March 9, 2009
THIS WEEK — Five Hawkeyes will compete at the Zone C NCAA Diving Qualifier Friday-Sunday at the University of Minnesota’s Aquatic Center at Minneapolis, MN.
Hawkeye senior Drew DeLashmutt and juniors Frank Van Dijkhuizen and Michael Gilligan will compete in the men’s qualifier, while junior Deidre Freeman and freshman Veronica Rydze will compete in the women’s.
Eight men and 10 women will advance to the NCAA Championships based on their performances at the event.
MEET SCHEDULE – Following is the meet schedule for the Zone C qualifier. Competition is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. (CT)each day.
Date – Events
Friday – Men’s One-Meter, Women’s Three-Meter
Saturday – Women’s One-Meter, Men’s Three-Meter
Sunday – Men’s & Women’s Platform
2009 BIG TEN REVIEWS — The Hawkeye men and women’s team posted several outstanding performances at their respective Big Ten Championships. Between the two events, Iowa set nine school records, posted 12 NCAA B cut times and recorded 89 collegiate bests.
At the women’s meet at Michigan, Iowa placed ninth with 137 points. Sophomore Katarina Tour broke the school 100 breast (1:01.45) and 200 IM (2:02.95) records, while also swimming on the record-breaking 200 medley (1:41.33) and 400 free (3:21.27) relays. Junior Christine Kuczek broke her own 100 free school record in 50.21, while also swimming on the 200 free (1:32.37) and 400 free record-setting relays. Also swimming on the Iowa record-breaking relays were senior Alison Gschwend, junior Julie deBruin, and freshmen Danielle Carty and Daniela Cubelic. Tour was Iowa’s top placewinner, finishing eighth in the 100 breast (1:01.95). Junior diver Deidre Freeman earned Iowa’s Highest Point Award for scoring the most individual points at the meet, placing eighth on three-meter (301.65) and 12th on one-meter (253.50).
At the men’s meet at Purdue, the Hawkeyes placed ninth with 144 points. Sophomore Conor Dwyer led the Hawkeyes, breaking the school’s 15-year-old 100 free mark and recording six NCAA B cuts – three in individual events and three in relays. Dwyer’s 100 free time of 43.82 broke the previous record of 43.84 set in 1994 by Hawkeye all-American Krzysztof Cwalina. Dwyer was also Iowa’s top placewinner, finishing fourth in the 200 free (1:35.27). Junior Michael Gilligan broke his own school record of 327.60 in platform diving with a prelims score of 335.45.
Junior Nick Divan (500 free-4:21.25) and freshman Ryan Phelan (50 free-19.98) posted individual B cuts, while swimming on the qualifying relays. Juniors Ryan Evans and Brian Farris, sophomore Sean Hagan, and freshmen Duncan Partridge and Paul Gordon also swam on the qualifying relays.
HEAD COACH Marc Long — Marc Long is in his fifth season as head coach for the University of Iowa swimming program. It’s his fourth year as head coach of the combined programs. During his tenure as head coach of both programs, 19 school records have fallen and 51 Hawkeyes have qualified for the NCAA Championships. Long is assisted by Kirk Hampleman, Frannie Malone and Nathan Mundt.
DIVING COACH Bob Rydze — Bob Rydze is in his 34th year as diving coach of the Hawkeye men and women’s teams. Rydze returns to Iowa this season fresh from the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China, where he served as Team Leader for USA Diving. During his tenure with the Hawkeyes, Rydze has coached 31 all-Americans, nine Big Ten and one NCAA Champion.
CAMPUS RECREATION AND WELLNESS CENTER — Ground was broken for the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center in October, 2007. The facility will serve as the new home for Iowa Swimming and Diving upon completion in the fall of 2009. The facility will be at the corner of Burlington and Madison streets and is expected to cost $69 million.
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.