Jan. 29, 2014
- Read the January issue of Hawk Talk Monthly
- 2013-14 Iowa Swimming & Diving Media Guide
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- Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
- 24 Hawkeyes to Watch
THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa women’s swimming and diving team travels to South Bend, Ind., for the Shamrock Invitational, hosted by Notre Dame. The invitational will take place from Jan. 31-Feb. 1 inside the Rolfs Aquatic Center.
LIVE STATS
Fans can follow along to both days of the Shamrock Invitational via livestats, found at: http://www.und.com/livestats/m-swim/013114/index.htm.
MEET CAPTAINS
Meet captains at Northwestern are seniors Elise Borja and Lindsay Seemann.
HAWKEYES KNOCK OFF WILDCATS IN B1G DUAL
Iowa knocked off Northwestern in a Big Ten dual, 155-145, in the Norris Aquatics Center on Jan. 25. The Hawkeyes, who have won six out of their last seven dual meets dating back to Nov. 15, won nine events. Junior Becky Stoughton led the way in the distance events, claiming both the 500 and 1,000-free. Stoughton touched out in 9:58.20 to win the 1,000-free, while finishing in 4:53.52, a season-best, to win the 500-free. Sophomore Olivia Kabacinski posted a pair of sprint freestyle wins, taking both the 50 and 100-free in 23.92 and 51.70, respectively. In the diving well, redshirt junior Abby Grilli, the reigning Big Ten Diver of the Week, claimed two titles as she won both the 1-meter and 3-meter springboard competitions. Grilli claimed the 1-meter with a score of 282.82, while winning the 3-meter with a final score of 325.80.
SCOUTING THE INVITE
Notre Dame, Northwestern, and Incarnate Word will be joining the Hawkeyes in South Bend. The Hawkeyes defeated Northwestern last weekend in Evanston, while Notre Dame claimed the Hawkeye Invitational title, Dec. 6-8, held in Iowa City.
EIGHT & COUNTING
Iowa has posted an 8-3 dual record in 2013-14, the third-straight season for the program to win at least eight duals and the fifth time the Hawkeyes have reached the eight-win plateau in head coach Marc Long’s tenure. Iowa won 10 duals in 2011-12; a ninth win this season would mark the second-most victories for the team since 1984-85 (13-2).
NCAA `B’ CUTS
The Hawkeyes have posted eight NCAA `B’ cut times on the season, with seven of the eight times coming at the Hawkeye Invitational. Olivia Kabacinski leads the way with three `B’ cut times on the year (50-free, 100-free, 100-breast). Joining Kabacinski is Lindsay Seemann (100-back and 200-back), Karolina Wartalowicz (100-breast and 200-breast), and Colleen Champa (200-breast).
HAWKEYES IN THE RANKINGS
The Hawkeyes are currently ranked 38th in the collegeswimming.com poll, released Jan. 29, with 887.3 points. The rankings are based off of recent results, including Iowa’s dual meet victory over Northwestern.
DIVING TO THE POSTSEASON
Redshirt juniors Abby Grilli and Joelle Christy have posted NCAA Zone Diving standards in both the 1 and 3-meter events this year. Christy has led the way for the Hawkeyes on the 1-meter event, posting a top score of 303.60. Grilli posted a season-best score of 336.97 on the 3-meter springboard at the Hawkeye Invitational. Freshman Calli Head posted a Zone Diving standard on the platform, when she won the Hawkeye Invite with a score of 265.60.
GRILLI EARNS THIRD B1G DIVER OF WEEK HONOR
Redshirt junior Abby Grilli earned the Big Ten Diver of the Week nod for a third time this season on Jan. 21 after diving to a pair of runner-up finishes in the quad against Missouri, Indiana and Illinois. The Burr Ridge, Ill., native’s first conference honor came Nov. 19 after claiming the 1-meter title and taking third in the 3-meter event in a dual against South Dakota State and Nebraska. Grilli backed up the performance with a second Big Ten Diver of the Week three weeks later on Dec. 17 for her performance against Iowa State. She placed first in the 3-meter (336.97) and second in the 1-meter (296.40) with her 3-meter score being a season-best for the Hawkeyes.
IOWA NAMED USA DIVING “CENTER OF EXCELLENCE”
UI diving coach Todd Waikel and the Hawkeye diving program have been selected as a USA Diving “Center of Excellence” for 2014. Iowa received the distinction based on its outstanding results and continual production of world-class athletes (Deidre Freeman).
SCHOOL RECORD FALLS
The Hawkeyes broke a school record at the Hawkeye Invitational when sophomore Olivia Kabacinski swam to the program’s top time in the 100-free. She touched out in 49.84 seconds to become the first Hawkeye to post a sub-50 time in the event.
KABACINSKI LEADING THE WAY
Sophomore Olivia Kabacinski is off to a fast start in 2013, highlighted by her performance against Michigan State and Northern Iowa on Oct. 18. The La Porte, Ind., native posted four first-place finishes at the meet. Kabacinski placed first in the 200-medley relay (1:45.46), 50-free (24.04), 100-free (51.91), and 400-free relay (3:31.75). On the season, Kabacinski has three NCAA `B’ cut times, as well as a school record in the 100-free (49.48). She is also pacing the team with four top times on the season.
SEEMANN SOARING
Senior Lindsay Seemann has been a key contributor to the Hawkeyes in her second season with the program. Seemann has posted the top time in two individual events, and was a part of the top time in two relay events. Seemann finished in a season-best 1:59.03 in the 200-back at the Hawkeye Invitational — a time that qualifies for NCAA `B’ cut consideration. She also claimed the top time in the 100-back (54.75) against Iowa State to secure her second `B’ cut time.
HAWKEYES SET WORLD RECORD
The University of Iowa swimming and diving team swam to a World Record in the 200 short course meters mixed-medley relay at the Michigan Water Carnival. In the second-to-last event, the Hawkeyes swam to a World Record time when seniors Dustin Rhoads and Andrew Marciniak, junior Haley Gordon and sophomore Olivia Kabacinski finished with a time of 1:47.61. Iowa also bested a previous World Record time in the mixed 200-meter freestyle relay when sophomore Jackson Allen, senior Gianni Sesto, freshman Emma Sougstad and sophomore Allie Orvis posted a time of 1:40.26. Michigan took down the old record, finishing in 1:36.78.
SEEMANN EARNS SWIMMER OF THE WEEK HONORS
Senior Lindsay Seemann was named Big Ten Swimmer of the Week on Dec. 17 for her performance against in-state rival Iowa State. Seemann swam to individual victories in the 100-back (54.75) and 200-back (1:57.82), while also swimming on the 400-free relay team which finished first in 3:24.11. Both individual times are season bests, and the 200-back time broke the Iowa State Beyer Hall Pool record.
SOUGSTAD EARNS FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK HONORS
Freshman Emma Sougstad was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Oct.1. Sougstad, competing in her first collegiate dual at Michigan on Sept. 27, won the 50-yard freestyle, touching out in 23.84. The Forest City, Iowa, native also tallied second place finishes in the 200-yard IM (2:05.87) and the 400-yard freestyle relay (3:32.51). In the freestyle relay, Sougstad swam the anchor leg for the Hawkeyes, finishing in 3:32.51. She rounded out the meet by placing third in the 200-yard medley relay (1:45.92), in which she swam the second leg.
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 3-meter springboard, while Christy led the team on 1-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 making the finals.
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).
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.
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
Iowa returns home for its final meet before Big Ten Championships, hosting Western Illinois in the annual Senior Meet. The senior recognition will begin around 5:45 pm (CT), with competition slated for 6 p.m. (CT).