Notes: Marquette

THIS WEEK
The Hawkeyes begin the 2026-27 season by hosting Marquette University. The dual begins Friday at 3 p.m. (CT) at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center. It will be Iowa's Pink Out meet.

HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG
Results will be accessible via multiple platforms. Follow the official Iowa Swimming and Diving 'X' account for live updates of the meet. Fans can also follow along through MeetMobile.

2026-27 NEWS

• Two Hawkeyes, diver Zita Bernatsky and swimmer Payton Flowers, were named to the Big Ten Athletes to watch list for the 2026-27 season.
• Third-year swimmer Rachel Dildine shined at the FISU America Games competition in July. Dildine earned a gold medal in the 4x100 medley relay (4:12.29), three silver medals in the 100 free (57.00), mixed 4x100 free relay (3:37.37), and 4x100 free relay (3:49.93), respectively, and a bronze medal in the 100 fly, where she touched the wall in 1:02.37.
• Second-year diver Zita Bernatsky won the one-meter dive at the AAU Diving National Championships in late-July.
• Last year, seven Hawkeyes from swimming and diving were named to the Big Ten Distinguished Scholars list including Stephanie Avram, Olivia Frantum, Mallory Kell, Nora Kemp, Meredith O'Malley, Geneva Pauly, and Leslie Wendel.
• Head coach Nathan Mundt received a contract extension through 2029.
• The Hawkeyes finished the 2025-26 season with an overall record of 5-3, notching victories over Illinois, Iowa State, Nebraska, St. Thomas and UNI. The Iowa State win marked the program's third in a row over the Cyclones. Iowa captured bronze during the Hawkeye Invitational with a score of 1,059 points and crowned two champions.
• The Iowa swimming and diving team combined for 24 top-10 program performances during the season. The 2025-26 squad set three school records in the 50 free, 200 free relay and 400 free relay.
• Standout swimmer Payton Flowers returns for her sophomore season with the Hawkeyes. Flowers had a record-breaking rookie year. The native of DeForest, Wisconsin, set the school record in the 50 free (21.94) and became the first Hawkeye in school history to swim sub-22. Flowers swam the lead legs in the school record-setting 200 free relay (1:29.68) and 400 free relay (3:17.94). She posted the second-fastest time in school history in the 100 free (48.80) and 100 fly (52.49), and the seventh-fastest time in the 100 back (54.22). Flowers earned the team's swimming MVP award and was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Nov. 5. In total, Flowers collected 12 individual wins and was a part of all 10 relay wins during the 2025-26 season.

SCHEDULE NOTES
Iowa will host six meets at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center during the season. The dual against Marquette University on Oct. 3 will serve as the home opener. On Oct. 23, Iowa will host fellow Big Ten schools UCLA and Purdue at 3 p.m. The Hawkeye Invitational will take place all day between Nov. 17-20. Following winter break, the divers will return to host Illinois on Jan. 15-16 at 5 p.m. The final home regular season matchup will be the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk series against Iowa State. The rivalry meet is slated for Jan. 30 at 1 p.m. The University of Iowa is set to host the Big Ten Championships from Feb 17-20, inside the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center to round out Iowa's hosting schedule. 

