Sept. 25, 2013
- Iowa Swimming & Diving Teams Ready to Start 2013-14 Season
- Read the September issue of Hawk Talk Monthly
- 2012-13 Iowa Swimming & Diving Media Guide
- Download your Iowa Hawkeye iPhone app!
- Download your Iowa Hawkeye Android app!
- Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
- 24 Hawkeyes to Watch
THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa men’s swimming and diving team opens its regular season with a dual meet against defending NCAA Champion Michigan on Friday afternoon in Ann Arbor, Mich. The dual will be held at Canham Natatorium beginning at 4 p.m. (CT).
LIVE RESULTS
Fans can follow the Iowa-Michigan dual via live results by clicking .
Michigan Water Carnival
Following the dual meet Friday, the two teams and Oakland return to the Canham Natatorium on Saturday morning for the second annual Michigan Water Carnival. The water carnival is a unique two-hour event designed to celebrate the aquatic sports of swimming, diving and water polo and to increase awareness and exposure to the sports. It features swimming events that are both familiar and unique (i.e. 50-yard underwater dolphin kick, 200-yard freestyle with fins), a diving show, and 3-on-3 water polo games. The carnival begins at 10 a.m.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN
The Wolverines placed sixth at the Big Ten Championships last season. Eight Wolverine swimmers qualified for the NCAA Championships, scoring nine points, good for 36th place. Four swimmers earned NCAA All-America Honorable Mention recognition with Angela Chokran earning the disctinction in two events. The Wolverines hold a 5-1 advantage against Iowa in dual meets, with their last meeting coming back in the 2000-01 season. Like this year, that meet also kicked off the season for both programs.
SEASON RECAP
The Hawkeyes enter the 2013-14 season after posting an 8-2 dual meet record, including a 4-2 mark in Big Ten meets. Iowa finished the season with a 10th place finish at the Big Ten Championships.
HAWKEYE NEWCOMERS
The women’s team features five newcomers to this year’s roster. Taylor Flummerfelt, Calli Head, Lydia Lehnert, Emma Sougstad, and Serena Wanasek all join the team. This group of five women features two athletes from Wisconsin, one from Iowa and one from Maryland.
OFF THE HIGH DIVE
The Iowa diving team returns a vetern lineup, led by senior Abby Grilli and redshirt junior Joelle Christy. Grilli, a team captain last year, posted a team high score of 354.10 on the three-meter boards, while Christy led the team on one-meter and platform diving with scores of 313.35 and 234.74, respectively. Grilli, Christy, along with teammate Lauren Kelba all qualified for NCAA Zone Diving last season before falling just short of maiking the finals.
KABACINSKI SPRINTING TO THE TOP
Sophomore Olivia Kabacinski was the top sprinter for the Hawkeyes last season. Kabacinski led the team in the 50 free (22.88), 100 free (50.30), 200 free (1:48.32) and 100 breaststroke (1:02.30). She also posted NCAA “B” qualifying times in the 50 free and 100 breaststroke.
RECORD BREAKING YEAR
The Hawkeyes come into this season after breaking five school records throughout the course of last season. Individually, Olivia Kabacinski (50 free – 22.88), Lindsay Seemann (200 back – 1:56.49), Becky Stoughton (200 fly – 1:59.68), and Emily Hovren (200 IM – 2:00.42) all broke school recrods in their respective event. The team of Heather Arseth, Karolina Wartalowicz, Abby Tuchscherer and Kabacinski set the record in the 200 medley relay (1:40.97).
CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON
Four Hawkeyes competed in the U.S. Open Championships this past summer in Irvine, Calif. Emily Hovren, Karolina Wartalowicz, Becky Stoughton, and Olivia Kabacinski all competed in the national event. For Hovren, it was her second national event of the summer, as she competed at the Phillips 66 National Championships in Indianapolis.
2012-2013 MVP
Lindsay Seemann returns to lead the Hawkeyes after earning team most valuable player honors as a junior. Seemann is the UI school record-holder in 200 backstroke (1:56.49) and as a member of the 800-free relay (7:14.99). She was the team’s high point scorer at the Big Ten Championships.
NORTH OF THE BOARDER
This year’s team will feature two Hawkeyes from Canada. Senior Lauren Kelba comes from Calgary, Alberta, while fellow senior Lindsay Seemann is from Newmarket, Ontario.
ACADEMIC HONORS
Two members from the 2012-13 women’s team were named Honorable Mention Scholar All-America. Heather Arseth and senior Karolina Wartalowicz were named All-America. Wartalowicz was also named an honorable mention in 2011-12. The team was acknowledged as an All-America team for the ninth consecutive year. In all, 24 women have been named to the CSCAA Scholar All-America list during coach Long’s tenure.
FAMILY TIES
While most programs cite family team atmospheres, it goes a little bit further for the University of Iowa swimming and diving team. Iowa has two sets of siblings on the 2013-14 roster. Former Hawkeye All-American Paul Gordon is serving as a student assistant coach, while his sister, Haley Gordon,is a UI student-athlete. Iowa also has two Weigands on the current squad in junior Hillary Weigand and sophomore Jennifer Weigand.
HEAD COACH Marc Long
Marc Long is in his 10th season as head coach for the University of Iowa swimming team. It’s his eighth as head coach of the combined program. During his tenure as head coach of both programs, 75 school records have fallen and 112 Hawkeyes have provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships.
COACHING ADDITIONS
Brandon King is in his first season as an assistant coach with the University of Iowa swimming and diving program. King joins the Hawkeyes out of Naperville, Ill., where he served as a senior assistant coach alongside decorated head coach Dave Krotiak for the Fox Valley Swim Team from 2011-13. During his time with the program, King assisted the Illinois Senior Coach of the Year and coached multiple swimmers competing at the Junior Nationals, Grand Prix meets and Olympic Trials.
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 home for 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 AND DIVING 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 10 18 times, crowning nine NCAA and 22 Big Ten champions.
NEXT EVENT
The Hawkeyes return to action Oct. 11 in Iowa City, Iowa, for the annual intrasquad meet. The competition is slated to begin at 7 p.m. (ct) at the CRWC, and it begins a stretch of three-straight home meets.