Swim & Dive Notes: Iowa at Minnesota

Swim & Dive Notes: Iowa at Minnesota

THIS WEEK
The Hawkeyes head out on the road to take on Minnesota in a dual on Friday, Nov. 8, at 5 p.m. (CT). The meet will be held at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center in Minneapolis.

LAST TIME OUT
University of Iowa swimming and diving hosted their inaugural black and gold practice. The gold team took the victory. Iowa is currently 2-0 on the season with a 173-127 win at UNI and a 170-130 victory over Nebraska in the home opener.

B1G DIVER OF THE WEEK
Makayla Hughbanks was named the Big Ten Diver of the Week after her dominating performance in the one-meter and three-meter dives at UNI on Oct. 4. It is the third time in her career that Hughbanks has earned the honor, previously winning in December of 2022 and 2023. She is Iowa’s first honoree of a weekly Big Ten award since junior Scarlet Martin and sophomore Olivia Swalley took home conference awards last January.

SOPHOMORE STRENGTH
Sophomores Olivia Swalley and Olivia Frantum combined for five individual wins against UNI. Frantum won the 500 and 1000 Free. Swalley took first in the 100 and 200 Breaststroke as well as the 200 IM.

DIVE DEEPER
Senior Makayla Hughbanks led the Hawkeye divers in the UNI victory with individual victories in both the 1-, and 3-meter dives. She collected 289.73 points in the 1-meter and 305.25 points in the 3-meter. In her first meet back in over a year, Lainey Woodward earned 2nd in the 1-meter dive with a score of 267.75.

VICTORY LAP
Iowa tallied eight individual wins and one relay win to beat in-state foe Northern Iowa 173-127 for the Hawkeyes’ first meet victory under head coach Nathan Mundt in the 2024-25 season-opener dual.

2023-24 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
The Hawkeyes scored 303 points at the 2024 Big Ten Championships, an over-100-point improvement from last season. Iowa had 14 individual performances in the finals session and reached the podium with an eighth-place finish in the 400-freestyle relay.

Further postseason success took place at the National Invitational Championships in Ocala, Florida. Competing against 65 teams, Iowa placed ninth with 327 points.

The Hawkeyes secured dual meet victories over Illinois, Iowa State, Nebraska, UNI and Vanderbilt. The Hawkeyes’ win over Iowa State clinched the final point necessary to bring the CyHawk Trophy back to Iowa City.

Freshman Olivia Swalley earned four B1G freshman of the week honors, while sophomore Scarlet Martin claimed three B1G swimmer of the week honors this season.

On Dec. 13, 2023, junior Makayla Hughbanks received her second B1G diver of the week honor.

Four Hawkeyes posted a total of 10 NCAA B cut times (Kennedy Gilbertson, Jenna Kerr, Scarlet Martin, Olivia Swalley).

ETCHED IN THE BOOKS
The Hawkeyes combined for 23 top-10 program performances and counting throughout the course of the 2023-24 season.

50 Free – Kennedy Gilbertson (22.70) – 3rd all-time
50 Free – Scarlet Martin (22.91) – 6th all-time
100 Free – Sabina Kupcova (50.14) – 4th all-time
100 Free – Jenna Kerr (50.26) – T-7th all-time
200 Free – Jenna Kerr (1:46.97) – 5th all-time
200 Free – Sabina Kupcova (1:47.93) – 7th all-time
500 Free – Jenna Kerr (4:45.15) – 4th all-time
1000 Free – Jenna Kerr (10:01.53) – 7th all-time
1000 Free – Alix O’Brien (10:02.46) – 8th all-time
1650 Free – Jenna Kerr (16:34.23) – 5th all-time
100 Breast – Olivia Swalley (1:01.02) – 2nd all-time
200 Breast – Olivia Swalley (2:12.92) – 4th all-time
200 Fly – Scarlet Martin (1:58.67) – T-4th all-time
200 IM – Olivia Swalley (1:58.47) – 2nd all-time
200 IM – Sabina Kupcova (2:01.21) – 6th all-time
400 IM – Olivia Swalley (4:14.72) – 2nd all-time
200 Medley Relay – Gilbertson, Swalley, Martin, Kerr (1:39.59) – 5th all-time
200 Medley Relay – Gilbertson, Swalley, Kupcova, Kerr (1:39.95) – 7th all-time
400 Medley Relay – Gilbertson, Swalley, Martin, Kerr (3:38.28) – 7th all-time
200 Free Relay – Gilbertson, Kerr, Swalley, Martin (1:31.46) – 6th all-time
800 Free Relay – Kerr, Kupcova, Swalley, Martin (7:12.57) – 6th all-time
1 Meter Dive – Makayla Hughbanks (312.60) – 8th all-time
3 Meter Dive – Makayla Hughbanks (356.93) – 5th all-time

UP NEXT
The University of Iowa women’s swimming and diving return home to host the Hawkeye Invitational Friday through Sunday, Nov. 21-23. Prelims begin at 10 a.m. (CT) and the finals will start at 5 p.m. (CT) each day in the CRWC Natatorium.