This Week: The Notre Dame College swimming and diving program will begin their 2022-23 campaign. The Falcons will travel to the Early Invite at Oberlin College where NDC will compete against the Yeomen and Ashland University. The tri-meet will take place all day on Saturday Oct. 15.
Coaches Corner: Notre Dame is led by Stephanie Mulvin who enters her sixth season with the Falcon swimming and diving program. Mulvin has three MEC Championship trophies under her belt, after coaching the men's side to three consecutive conference crowns in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Alex de la Pena heads the Oberlin College swimming and diving team in his fifth season. Lastly, Kyle Walthall is in his fourth season with Ashland University.
Rankings: None of these teams are ranked according to the CSCAA Top 25 Poll.
Noting the Women's side: For the second year in a row, the Notre Dame College women's swimming and diving team tied the program record with a second-place finish at last year's conference championships. As a team, Notre Dame totaled 15 All-MEC awards.
The Falcons are led by senior Hannah Berlin who became the first NDC Falcon in program history to garner MEC Women's Swimmer of the Year. Berlin grabbed seven All-MEC awards during the conference championships, including three on First Team (200 free, 500 free, 200 medley relay) three on Second team (1,000 free, 1,650 free, 400 medley relay) and one Honorable Mention (800 free relay).
Berlin is joined by sophomore Courtney Ledbetter, junior Abrielle Junge and fellow seniors Alaina Wittum and Alexis Torosian. Last season, Ledbetter posted six All-MEC awards, highlighted by a First Team finish in the 200 medley relay. She also took home honors in the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 200 and free relays and 400 medley relay.
Torosian gathered four All-MEC awards, while Junge and Wittum claimed three as all three Falcons joined Ledbetter on the 200 and 400 free relays. Torosian, Junge and Wittum all aided Berlin in the 800 free relay, while Torosian earned Second Team All-MEC in the 200 butterfly.
Noting the Men's side: Fresh off their third consecutive Mountain East Conference championship, the Notre Dame College men's swimming and diving team will seek to defend their titles. The Falcons grabbed 13 all-conference honors last season while at the GMAC/MEC Championships.
NDC is headlined by junior Ashton Smith, who brought home the programs first MEC Men's Swimmer of the Year award. The Knox Grammar School product picked up seven All-MEC awards, including First Team All-MEC in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyles, and the 200 free relay. Smith capped off his performance with Second Team All-MEC in the 200 IM and 400 free relay, while receiving Honorable Mention All-MEC in the 400 medley relay.
Smith is joined by five returning NDC Falcons who received All-MEC honors from a season ago. Senior Roan Kelleher (4), redshirt senior Adonis Thomas (3) and senior Evan Gyurke (2) tallied multiple all-conference awards. Kelleher aided four Falcon relays during the championships with a First Team finish in the 200 free relay, Second Team placements in the 200 medley and 400 free relays, and Honorable Mention in the 400 medley relay.
On the other hand, Thomas got the job done in the individual events by grabbing the MEC championship in the 100 breaststroke, before securing Second Team in the 200 backstroke and 400 IM.
Both Gutzwiler and Acosta joined Kelleher and Smith for a Second Team All-MEC finish in the 400 free relay.
Original source can be found here.
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