Junior Emma Reaney has accomplished a lot during her three years in the pool. She has set national records, earned All-America and all-conference honors, and emerged as one of the top swimmers in the country. One thing Reaney had yet to do in her storied career however, was qualify for the final in the 200-yard individual medley at the NCAA championships.
On Thursday, she did just that.
Reaney finished fourth in the preliminary race Thursday morning with a time of 1:55.01, which qualified her for the final later that night. She finished in seventh in the final with a time of 1:56.15, which secured her third career All-America honor. It was her first All-America honor in the event, having received honorable mention All-America honors her freshman and sophomore years.
Freshman Katie Miller also competed in the same event, placing 22nd with a personal-best time of 1:57.54 in the preliminaries. Miller lowered her personal best by 1.38 seconds, and fell just shy of receiving honorable mention All-America honors.
Notre Dame’s final event of the day was the 400-yard medley relay. The team of Reaney, senior Kelly Ryan, junior Courtney Whyte and freshman Catherine Mulquin finished 22nd in the preliminaries with a time of 3:36.28.
All eight Irish swimmers will compete Friday over the course of four events. The 400-yard medley relay team of Reaney, Ryan, Whyte, and Mulquin will get another shot, this time in the 200-yard medley relay, while Miller and junior Bridget Casey will race in the 400-yard individual medley.
Reaney and senior Christen McDonough will compete in the 100-yard breaststroke, and finally, the team of Reaney, Ryan, Miller, and junior Suzanne Bessire will conclude the preliminary rounds in the 800-yard freestyle relay.
Day two of the NCAA Championships kicks off today at noon at the University Aquatic Center in Minneapolis.
