IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa women’s swimming and diving team concluded day one of the Hawkeye Invitational with three top-ten times at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center on Thursday. Through the first six events, the Hawkeyes are fifth in team scoring with 274 points. Iowa tallied 15 personal bests and 11 season bests on the day.
“It was a fantastic start to the meet for us tonight,” head coach Nathan Mundt said. “We had numerous lifetime bests across the board. There was incredible energy right off the start in our home pool. We know we need to feed off of that type of energy and get going right away. We also know that we have better events ahead of us tomorrow and Saturday as well. We are encouraged with how we performed today.”
The Hawkeyes advanced 14 individuals and six relays through the morning preliminary session to the finals. Sophomore Olivia Swalley took the title in the 200 IM final with a time of 1:57.89, setting a personal record and improving the program’s second-fastest time that she set last season. Swalley continues to inch closer to the school record and is just 0.34 seconds away.
Freshman Rachel Dildine added herself to Iowa’s top ten list as well, setting the program’s sixth-fastest time in the 50 free B final (22.90). Dildine placed tenth overall. Senior Alix O’Brien collected a time of 4:48.53 in the 500 free A final and placed third. Her new lifetime best is good for ninth all-time at Iowa.
The Hawkeye divers come in clutch to open the invite. Senior Makayla Hughbanks scored 300.10 in the one-meter dive finals to place third, bettering her prelim score by over nine points. Junior Geneva Pauly’s score of 292.85 placed her fifth in the one-meter dive and added to one of Iowa’s 11 season bests on the day.
“This meet has gotten very competitive,” diving coach Todd Waikel said. “All three of our women, especially in the prelims, showed up and competed. I was proud of them for that. The finals were a battle until the end. Overall, it was great diving and our women rose to the occasion. I am excited for tomorrow.”
Iowa closed out day one of the Hawkeye Invitational with the 400 medley relay, finishing seventh with a time of 3:40.88.
The Hawkeyes return for day two of the Hawkeye Invitational at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center. Preliminary rounds resume at 10 a.m. (CT) with the finals session to follow at 5 p.m. Admission is free.
