Qualifying members of the Notre Dame Women’s Swim and Dive Team prepare to compete in the 2022 NCAA D1 Women’s Swimming Championships in Atlanta, Georgia, Wednesday to Saturday. Senior Luciana Thomas was the only woman swimmer to qualify. She earned a spot in the 200 yard butterfly with a time of 1:55.06. The men’s competition will occur the following week, with competition happening March 23-26.
On the diving side of things, graduate student Kelly Straub and freshman Callie Brady punched their tickets to NCAAs after three days at the Zone C Championships. At the championships, Straub placed third in the 1-meter with a combined score 589.55, giving her an automatic qualification. She also placed fifth in the 3-meter, earning her another NCAA spot with a score of 635.10.
“I felt very strongly that Kelly would do what she needed to do to qualify,” head diving coach Mark Bradshaw said. “She did just that, competing very well. She’s had a wonderful career especially the last couple seasons. Now we are kind of pointing to her to have a fantastic finish to her already tremendous Notre Dame career.”
Brady also earned an automatic qualification for NCAA’s in the 1-meter, placing ninth with a score of 556.45. She earned praise from Bradshaw regarding her performances at the Zone C Championships.
“It was a very strong performance for Callie to get her into that last qualifying spot for the one-meter,” Bradshaw said. “Just making it out of the Zone against some pretty strong women is a tip of the hat to her and shows her hard work and strong attitude throughout the year.”
The two divers are on opposite ends of the spectrum, with Straub at the end of her career and Brady’s just beginning. This will be Straub’s second consecutive trip to the NCAA Championship. She competed in the 1-meter and platform events in 2021. Brady is competing in the 1-meter, earning a spot in her first collegiate season. Bradshaw said is looking forward to watching his two divers, both at different stages in life, compete in the national meet.
“I have two young women that are on different ends of the spectrum,” Bradshaw said. “I have a super senior in Kelly Straub — this is her last walkabout here. Then I have a very enthusiastic and exciting young freshman that’s getting some of these experiences for the first time. I think it’ll be a good week to have both those ends of the spectrum to sit back and watch.”
Brady and Straub compete in the 1-meter Thursday at McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta, GA. Meanwhile, Straub’s 3-meter event will take place on Friday, March 18. Then, Notre Dame's participation concludes with Thomas’ 200 meter butterfly swim on Saturday. The 2022 NCAA Division I women's swimming and diving championships will be broadcasted on ESPN3.
