Oct. 15, 2014
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- 24 Hawkeyes to Watch
This Week
The University of Iowa men’s swimming and diving team hits the road squaring off with Michigan State in East Lansing, Michigan at 3 p.m. (CT)
Live Results
Fans can follow the weekend’s action via live results on the “Meet Mobile” swim meet application on cell phones and tablets. Download the application at this link: http://www.active.com/mobile/meet-mobile-app
Looking Ahead
The Hawkeyes return to action Oct. 31, on the road taking on Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota at 5 p.m. (CT).
Scouting Michigan State
The Spartans have 14 new faces on the squad this season. However, MSU does have a large core of returners to lean on. The Spartans finished 11th at the Big Ten Championships a season ago. Senior Shelby Lacy and Junior Marina Borri return to the roster coming off strong seasons and look to lead the way in 2015.
Hawkeye Newcomers
The women’s team features twelve newcomers to this year’s roster. Jo Jekel, Izzie Bindseil, Summer Campbell, Terysa Lehnertz, Lauren Leehy, Rowan Hauber, Meghan Lavelle, Shea Hoyt, Nikol Lagodzinska, Mekenna Scheitlin, Morgan Rafferty, and Carly O’Brien all join the team. This group of twelve women features five athletes from Illinois, three from Iowa, two from Wisconsin, one from Oregon, and one from Texas.
North of The Boarder
This year’s team will feature one Hawkeyes from Canada. Redshirt senior Lauren Kelba comes from Calgary, Alberta.
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 Weigands on the current squad in junior Hillary Weigand and sophomore Jennifer Weigand.
Season Recap
The Hawkeyes enter the 2014-15 season after posting a 9-5 dual meet record, including a 4-2 mark in Big Ten meets. Iowa finished the season with a 8th place finish at the Big Ten Championships.
Sougstad World Ranked
UI sophomore Emma Sougstad has earned a spot among the top 50-ranked swimmers in the world following competition at the 2014 Summer Nationals in Irvine, California. Sougstad placed 19th in 50-meter breaststroke competition at the Phillips 66 National Championships.
Off The High Dive
The Iowa diving team returns a vetern lineup, led by a trio of redshirt senior s — Abby Grilli, Joelle Christy, and Lauren Kelba. Grilli led the Hawkeyes in three-meter diving last season with a score of 336.97. Christy led the team on one-meter diving with a score of 319.45, and Calli Head led the Hawkeyes in platform diving. Grilli and Christy qualified for NCAA Zone Diving last season. Christy fell just short of maiking the finals placing 21st. Grilli earned an 11th place finish in the finals with a score of 3.7.25.
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 (22.70), 100 free (49.84), and 200 free (1:47.68). She also posted NCAA “B” qualifying times in the 50 free, 100 free, 200 free, and 100 breaststroke.
Record-Breaking Year
The Hawkeyes come into this season after breaking eight school records throughout the course of last season. Individually, Olivia Kabacinski (50 free – 22.70, 100 free – 49.84), Emma Sougstad (100 breaststroke – 1:00.90), and Haley Gordon (400 fly – 54.58) all broke school recrods in their respective event. The team of Lindsay Seemann, Sougstad, Abbey Tuchscherer, and Elise Bora set the record in the 200 medley relay (1:40.12). The team of Seemann, Sougstad, Gordon, and Olivia Kabacinski swam to a record in the 400 medley relay (3:39.54). Kabacinski, Borja, Emily Hovren, and Seeman set the record in the 400 free (3:21.07). The team of Kabacinski, Hovren, Becky Stoughton, and Seemann set the record in the 800 free (7:12.49).
Championship Season
Six Hawkeyes competed in the Phillips 66 National Championships this past summer in Irvine, Calif. Senior Grant Betulius, juniors Mike Nelson, Brian Donatelli and Colleen Champa, and sophomores Kyle Patnode and Emma Sougstad each took part in competition. Sougstad earned a 16th place finish in the 100 breaststroke in the final day of competition.
2013-2014 MVP
Olivia Kabacinski returns to lead the Hawkeyes after earning team most valuable player honors as a sophomore. Kabacinski is the UI school record-holder in the 50 free (22.70), 100 free (49.84), as a member of the 400-medley relay (3:39.54), and as a member of the 800-freestyle (7:12.49).
Academic Honors
11 members from the 2013-14 women’s team were honored by the Big Ten Conference with the Distinguished Scholar Award. The team was acknowledged as an All-America team for the 10th consecutive year. In all, 35 women have been named to the CSCAA Scholar All-America list during coach Long’s tenure.
Head Coach Marc Long
Marc Long is in his 11th season as head coach for the University of Iowa swimming team. It’s his 10th as head coach of the combined program. During his tenure as head coach of both programs, 86 school records have fallen and 112 Hawkeyes have provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships.
Coaching Additions
Former Hawkeye Deidre Freeman joins the UI staff as a volunteer assistant coach. Freeman, a 2011 graduate will work primarily with divers. Freeman owns best scores on the one-meter (338.55) and three-meter (407.40) rank first in school history.
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.
