THIS WEEK
University of Iowa women’s swimming and diving hosts the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series against in-state rival, Iowa State, on Friday. The meet will begin at 6 p.m. (CT) in the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center and serve as Iowa’s Senior Day. Divers Geneva Pauly and Makayla Hughbanks will also compete at the USA Diving Nationals in Bloomington, Indiana, on Dec. 14-15.
2024 HAWKEYE INVITATIONAL
Iowa hosted eight schools in its meet on Nov. 21-23. The Hawkeyes placed fifth, collecting a final score of 879. Sophomore Olivia Swalley took the 400 IM all-time title at Iowa with her time of 4:10.54, topping the previous record by almost two seconds. Senior Makayla Hughbanks clinched first in the three-meter dive finals with a career best score of 358.10. The score also bettered Hughbank’s fifth all-time record at Iowa. Iowa tallied a total of 46 personal bests, 24 season bests and seven top-ten records on the weekend.
USA DIVING NATIONALS
University of Iowa diving qualified two divers to the USA Diving Nationals in Bloomington, Indiana, on Dec. 14-15. Geneva Pauly will be competing in the 10-meter dive on Saturday Dec. 14. Prelims begin at 12 p.m. and finals begin at 5:50 p.m. Makayla Hughbanks will be competing in the three-meter dive on Sunday Dec. 15. Prelims begin at 10 a.m. and finals begin at 4 p.m.
FRESHMAN FIRE
Three Hawkeyes posted a total of four new personal records on the road against Minnesota. Stephanie Avram set bests in both of her diving events with a score of 249.83 in the 1-Meter and a 271.20 in the 3-Meter. Elizabeth Beam set her PR in the 200 backstroke with a time of 2:04.04. Izzy Heller found her success in the 200 breaststroke, collecting a new time of 2:25.44.
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.
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
University of Iowa women’s swimming and diving head out on the road to take on Miami in a dual on Tuesday, Jan. 7, at 9 a.m. (CT). The meet will be held at Whitten Center Pool in Coral Gables, Florida.
