Printer-Friendly Format     E-mail this article     MacKenzie LeBlanc and company put Notre Dame in a solid position to make a run at this year's BIG EAST title.

Team eclipses school mark in 800 Free Relay.

Feb. 20, 2008

Final Stats

EAST MEADOW, N.Y. - Through two events in the 2008 BIG EAST Conference Swimming and Diving Championships the University of Notre Dame men's team sits in second place with 68 points following Thursday's action. Louisville leads the 11-team pack with a total of 74.

Notre Dame came out victorious in the 800 Free Relay by posting an NCAA B-cut and school-record time of 6:32.45. The mark was reached by John Lytle, Joshua Nosal, Andrew Hoffman, and MacKenzie LeBlanc. In fact, Lytle and Hoffman helped set the previous record of 6:32.67 along with Ted Brown and Jeff Wood during last season's conference meet.

The quartet actually trailed Louisville until the third leg of the race when the squad kicked in the burners and gave the Irish a lead they would not relinquish.

Fifth-place went to the Irish in the 200 Medley Relay. Andrew MacKay, Sam Pendergast, Ross Moore, and Hoffman achieved a time of 1:30.87 to help tack on 28 points to the team's overall total.

"We're off to a great start as the 800 Free Relay team put in an extraordinary swim for us tonight," said Notre Dame head coach Tim Welsh. "The team feels good, and we're looking forward to tomorrow."

Thursday's preliminary events at the Nassau County Aquatic Center begin at 10 a.m. (ET). Final heats will kick off at 6 p.m.