Hawkeyes To Honor Seniors

Jan. 31, 2011

Complete Release in PDF Format

THIS WEEK The University of Iowa women’s swimming and diving team will host Western Illinois and Northern Iowa in its final home meet of the year. The Hawkeyes will recognize eight seniors at the meet, which will start at 6 p.m. Friday.

QUOTING HEAD COACH Marc Long “We are anxious to welcome Western Illinois and Northern Iowa to our pool for a meet of mixed emotions. It’s a special group of seniors that have made a strong impact on the University of Iowa swimming and diving program, and we will be honored to recognize them Friday night.”

SENIOR FAREWELLS The Hawkeyes will honor seniors Caitlin Carlyle, Deidre Freeman, Verity Hicks, Christine Mauro, Kelsie Neubauer, Caitie Polz, Veronica Rydze and Katarina Tour prior to Friday’s dual.

LAST EVENT The Hawkeyes fell to host Notre Dame (264-104), Northwestern (274-93), Ohio State (256-94) and Denver (205-159) at the Shamrock Invitational Jan. 28-29. Iowa concluded the two-day competition with the 400-free relay consisting of Daniela Cubelic, Katarina Tour, Caitie Polz and Emily Hovren posting a fourth-place finish with a time of 3:38.88.

USA DIVING WINTER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS America’s best divers will be gathering in Iowa City to compete for national titles in the 1-meter springboard, 3-meter springboard, 10-meter platform, synchronized 3-meter springboard and synchronized 10-meter platform events Jan. 27-Feb.6 at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center.

Nine members of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Diving Team are expected to compete, including 3-time Olympian and four-time world silver medalist Troy Dumais (Ventura, Calif.), World silver medalists David Boudia (Noblesville, Ind.), Thomas Finchum ( Indianapolis, Ind.), Mary Beth Dunnichay ( Elwood, Ind.) and Haley Ishimatsu (Seal Beach, Calif.); World Cup silver medalists Kelci Bryant (Chatham, Ill.) and Ariel Rittenhouse (Santa Cruz, Calif.); and national champions Christina Loukas (Riverwoods, Ill.), and Chris Colwill (Brandon, Fla.).

Iowa will have three divers competing at the competition, in senior Deidre Freeman, junior Veronica Rydze and men’s freshman diver Arsen Sarkisian.

This event marks the first major diving event to be held at the new CRWC facility and it will be the first time that USA Diving has ever held its national championships at the University of Iowa.

For results visit, https://secure.meetcontrol.com/divemeets/system/meetresultsext.php?meetnum=1219&organization=USAD

For more information visit, http://www.usadiving.org/05redesign/events/2011_winter_nats.htm

BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS The 2011 Big Ten Championships is less than a month away. The University of Indiana is hosting the event Feb. 16-19 at the Counsilman Aquatics Center.

TOUR EARNS BIG TEN HONOR Senior Katarina Tour was named Big Ten Swimmer of the Week after her outstanding performance against Iowa State Dec. 10. Tour helped the Hawkeyes defeat the Cyclones, 173-108.

HEAD COACH Marc Long Marc Long is in his seventh season as head coach for the University of Iowa swimming team. It is his sixth as head coach of the combined program. During his tenure as head coach of both programs, 17 school records have fallen and 39 Hawkeyes have provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships.

DIVING COACH Bob Rydze Bob Rydze is in his 36th year as diving coach of the men and women’s teams at the University of Iowa. Rydze served as Team Leader for USA Diving at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China. 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 opened in August 2010 and is the new home of the Hawkeyes. It is located at the corner of Burlington and Madison streets and cost approximately $69 million. The facility includes a 50-meter competition pool, a separate diving well, a leisure pool with lap lanes and 24,000 square feet of fitness space.

IOWA SWIMMING HISTORY & TRADTIION 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 10 18 times, crowning nine NCAA and 22 Big Ten Champions.

CAPTAINS COUNCIL Eight student-athletes have been named to the 2010-11 Captains Council. April Allen, Danielle Carty, Daniela Cubelic, Max Dittmer, Bryan Hill, Jordan Huff, Ryan Phelan and Katarina Tour were each voted to the council by their peers and coaches.

MALONE NAMED ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH Frannie Malone was named to the position of associate head coach Oct. 11. Malone had served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator since joining the Hawkeye coaching staff in 2004.