Oct. 17, 2006
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THIS WEEK — The Iowa men and women’s swimming team will travel to Minneapolis Friday to take on the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers. The meet is scheduled for 4 p.m. and will be held at the University Aquatics Center.
THE LAST WORD: WISCONSIN & WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE — Both teams opened their regular season against the Wisconsin Badgers and the Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers at the UI Fieldhouse Pool. The men defeated the Panthers (246-105) and fell to the Badgers (240-111). The women also defeated the Panthers (265.5-87.5) and lost to the Badgers (235.5-112.5).
Junior Dragos Agache led the Hawkeye men with a win in the 100 (57.34) and 200 yard breaststroke (2:06.31). Sophomore Nick Divan placed second in the 500 yard freestyle (4:35.54) and the 400 yard individual medley (4:07.22). Freshman diver Frank Van Dijkhuizen won both the one- (283.0) and three-meter (322.90) in his first collegiate action.
Freshman Julie Feingold led the Hawkeye women with second place finishes in the 200 yard breaststroke (2:25.29) and the 400 yard individual medley (4:40.40). Sophomore Ashley Dell placed second in the 500 yard freestyle (5:04.64) and third in the 400 yard individual medley (4:41.50). Freshman diver Deidre Freeman won the one-meter (238.50).
ON MINNESOTA — Minnesota will be opening its regular season when the Hawkeyes come to town. The Golden Gopher men finished last season with a perfect 10-0 dual meet record, a second place finish at the Big Ten Championships and an 11th place finish at the NCAA Championships. The Gophers put four men on the all-Big Ten first team and one on the second team. Minnesota ended the season ranked ninth nationally by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA).
The Gopher ladies opened their season hosting the California Golden Bears, falling 188.5-108.5. The Gophers finished the 2005-06 campaign with a 5-5 dual meet record, second place finish at the Big Ten Championships and finished 21st at the NCAA meet. Minnesota returns Big Ten Freshman of the Year Yuen Kobayashi for distance freestyle events. Kobayashi won the 500 and 1,650 freestyle, and finished third in the 200 freestyle at last year’s Big Ten Championships. The Gophers finished the year ranked 23rd by the CSCAA.
THE LAST MEETING — The last meeting in a dual was October 21, 2005, when Minnesota came to Iowa City. The Gopher men defeated the Hawkeye men (224-66), and the Gopher women prevailed (169-131).
HEAD COACH Marc Long — Marc Long is in his third season as head coach for the University of Iowa swimming team, and his second as head coach of the combined program. In his first year at the helm of the combined program, four student-athletes qualified for the NCAA Championships, and four school records were broken.
DIVING COACH Bob Rydze — Bob Rydze is in his 32nd year as diving coach of the men and women’s teams at the University of Iowa. He is dean of Big Ten swimming and diving coaches. During his tenure with the Hawkeyes, Rydze has coached 31 all-Americans, nine Big Ten and one NCAA Champion.
FIELDHOUSE POOL — Iowa’s Fieldhouse Pool was built in 1927 and was, at the time, the world’s largest indoor swimming pool. In 1979, the pool underwent a $400,000 renovation. Diving platforms were added in 1980. The pool is 150 feet long and 60 feet wide, with eight lanes. Diving facilities include a pair of one and three meter springboards, plus five and ten meter platforms.
IOWA SWIMMING HISTORY & TRADITION — Iowa was one of the first schools in the nation to compete on a collegiate level and competed at the first NCAA Championship. From 1937 to 1960, Iowa placed in the NCAA top ten 18 times, crowning nine NCAA and 22 Big Ten Champions.