No. 13/14 Cardinals Kick Off 2021 Slate at Notre Dame

Saturday, January 9

South Bend, Ind.

W 10 a.m.; M 2 p.m.

University of Louisville

Notre Dame

January 05, 2021 | Swimming & Diving

Louisville welcomes a return to racing

By: Chandler Brandes

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - In the first official dual meet of the 2020-21 season, the University of Louisville men's and women's swimming and diving team returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 9 as they face ACC rival Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind.

The meet will be held in two sessions at the Rolfs Aquatic Center, beginning with the women at 10 a.m. followed by the men at 2 p.m.

About the Cardinals
Set to mimic a championship format, the Cardinals competed in a three-day intrasquad prelims/finals meet in late November. Sixteen members also competed at the Toyota U.S. Open, nine of whom posted top-three finishes throughout the meet in Indianapolis. During a virtual international diving competition last month, Kivanc Gur dove to third on the platform event and Abbie Erickson placed fourth in the women's event.

UofL concluded the 2019-20 season with a 4-2 dual meet record. Both the men's and women's teams finished third overall at the ACC Championships where the Cardinals produced a total of four individual gold medalists and two relay champions. Louisville qualified 10 men and 12 women for the NCAA Championships before the meet was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Scouting Notre Dame
Notre Dame opened their competition schedule on Dec. 4 against Cincinnati where the 21st-ranked men won 201-93. Jack Hoagland earned an NCAA 'B' cut in the 500 freestyle and posted the third-fastest 1000 freestyle time in the country. Josh Bottelberghe dominated both breaststroke races while Sadler McKeen and Zachary Smith also picked up 'B' cuts in the 200 freestyle and 200 butterfly, respectively.

The Fighting Irish women also clinched a 204-87 victory over the Bearcats, highlighted by five swimmers achieving NCAA 'B' standards. Bayley Stewart was a double-event winner after placing first in the 200 individual medley and the 200 backstroke as Coleen Gillilan swept the butterfly events. Kelly Straub dove to the top spot on both boards and Madeline LaPorte sits on top of Notre Dame's roster in the distance freestyle events.

Last Time Out
Last season, the Cardinals defeated the Notre Dame men 168-132 while the UofL women outlasted the Fighting Irish 162-138 at the Ralph Wright Natatorium. Morgan Friesen won the 200 breaststroke by over two seconds and finished second in the 100 breaststroke, and Daniel Pinto swept both the 1-meter and 3-meter boards. Evgenii Somov won the 100 breaststroke and was the runner-up in the 200 breaststroke while Mitchell Whyte secured a narrow victory in the 100 backstroke. Nicolas Albiero was a triple-event winner by turning in the fastest times in the 100 freestyle, 100 butterfly, and 200 butterfly.