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Irish Return To The Pool

After a week off, the Notre Dame women's swimming and diving team returns to action.

Nov. 27, 2007

NOTRE DAME, Ind. - After a week off, the Notre Dame women's swimming team returns to the pool this week for the 58th annual Husky Invitational in Federal Way, Wash., held Thursday Nov. 30 through Saturday Dec. 1, while the Irish divers will travel to the Ohio State Invitational to compete Friday Nov. 31 through Saturday Dec. 1. This will be the first time the Notre Dame swimmers have traveled out to the Husky Invite, as they face top teams from around the country. The three-day meet will be run in the same format as the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships, giving athletes a chance to prepare for that style of competition.

"Our main focus out in Washington this week will be to swim fast times so we can get more girls qualified for NCAA championship in March," said head coach Carrie Nixon.

The Irish hold a 1-5 dual-meet record and a win at the Dennis Stark Relays at the beginning of the season for the 2007-08 season. This will be their first large-meet competition of the season as they meet ten opposing teams at the Husky Invite, including USC, which Notre Dame met in dual-meet action earlier this season (L, 158.5-103.5). Despite the record, the Irish women have continued to improve times throughout the five-week stretch of five consecutive competitions.

Freshman Sam Maxwell led the Irish during the morning competition two weeks ago at the tri-dual meet versus Northwestern and Notre Dame, taking the title in the 100 breaststroke. Maxwell finished with a time of 1:03.31, a season record for her, as well as a team best. She was followed by freshman teammate Amywren Miller who finished third with a time of 1:05.46, the second best time for the Irish this season.

Maxwell brought excitement to the pool for the Irish again while taking on the Badgers and Wildcats, taking the title in the 100 breaststroke. Her time of 2:15.65 was not only good enough for the win, but was also a season best for Maxwell as well as the Irish.

One strong point for the Notre Dame women's swimming and diving team has been the divers as they continue to bring in top points in dual-meet action. The women divers will travel to Ohio State to take on 11 opposing teams, including Minnesota and Purdue, which the Irish have both faced earlier this season. Sophomore Natalie Stitt and senior Laura Rings have led the divers, with Stitt holding the team-season bests in both the 1-meter and the 3-meter with respective scores of 275.40 and 294.55.

The Husky Invitational is scheduled to begin with prelims at 9:30 a.m. (PT) on Thursday with finals at 6 p.m. Friday's and Saturday's sessions will begin at the same times. On Sunday, Dec. 2 there will be a session at 9:30 a.m. for athletes interested in qualifying for Olympic Trials cuts.

The Ohio State Invitational is set to kick-off with diving prelims at 2 p.m. (ET) with finals to follow at 7 p.m. on Friday. Saturday's diving competitions are set to begin at 1 p.m. with finals set to start at 7 p.m.

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