2026 Final Notes

SEASON RECAP
The University of Iowa swimming and diving team collected five wins this season, with two being conference wins. To start the season, the Hawkeyes came out strong with a win against UNI (224-74). Iowa finished the season on a four-meet win streak. Iowa defeated Nebraska (216-156), Illinois (193-179), St. Thomas (182-42) and Iowa State (194-105). The Hawkeyes went on to compete at the Big Ten Championships, where the team placed 12th overall. All five of Iowa’s divers qualified for the NCAA Zone Diving Championships in College Station, Texas. 

POSTSEASON PERFORMANCES
At the Big Ten Championships, the Hawkeyes tabbed 14 top-10 program record book adjustments, 16 lifetime bests and nine season-best updates throughout the four days of competition. Iowa sent five divers to the NCAA Zone Diving Championships. On day one of competition, freshman Zita Bernatsky finished 15th in the one-meter springboard. On day two, Bernatsky placed 18th overall on the three-meter springboard. On day three, senior Geneva Pauly finished 13th off the platform. 

HAWKEYE INVITATIONAL
This year, the University of Iowa welcomed eight teams for the 2025-26 Hawkeye Invitational: Illinois, Iowa State, Kansas, Miami (FL), Nebraska, Northern Iowa, UConn and Washington State. Iowa finished with three event champions and, as a team, third overall with 1,059 points.

IOWA IMPROVEMENTS
The Hawkeyes made big improvements throughout the season. Payton Flowers improved her 50 free (22.59 to 21.94), 100 free (49.34 to 48.80), and 100 fly (53.71 to 52.49) times. Rachel Dildine improved her 50 (23.63 to 22.80), 100 (52.96 to 49.75), and 200 (1:52.49 to 1:49.58) free and 100 (54.36 to 53.43) fly times throughout the course of the season. 

FRESHMAN PHENOM
Freshman Payton Flowers shined in her debut season. The DeForest, Wisconsin, native immediately impacted the pool. Flowers posted four individual and seven relay top-10 record book adjustments. The freshman holds the individual school record in the 50 free at 21.94, second all-time in the 100 free with 48.80, second overall in the 100 fly with 52.49, and seventh all-time in the 100 back with 54.22. Flowers was also a part of the 200 and 400 free relay teams that hold school records. She was a part of two 200 medley relay teams that claim second and sixth all-time, and the 400-medley relay team that holds the seventh all-time record. Flowers was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week after collecting two of the three individual wins against ranked Minnesota. Flowers was also a part of both top relay teams.

SENIOR SENDOFF
During the home finale against St. Thomas, Iowa honored seven seniors. Student manager Lauren Trent has been with the Hawkeyes for the past four seasons. Diver Geneva Pauly was named to the Big Ten Athletes to Watch list before the season. Pauly is a top-10 record holder in both the one-meter and platform dive. She has been named an Academic All-Big Ten honoree multiple times and competed for Iowa at the NCAA Zone Diving Championships and USA Winter Diving Nationals. Diver Lainey Woodward is a top-10 record holder in the one-meter dive and has been an Academic All-Big Ten honoree for the previous two seasons. Swimmer Olivia Asay was an Academic All-Big Ten honoree, CSC Academic All-District selection and earned the team’s Strength and Conditioning Achievement Award. Swimmer Meredith O’Malley was named an Academic All-Big Ten honoree and Co-President of Iowa Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Swimmer Sila Özkazanç anchored the team-leading 800-free relay team at the Big Ten Championships in 2023.  Swimmer Leslie Wendel was an Academic All-Big Ten honoree, a CSC Academic All-District selection, and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar.

ACADEMIC SUCCESS
17 swimming and diving student-athletes were named to the 2025-26 winter Academic All-Big Ten team. Olivia Asay (Sport and Recreation Management), Stephanie Avram (Health Studies), Elizabeth Beam (Enterprise Leadership), Simone Beinlich (Speech & Hearing Science), Hannah Cousins (Microbiology), Rachel Dildine (Political Science), Olivia Frantum (Biomedical Sciences), Josie Hood (Exercise Science), Mallory Kell (Interdepartmental Studies), Nora Kemp (Accounting), Audrey Olen (Pre-Business), Meredith O’Malley (Sport and Recreation Management), Geneva Pauly (Marketing), Hope Schimming (Business Analytics & Information Systems), Olivia Swalley (Health Studies), Leslie Wendel (Finance) and Lainey Woodward (Marketing). 

MAKING MARKS
The Hawkeyes have combined for 24 top-10 program performances in the 2025-26 season.

• 50 Free - Payton Flowers (21.94) - 1st all-time
• 50 Free - Rachel Dildine (22.80) - 7th all-time
• 50 Free - Audrey Olen (23.03) - 10th all-time
• 100 Free - Payton Flowers (48.80) - 2nd all-time
• 100 Free - Jenna Kerr (49.27) - 3rd all-time
• 100 Free - Rachel Dildine (49.75) - 5th all-time
• 200 Free - Audrey Olen (1:48.28) - 9th all-time
• 100 Back - Payton Flowers (54.22) - 7th all-time
• 200 Breast - Emilie Mosner (2:17.65) - 8th all-time
• 100 Fly - Payton Flowers (52.49) - 2nd all-time
• 100 Fly - Rachel Dildine (53.43) - 5th all-time
• 200 Fly - Olivia Swalley (2:01.21) - 10th all-time
• 1-Meter - Lainey Woodward (317.63) - 8th all-time
• Platform - Geneva Pauly (280.55) - 3rd all-time
• Platform - Stephanie Avram (240.85) - 6th all-time
• Platform - Zita Bernatsky (229.90) - 9th all-time
• 200 Free Relay - Flowers, Dildine, Kelly, Olen (1:29.68) - 1st all-time
• 200 Free Relay - Flowers, Olen, Dildine, Kelly (1:30.21) - 2nd all-time
• 400 Free Relay - Flowers, Olen, Dildine, Kerr (3:17.94) - 1st all-time
• 400 Free Relay - Flowers, Dildine, Kelly, Kerr (3:18.82) - 2nd all-time
• 800 Free Relay - Kerr, Hood, Dildine, Olen (7:12.78) - 7th all-time
• 200 Medley Relay - Cousins, Swalley, Flowers, Olen (1:39.02) - 2nd all-time
• 200 Medley Relay - Flowers, Swalley, Dildine, Olen (1:39.37) - 5th all-time
• 400 Medley Relay - Flowers Swalley, Dildine, Kerr (3:38.28) - 7th all-time