One more chance
Falcons use meet for final tune-up before Nationals

SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio – The Notre Dame College Women's Swimming team closed out their regular season on Saturday at the Appalachian Conference Championship hosted by King in Bristol, Tenn. The Falcons finished in second place in the Women's Division and fourth overall with 351 points.

Despite disappointing times headed into the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) National Championships, NDC garnered 11 total medals over the two-day meet.

The Falcon relay corps brought home four medals throughout the meet beginning with the 200 Yard Freestyle Relay on the first day. The team comprised of Caley Miller (Fr/Fremont, OH), Shannan Fitzgerald (So/Hewitt, NJ), Julia Bridgford (Fr/DeWitt, MI) and Kelly O'Connor (So/Peoria, AZ) touched in with a time of 1:47.83 good enough for a Bronze.

The 400 Yard Medley Relay team also picked up a runner-up finish. Emily Perkins (So/Cincinnati, OH), O'Connor, Maria Buenano (So/Guyaquil, Ecuador) and Shannan Fitzgerald (So/Hewitt, NJ) clocked in at 4:25.06. Perkins, O'Connor and Buenano would team up with Miller in the 200 Yard Medley for another Silver and a time of 2:02.12

Rounding out the relay competition was Miller, O'Connor, Fitzgerald and Buenano in the 400 Yard Freestyle. With a time of 3:56.65, NDC finished in third place.

Individually, the three Falcons picked up two Golds, four Silver and one Bronze. Leading the way was Buenano who earned two Golds and one silver. Fitzgerald and Perkins each picked up two top-three finishes. Fitzgerald earned two silvers in the 200 Yard Freestyle and Butterfly events while Perkins got third in the 100 Yard Backstroke and second in the 200 Yard Backstroke.

"Everyone was a little discouraged by their times this weekend," said Head Coach Mike Gallagher, "but the team worked hard and they are ready to make the final preparations for Nationals to really guage our progress."

NDC closes out their second season on Feb. 28 when they travel to their second consecutive NAIA National Meet in San Antonio. The three day meet concludes Mar. 1.

NOTES FROM THE NEST....

ONE-TWO PUNCH: The duo of Maria Buenano and Shannan Fitzgerald picked up a combined 71 points of the Falcons' 351 at the meet. The sophomore butterfliers finished first and second in the 200 Yard Butterfly just three seconds apart.

HEAVY MEDAL: Buenano leads the Falcon medal count with 28 total medals. The sophomore standout has garnered 18 Gold, seven Silver and three Bronze.