2:02.95 in the 200-yard butterfly - also against Michigan - was by far the best in the conference. Bouvron is a two-time Olympian for her native Singapore, and she finished 32nd in the 200 butterfly at the 2004 Olympics Games in Athens.

The Irish and their Big East opponents will swim the 200-meter medley and the 800-meter freestyle relay the first day. Last year, Notre Dame took fourth and second-place finishes respectively in those events last year.

On Thursday the Irish will swim the 500-meter freestyle, 200 IM, 50 free and 200 free relay.

The Irish will compete in the 400 IM, 200 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 100 breaststroke, 400 medley relay and 100 backstroke on Friday.

And on the final day of competition, the 1,650 and 100 freestyle, the 200 backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly, as well as the 400 freestyle relay will take place.

"It's going to be pretty interesting," Weathers said.