2025-26 HIGHLIGHTS

• Iowa finished the 2025-26 season with a final record of 5-3.
• At the Big Ten Championships, the Hawkeyes tabbed 14 top-10 program record book adjustments, 16 lifetime bests and nine season-best updates. Iowa also sent four divers to the NCAA Zone Diving Championships in the postseason.
• 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. 
• 17 swimming and diving student-athletes were named to the 2025-26 winter Academic All-Big Ten Team. Among them were returners: Stephanie Avram, Elizabeth Beam, student assistant coach Simone Beinlich, Hannah Cousins, Rachel Dildine, Olivia Frantum, Josie Hood, Mallory Kell, Audrey Olen, Hope Schimming and Olivia Swalley. 
• Iowa had five swimmers improve their times throughout the season. Payton Flowers (50 free from 22.59 to 21.94, 100 free from 49.34 to 48.80, and 100 fly from 53.71 to 52.49), Rachel Dildine (50 free from 23.63 to 22.80, 100 free from 52.96 to 49.75, 200 free from 1:52.49 to 1:49.58, and 100 fly from 54.36 to 53.43), Audrey Olen (100 free from 50.37 to 50.34, 200 free from 1:49.16 to 1:48.28, and 100 back from 56.05 to 56.02), Olivia Swalley (100 breast from 1:01.45 to 1:01.02, 200 breast from 2:14.07 to 2:12.92, 200 IM from 1:58.59 to 1:57.88, and 400 IM from 4:13.75 to 4:10.54), and Jenna Kerr (100 free from 50.36 to 49.27, 200 free from 1:47.32 to 1:46.97, 500 free from 4:46.30 to 4:45.15, and 1650 free from 16:46.68 to 16:34.23) 

SCHOOL-RECORD HOLDERS
Three school records have been set by current members of the 2026-27 Iowa roster:

• Payton Flowers: 50 Free (21.94)
• Payton Flowers, Rachel Dildine, Ella Jean Kelly, Audrey Olen: 200 Free Relay (1:29.68)
• Payton Flowers, Audrey Olen, Rachel Dildine, Jenna Kerr: 400 Free Relay (3:17.94)

DIVING IN
The University of Iowa divers have already been making marks in the preseason. Four Hawkeyes: first-year Bianca Hutter, second-years Zita Bernatsky and Kamila Swanson, and third-year Stephanie Avram competed at the AAU Diving Nationals in late-July. Bernatsky took home gold in the one-meter with a personal record of 299.20. Hutter came in fourth (279.25), Swanson in tenth (244.75), and Avram right behind her in 11th (236.15). In the three-meter, Swanson placed third with a personal record of 294.75, Bernatsky came in fifth (281.95), Hutter in eighth (250.90), and Avram in tenth (238.10). Off the platform, Bernatsky placed fourth with a personal record of 239.05, Avram in tenth (201.35), Swanson in 13th (177.95), and Hutter in 15th (171.10). 

HAWKEYE HEADLINERS
The preseason Hawkeye headliners are Zita Bernatsky and Payton Flowers. The duo of sophomores were named to the 2026-27 Big Ten Athletes to Watch list. Both had record-breaking rookie seasons and are back with the Hawkeyes for their sophomore seasons.

A LOOK AT THE OPPONENT
Marquette is entering its inaugural season of women's swimming and becomes the university's 17th varsity sport. The Golden Eagles will compete in 10 regular season meets in 2026-27.

A CLOSER LOOK
The 2026-27 Iowa swimming and diving roster sees 18 returners and eight newcomers. The Hawkeye roster is made up of seven student-athletes returning for their senior seasons including Addie Crain, Olivia Frantum, Josie Hood, Mallory Kell, Jenna Kerr, Hope Schimming and Olivia Swalley. Six Hawkeyes begin their third-year: Stephanie Avram, Elizabeth Beam, Hannah Cousins, Rachel Dildine, Emilie Mosner and Audrey Olen. Five swimmers and divers return for their sophomore season including Zita Bernatsky, Payton Flowers, Willa Hage,  Ella Jean Kelly and Kamila Swanson. The Hawkeyes welcomed eight first-years to the roster including, swimmer Cheyenne Borrough from Stoughton, Wisconsin, swimmer Addison Carlile from Newburgh, Indiana, diver Adelyn Flessner from Indianapolis, diver Bianca Hutter from Austin, Texas, swimmer Ariyana Nieckula from Yorkville, Illinois, diver Katie Parker from Bentonville, Arkansas, swimmer Klare Pilger from Stevens Point, Wisconsin and swimmer Addy Szakaly from South Bend, Indiana.

MAKING MARKS
The Hawkeyes 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