200 Freestyle Relay Breaks School Record

MINNEAPOLIS – University of Iowa’s 200 free relay team broke the school record at the Big Ten Swimming and Diving Championships on Thursday evening at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center. 

The quartet of underclassmen Payton Flowers, Rachel Dildine, Ella Jean Kelly and Audrey Olen touched the wall in 1:29.68. During the lead leg, Flowers updated her 50 free school record time to 22.12. 

The second day of competition saw three athletes qualify for the night session. Flowers (100 fly), freshman Zita Bernatsky (1-meter) and senior Lainey Woodward (1-meter) all competed in the B finals of their respective events.

Flowers climbed to second at Iowa in the 100 fly (52.56) and advanced to the B final during the morning session. The DeForest, Wisconsin, native updated her top-10 time to 52.49 during the finals session and placed 11th overall. 

During the one-meter diving preliminary round, Woodward collected 265.55 points and Bernatsky scored 256.35 points to qualify for the B final. In the night session, Woodward finished in ninth place with a total of 286.15 points. Bernatsky scored 227.60 points to take home 16th place. 

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH NATHAN MUNDT
“It was an excellent day for our team, highlighted by three individual performances and two program records in the finals tonight. This morning, we had numerous lifetime best performances, which created a ton of momentum heading into tomorrow. We’re excited to get back to the poor and keep it going on day three.”

The Hawkeyes recorded five program record-book adjustments, five personal-best updates, and two season-best updates throughout the morning session. 

A pair of sophomores recorded Iowa’s third and fourth record-book adjustments. Rachel Dildine finished the 100 butterfly event in 53.43 to update her top-10 record book time from sixth to fourth at Iowa. In the 200 free, Audrey Olen claimed ninth at Iowa with a time of 1:48.28. 

During the 100 breaststroke event, freshmen Ella Jean Kelly (1:03.79) and Willa Hage (1:04.31) tabbed personal bests, while sophomore Emilie Mosner tallied a season-best time of 1:03.13.

Junior Josie Hood (55.56) and senior Olivia Asay (56.68) recorded personal-best updates in the 100 butterfly.

Juniors Hope Schimming and Jenna Kerr updated personal records during the 200 free. Schimming collected a personal-best 1:55.05, while Kerr tallied a season-best 1:48.47. 

After the second day of competition, Iowa is in 12th place with a total of 149 points. 

UP NEXT: The Hawkeyes will return to action Friday morning for another full day of competition. Prelims will start at 10 a.m., with finals to follow at 5:30 p.m. The meet will be live streamed on B1G+. 

HAWKEYE RESULTS
100 Breaststroke Trials
34. Emilie Mosner - 1:03.13, SB
37. Ella Jean Kelly - 1:03.79, PR
38. Willa Hage - 1:04.31, PR

100 Butterfly Trials
12. Payton Flowers - 52.56, 2nd at Iowa
29. Rachel Dildine - 53.43, 4th at Iowa
48. Josie Hood - 55.56, PR
49. Hannah Cousins - 55.66
52. Olivia Asay - 56.68, PR
55. Leslie Wendel - 58.00
56. Addie Crain - 59.19

100 Butterfly Finals
11. Payton Flowers - 52.49, 2nd at Iowa 

200 Freestyle Trials
33. Audrey Olen - 1:48.28, 9th at Iowa
35. Jenna Kerr - 1:48.47, SB
53. Olivia Frantum - 1:51.74
63. Hope Schimming - 1:55.05, PR

400 IM Trials
29. Olivia Swalley - 4:18.54
49. Mallory Kell - 4:33.73

200 Freestyle Relay
9. Flowers, Dildine, Kelly, Olen - 1:29.68, 1st at Iowa

1-Meter Diving Trials
9. Lainey Woodward - 265.55
14. Zita Bernatsky - 256.35
25. Geneva Pauly - 237.35
51. Kamila Swanson - 207.10
62. Stephanie Avram - 174.90

1-Meter Diving Finals
9. Lainey Woodward - 286.15
16. Zita Bernatsky - 227.60