{"id":570984,"date":"2023-11-01T09:53:03","date_gmt":"2023-11-01T16:53:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=570984"},"modified":"2023-11-01T09:53:03","modified_gmt":"2023-11-01T16:53:03","slug":"notre-dame-backstroke-group-a-key-in-irishs-continued-growth-under-chris-lindauer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/notre-dame-backstroke-group-a-key-in-irishs-continued-growth-under-chris-lindauer\/","title":{"rendered":"Notre Dame Backstroke Group a Key in Irish’s Continued Growth Under Chris Lindauer"},"content":{"rendered":"

Notre Dame Backstroke Group a Key in Irish’s Continued Growth Under Chris Lindauer<\/strong><\/p>\n

Last season, the Notre Dame swimming and diving team entered a new era of coaching with former Louisville assistant Chris Lindauer<\/strong> at the helm. As the program begins its second season with this coaching staff, it is clear to see that several areas of the team have made great leaps in improvement, most notably the men’s backstroke group.<\/p>\n

Backstroke Standouts<\/h3>\n

Last year, several Notre Dame freshmen made their mark at the conference and national levels, including backstrokers Marcus Gentry<\/strong> and Tommy<\/strong> Janton<\/strong>. Collectively, this group of Fighting Irish men was the highest scoring freshman class at the 2023 ACC Championships. Gentry, hailing from Central Point, Ore., broke out onto the collegiate backstroke scene at that meet. He won the C-final of the 100 back with a time of 46.21 and placed second in the 200 back C-final in 1:42.87.<\/p>\n

Throughout his swimming career, Janton has consistently been a force to be reckoned with. The Pennsylvania native is a two-time YMCA National Champion and was named to the 2022-2023 USA National Junior Team. At the 2023 ACC Championships, Janton placed seventh in both the 100 back (45.97) and 200 back (1:41.44). He also was named the 2023 ACC Freshman of the Year. At the 2023 NCAA Championships, Janton earned All-American Honors in his respective events, going 45.12 in the 100 and 1:39.45 in the 200.<\/p>\n

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Photo Courtesy of Fighting Irish Media<\/p><\/div>\n

This season, the men of the Fighting Irish brought in several fifth-year transfers, including two backstroke powerhouses from the Division III level: Liam McDonnell<\/strong> and Tanner<\/strong> Filion<\/strong>. McDonnell previously swam for John Carroll University, just outside Cleveland, Ohio. As a senior, the Michigan native placed fourth in the 100 fly (46.92) and second in the 100 back (49.59) at the D-III Championships. He also led off JCU’s 200 medley relay in 21.03, which is one-hundredth faster than Janton’s 50 backstroke split at the 2023 NCAA Championships.<\/p>\n

Filion spent his first four years of his collegiate swimming career at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. At the 2023 D-III Championships, Filion won the 200 back in a time of 1:41.17, breaking his own D-III record in the event. Additionally, he won the 100 back (45.75) and placed third in the 100 fly (46.83). Because of his performances, Filion was named the 2023 D-III Swimmer of the Year.<\/p>\n