April 15, 2010
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IOWA CITY, IA – The University of Iowa swimming program will compete for the final time in the historic Field House Pool Saturday, April 17. The 83-year old pool will host the Iowa Alumni meet at noon prior to the teams’ annual spring celebration at 6:30 p.m. at the Marriott Hotel & Convention Center in Coralville, IA. The following is a Q&A with former Hawkeye and four-year letterwinner Meredith Griffin (Lewis, ’93), who was kind enough to take a moment to share her favorite memories of Iowa swimming and competing at the historic Field House Pool.
Q: Why did you choose the University of Iowa?
“I wanted to attend a big university with a liberal arts education. I also wanted to get away from home and see something different. I was impressed by the information that the university and the athletic department sent me. When I visited the campus, I was even more impressed. I liked the school, the team and the coaches and felt like it was the right fit for me.”
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Q: What is your most memorable Hawkeye moment?
“There is no way I can pick out just one. The things that stand out are – wearing the Iowa cap, suit, warmups and parka for the first time as a freshman, helping with the Junior National meet and the Dash for Cash with Matt Biondi and Tom Jager (and Tom Williams) in 1990, Christmas Training in Hawaii and the Pineapple Relay, the bus trips, Big Tens, traveling to all of the different schools for meets.”
Q: What will you remember most about the Field House Pool?
“I’ll remember reading the record board during kick sets and looking at the pictures of the all-Americans during dryland workouts, the smell of the locker room (ugh!), lounging on the mat under the practice diving board before and after workouts, athletes from other teams coming in to do rehab then asking us how we did it every day, using the old swim benches upstairs overlooking the pool, having team meetings in what was then Coach Mu’s office overlooking the pool, having to listen to the oldies radio station during workouts.”
Q: What will you miss most about the pool?
“I don’t have the chance to visit campus very often. I will miss being able to stop in, sit down and let the memories rush back. The new facility will be outstanding. We hoped it would happen someday, but all of our memories were made in the Field House.”
The Campus Recreation and Wellness Center will serve as the new home of the Hawkeyes beginning in 2010. The $69 million facility, expected to be complete in June 2010, will include a 50-meter competition pool, a separate diving well, a leisure pool with lap lanes and 24,000 square feet of fitness space.
