Full transcript of The Observer's sitdown with Swarbrick
On what Notre Dame's 2011-12 success means to him personally:
On what Notre Dame's 2011-12 success means to him personally:
Although the Belles did not finish the season they way they wanted to, the 2010-11 season will go down as a landmark season for the program and one of the best in its history.
The arrival of fall at Notre Dame brings with it a few certain facts — the days will get shorter, the temperature colder, the leaves will change color and Bobby Clark will lead his Irish squad to the NCAA tournament.
With the strength of No. 5 junior Kristy Frilling's leadership and an infusion of talent from the freshman class, No. 20 Notre Dame battled through adversity to post a 17-10 record this season and won the Big East title to advance to the NCAA tournament.
This season has been another feather in the hat for Irish coach Bobby Bayliss. The team finished second in the Big East and earned a berth as a No. 2 seed in the 64-team NCAA tournament for the 20th time in 21 years.
Following a close defeat to Penn State at the 2010 NCAA championships, the 18 Irish senior fencers set a goal in the offseason — get back to the championship match, but this time win it.
After falling to Duke in the 2010 National Championship game, the No. 4/5 Irish returned stronger in 2011 and established themselves as one of the nation's elite teams.
Irish coach Debbie Brown has high expectations for her team each and every season, making the 2010 campaign a significant setback in the recent success of the program.
Irish senior forward Carleton Scott announced Sunday night he would not be returning to school for his final year of eligibility and would instead enter the NBA Draft.
Michigan left fielder Coley Crank lived up to his namesake Tuesday, belting a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to give Michigan a 2-1 victory over Notre Dame.
With consistent pitching that kept eight Crusaders stranded on base and an explosive offensive effort kicked off by an early two-run home run by junior Dani Miller, Notre Dame dismantled in-state rival Valparaiso by a count of 10-2 in six innings yesterday.
The Irish will look to add more success to their season as they host 30 teams for the NCAA Central Regional Championship tournament starting tomorrow.
Coming into the season, No. 20 Notre Dame had two goals: win the Big East championship and, like last season, make a run at the Final Four and a possible national championship. After this weekend's title win, the Irish are halfway there.
Its two-week reign atop the NCAA men's lacrosse world came to an end Monday, but No. 3/4 Notre Dame has an opportunity to regain its momentum, and perhaps a spot or two in the rankings, with a win over No. 12/12 North Carolina in the regular season finale Friday.
Now that the regular season has ended, Notre Dame must play the waiting game. The Irish know they will compete in the NCAA regional tournament, and find out Monday evening where they will travel and whom they will face.
Though their chances appeared slim early in the season, the Irish will make their fifth straight appearance in the Big East tournament Thursday. The game in Washington, D.C. pits unranked, fourth-seeded Notre Dame (9-8, 6-2 Big East) against No. 16, first-seeded Georgetown (9-7, 7-1).
The Irish hope to avenge the men's second place and the women's eighth place finishes in the Big East indoors earlier this year by taking the outdoor title this weekend at Villanova.
When 2009 Notre Dame graduate and professional boxer Mike Lee called world-renowned trainer Ronnie Shields with the hopes of getting Shields in his corner, he was asked when he could come down to Texas for a tryout. Lee responded in a fashion indicative of his entire boxing career.
After a dramatic come-from-behind victory at the MIAA Qualifier last weekend, the No. 12 Belles will have a chance to prove themselves against the best field in the country at the NCAA Division III championships.
For coach Bobby Bayliss and the Irish tennis team, a bid in the NCAA tournament has become an annual occurrence, as the team was named to the 64-team field yesterday for the 20th time in 21 years. Despite falling to Louisville in the Big East tournament finale Sunday, the team's body of work impressed the selection committee enough to warrant a bid.