Hawkeyes Down St. Thomas on Senior Night

IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa swimming and diving won its home finale over St. Thomas, 182-42, on Friday night at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center. 

The Hawkeyes honored seven seniors prior to the meet: Olivia Asay, Meredith O’Malley, Sila Ozkazanc, Geneva Pauly, manager Lauren Trent, Leslie Wendel and Lainey Woodward.

Iowa started the meet with a win in the 200-medley relay. The quartet of Audrey Olen, Olivia Swalley, Payton Flowers and Ella Jean Kelly touched the wall first in 1:42.77. The Hawkeyes rattled off three more wins before the break, clinching titles in the 50 and 200 freestyles and the 200 IM. Jenna Kerr won the 50 freestyle in 24.03. Josie Hood cruised to the win in the 200 freestyle in 1:52.43. Swalley won another title in the 200 IM, leading the way with a time of 2:04.51. Freshman Willa Hage tallied a personal best and finished second in 2:06.90.

The Hawkeyes continued their momentum out of the break, sweeping the rest of the evening’s races. Flowers notched a win in the 100 butterfly in 55.13. Kerr picked up her second win of the night in the 100 freestyle, stopping the clock in 51.14. In the 500 freestyle, Olivia Frantum swam 5:03.62 to win the event. After Emilie Mosner secured the win in the 100 breaststroke in 1:04.04, the Hawkeyes capped the night with a victory in the 200 freestyle relay. Flowers, Rachel Dildine, Ella Jean Kelly and Olen clocked a 1:33.58 to seal the win.

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH NATHAN MUNDT
“It was a great celebration tonight for our senior class. They laid the foundation for us over the past four years, and our team is so much better because of it. They just have created their own traditions and made this culture so much better. We got a big victory with great performances, not only by the senior class, but everybody here tonight. We're excited to get to Ames tomorrow.”

In the diving well, Lainey Woodward earned the title from the one-meter springboard and scored 304.60 points. Geneva Pauly placed second with 281.85 points and Zita Bernatsky was right behind in third with a total of 281.20. Pauly won the three-meter dive with a season-best 313.85 points. Bernatsky and Woodward earned podium finishes with 304.65 and 302.70 points, respectively.

HEAR FROM DIVING COACH TODD WAIKEL
“First of all, I want to honor the seniors. They've done such a wonderful job for us for the past four years. It's been truly fantastic. They're going to be missed. I was proud of the three meter, having three women over 300 points. It was nice to see that kind of depth in our program. Overall, I am proud of our performance and ready to go to Iowa State and do it again tomorrow.”

Up Next: The Hawkeyes return to action tomorrow at Iowa State in the annual Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series meet. Competition begins at 1:00 p.m. in the Beyer Hall Pool in Ames. 

HAWKEYE RESULTS
50 Free
1. Jenna Kerr - 24.03
2. Audrey Olen - 24.14
3. Ella Jean Kelly - 24.32
6. Addie Crain - 25.09

100 Free
1. Jenna Kerr - 51.14
2. Rachel Dildine - 51.63
3. Nora Kemp - 52.29

100 Fly
1. Payton Flowers - 55.13
2. Hannah Cousins - 57.13
3. Olivia Asay - 58.14
5. Leslie Wendel - 59.89

100 Back
2. Elizabeth Beam - 56.99
3. Hope Schimming - 57.76
4. Addie Crain - 58.89
9. Mallory Kell - 1:08.48

100 Breast
1. Emilie Mosner - 1:04.04
2. Olivia Swalley - 1:04.38
3. Willa Hage - 1:06.37
8. Mallory Kell - 1:12.56

200 Free
1. Josie Hood - 1:52.43
2. Olivia Frantum - 1:53.76
3. Rachel Dildine - 1:53.96
5. Meredith O’Malley - 1:59.03

200 IM
1. Olivia Swalley - 2:04.51
2. Willa Hage - 2:06.90, PR
3. Emilie Mosner - 2:10.00
4. Hope Schimming - 2:10.10, SB

500 Free
1. Olivia Frantum - 5:03.62
2. Josie Hood - 5:08.61
4. Meredith O’Malley - 5:17.49

200 Medley Relay
1. Olen, Swalley, Flowers, Kelly - 1:42.77
2. Beam, Mosner, Asay, Kemp - 1:45.53
4. Cousins, Hage, Wendel, Schimming - 1:46.63

200 Free Relay
1. Flowers, Dildine, Kelly, Olen - 1:33.58
2. Hood, Kemp, Beam, Kerr - 1:36.25
4. Frantum, O’Malley, Asay, Wendel - 1:41.63

1-Meter Diving
1. Lainey Woodward - 304.60
2. Geneva Pauly - 281.85
3. Zita Bernatsky - 281.20
4. Kamilia Swanson - 236.45
5. Stephanie Avram - 225.35

3-Meter Diving
1. Geneva Pauly - 313.85, SB
2. Zita Bernatsky - 304.65
3. Lainey Woodward - 302.70
5. Kamila Swanson - 220.40