Courtesy: Hawkeye Sports
THIS WEEK
University of Iowa women’s swimming and diving host the Hawkeye Invitational Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 21-23. Prelims begin at 10 a.m. (CT) and the finals will start at 5 p.m. (CT) each day in the CRWC Natatorium.
MEET DETAILS
Iowa is hosting eight schools including three new teams. These teams include; Arkansas, Colorado State, Illinois, Iowa State, Kansas, Nebraska, Northern Iowa, and San Diego State.
LAST TIME OUT
University of Iowa swimming and diving fell to No.23 ranked Minnesota 192-108 on Friday, Nov. 8. Sophomore Olivia Swalley and senior Makayla Hughbanks combined to collet five individual wins on the day.
2023 HAWKEYE INVITE
The Hawkeyes placed second at last year’s Hawkeye Invitational. Iowa made 15 updates to the program’s top-10 list over the weekend. Olivia Swalley (8) and Scarlet Martin (6) return as Hawkeyes that made significant updates to the record list. Swalley’s IM time of 4:14.72 still holds as the second-fastest in Iowa history.
FRESHMAN FIRE
Three Hawkeyes posted a total of four new personal records on the road against Minnesota. Stephanie Avram set bests in both of her diving events with a score of 249.83 in the 1-Meter and a 271.20 in the 3-Meter. Elizabeth Beam set her PR in the 200 backstroke with a time of 2:04.04. Izzy Heller found her success in the 200 breaststroke, collecting a new time of 2:25.44.
B1G DIVER OF THE WEEK
Makayla Hughbanks was named the Big Ten Diver of the Week after her dominanting performance in the one-meter and three-meter dives at UNI on Oct. 4. It is the third time in her career that Hughbanks has earned the honor, previously winning in December of 2022 and 2023. She is Iowa’s first honoree of a weekly Big Ten award since junior Scarlet Martin and sophomore Olivia Swalley took home conference awards last January.
DIVE DEEPER
Senior Makayla Hughbanks led the Hawkeye divers in the UNI victory with individual victories in both the 1-, and 3-meter dives. She collected 289.73 points in the 1-meter and 305.25 points in the 3-meter. In her first-meet back in over a year, Lainey Woodward earned 2nd in the 1-meter dive with a score of 267.75.
VICTORY LAP
Iowa tallied eight individual wins and one relay win to beat in-state foe Northern Iowa 173-127 for the Hawkeyes’ first meet victory under head coach Nathan Mundt in the 2024-25 season-opener dual.
2023-24 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
– The Hawkeyes scored 303 points at the 2024 Big Ten Championships, an over-100-point improvement from last season. Iowa had 14 individual performances in the finals session and reached the podium with an eighth-place finish in the 400-freestyle relay.
– Further postseason success took place at the National Invitational Championships in Ocala, Florida. Competing against 65 teams, Iowa placed ninth with 327 points.
– The Hawkeyes secured dual meet victories over Illinois, Iowa State, Nebraska, UNI and Vanderbilt. The Hawkeyes’ win over Iowa State clinched the final point necessary to bring the CyHawk Trophy back to Iowa City.
– Freshman Olivia Swalley earned four B1G freshman of the week honors, while sophomore Scarlet Martin claimed three B1G swimmer of the week honors this season.
– On Dec. 13, 2023, junior Makayla Hughbanks received her second B1G diver of the week honor.
– Four Hawkeyes posted a total of 10 NCAA B cut times (Kennedy Gilbertson, Jenna Kerr, Scarlet Martin, Olivia Swalley).
ETCHED IN THE BOOKS
The Hawkeyes combined for 23 top-10 program performances and counting throughout the course of the 2023-24 season.
50 Free – Kennedy Gilbertson (22.70) – 3rd all-time
50 Free – Scarlet Martin (22.91) – 6th all-time
100 Free – Sabina Kupcova (50.14) – 4th all-time
100 Free – Jenna Kerr (50.26) – T-7th all-time
200 Free – Jenna Kerr (1:46.97) – 5th all-time
200 Free – Sabina Kupcova (1:47.93) – 7th all-time
500 Free – Jenna Kerr (4:45.15) – 4th all-time
1000 Free – Jenna Kerr (10:01.53) – 7th all-time
1000 Free – Alix O’Brien (10:02.46) – 8th all-time
1650 Free – Jenna Kerr (16:34.23) – 5th all-time
100 Breast – Olivia Swalley (1:01.02) – 2nd all-time
200 Breast – Olivia Swalley (2:12.92) – 4th all-time
200 Fly – Scarlet Martin (1:58.67) – T-4th all-time
200 IM – Olivia Swalley (1:58.47) – 2nd all-time
200 IM – Sabina Kupcova (2:01.21) – 6th all-time
400 IM – Olivia Swalley (4:14.72) – 2nd all-time
200 Medley Relay – Gilbertson, Swalley, Martin, Kerr (1:39.59) – 5th all-time
200 Medley Relay – Gilbertson, Swalley, Kupcova, Kerr (1:39.95) – 7th all-time
400 Medley Relay – Gilbertson, Swalley, Martin, Kerr (3:38.28) – 7th all-time
200 Free Relay – Gilbertson, Kerr, Swalley, Martin (1:31.46) – 6th all-time
800 Free Relay – Kerr, Kupcova, Swalley, Martin (7:12.57) – 6th all-time
1 Meter Dive – Makayla Hughbanks (312.60) – 8th all-time
3 Meter Dive – Makayla Hughbanks (356.93) – 5th all-time
UP NEXT
University of Iowa women’s swimming and diving faces in-state rivel Iowa State for the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series. The meet will take place on Friday, Dec.13 at 6 p.m. (CT) in the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center.
