Notre Dame continued its reign as Big East champion with its 14th consecutive conference title. The streak is the longest active streak in the conference in any league sport.
A late charge from second-place Louisville forced the Irish to finish the conference season strong, senior captain Megan Farrell said.
"Although some of our individual performances this year were disappointing, I was impressed with the collective team performance when it mattered most," she said. "When it came down to the wire at the Big East championship, the team as a whole rose to the challenge and did not let Louisville surpass us in the point total. Everyone showed great mental toughness and determination when it was their turn to race and put the team first. I believe that tells a lot about the character of these girls."
Junior Samantha Maxwell and freshman Kim Holden brought home individual titles on the final day of the meet to clinch the title for the Irish.
Maxwell was named the Big East Most Outstanding Swimmer and head coach Brian Barnes earned Big East Coach of the Year honors for the second straight season.
"Both Brian Barnes and Kate Kovenock have such a passion for swimming and their energy is contagious," Farrell said. "Both individuals have different strengths when it comes to coaching and they complement each other very well. Brian and Kate have the ability to develop the Notre Dame swimming program into a national powerhouse."
The Irish also participated in the NCAA Championships in West Lafayette, Ind., on March 18-20, finishing 38th overall with 14 points.
Junior Amywren Miller set a school record in the NCAA Championships in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 22.30 seconds, which was good enough for an eighth-place finish and All-America honors. Maxwell also earned Honorable Mention All-America honors with a 14th-place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke.
