Coleen Gillilan and Abbie Dolan Lead Notre Dame to Sweep of Iowa and Illinois

IOWA vs NOTRE DAME vs ILLINOIS

• January 11th, 2020
• Iowa City, IA
• Short Course Yards
• Results

TEAM STANDINGS

WOMEN

• Notre Dame – 244, Illinois – 56
• Iowa – 223, Illinois – 86
• Notre Dame – 209.5, Iowa – 99.5

MEN

1. Iowa – 159.5
2. Notre Dame – 140.5

Notre Dame and Illinois made the trip to Iowa City to take on the Hawkeyes on Saturday, January 11th. The Fighting Irish women swept the competition, besting both Big Ten opponents by over 100 points. Coleen Gillilan had a huge impact for ND again, winning 3 events, posting one personal best and one season best. Her efforts were enough to earn her ACC Swimmer of the Week honors for this week. Gillilan kicked off her meet by providing a field-leading 27.86 split on the women’s 200 medley relay. She then clocked a 1:56.02 to win the women’s 200 fly by nearly 5 seconds. That race marked a personal best for Gillilan, who had previously been as fast as 1:56.25 back in 2018. Gillilan then posted a 52.33 to win the 100 fly, establishing a new season best for the freshman. Gillilan concluded her meet with a 1:58.55 in the 200 IM, which was good to win the race by over 7 seconds.

Senior teammate Abbie Dolan also won 3 individual events. Dolan first took the women’s 200 free in 1:47.68, coming in 2.4 seconds off her season best. She then won the women’s 100 free with a 50.45, touching first by over a second. Dolan then swam a 4:50.85 to win the women’s 500 free, completing her triple event win. Dolan also led the Notre Dame A 400 free relay off in 50.27, however, the relay was ultimately disqualified.

Iowa’s top women’s swimming finish came in the 400 free relay, which they won after Notre Dame’s A relay was disqualified. Alyssa Fluit, who picked up a pair of 2nd place finishes in the 200 free and 500 free, led off, with Hannah Burvill, Maddie Ziegert, and Lauren McDougall following for a final time of 3:27.27.

Illinois’ best finish came with senior Kristin Anderson in the women’s 50 free. Anderson came in 2nd behind ND’s Rachel Wittmer (23.37), with a 23.60.

Iowa bested Notre Dame in the men’s meet, winning both relays in the process. John Colin, Will Myhre, Sergey Kuznetsov, and Joe Myhre combined for a 1:28.86. Freshmen Will Myhre and Kuznetsov comdined for a 46.03 split (24.70/21.33) on the breast/fly middle 100 of the relay. Kuznetsov and sophomore Aleksey Tarasenko swam the first two legs of the 400 free relay, splitting 45.01 and 44.20 for a 1:29.21 on the first 200 of the relay. Will Scott was 45.11 and Joe Myhre anchored in a speedy 43.49 for a 2:57.84 final time.

Will Myhre also won the men’s 100 breast with a 54.96, narrowly besting teammate Daniel Swanepoel (55.09).

Jack Hoagland had a great day for the Fighting Irish. Hoagland kicked off his meet with a 9:07.04, finishing the race first by nearly 20 seconds. He then went on to win the men’s 500 free with a very quick 4:23.53, beating out teammate Zach Yeadon by 3.11 seconds. Fellow Notre Dame freshman Cason Wilburn tied for first in the men’s 200 free, clcoking a 1:37.35. Iowa sophomore Aleksey Tarasenko tied with Wilburn, going out nearly 2 seconds slower (48.40), but coming home nearly 2 seconds faster (48.95). Another sophomore, Mateusz Arndt (Iowa) came in 3rd with a 1:37.66. Tarasenko also won the 100 free, where he clocked a 44.84 to be the only swimmer in the field to crack 45 seconds.

Joe Myhre was 2nd in that 100 free, clocking a 45.38, but Myhre beat out Tarasenko for 1st in the 50 free. Myhre swam a 20.18 in the 50, narrowly besting Tarasenko (20.28).