Notes: No. 24 Minnesota

THIS WEEK
The Hawkeyes travel to Minneapolis for a dual against No. 24 Minnesota. The meet begins Saturday at 11 a.m. (CT) at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center.

HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG
The meet will be streamed on B1G+. Follow the official Iowa Swimming and Diving 'X' account for live updates of the meet. Fans can also follow along through MeetMobile.

A LOOK AT THE OPPONENT
Minnesota begins its season ranked at No. 24. This will be the 45th time the Hawkeyes and Golden Gophers have faced off with the first meeting coming in 1977. Minnesota leads the all-time series, 37-6-1.

LAST MEET
The Hawkeyes opened their season by defeating Marquette, 189-70. The Iowa swimmers
won all 14 events, while the divers competed in a non-scored exhibition. The veterans led the Hawkeyes to victory. Senior Olivia Swalley claimed two individual wins in the 200 free (1:52.80) and 200 IM (2:06.20), and helped the 200 medley relay team (1:43.04) begin the meet with a win. Junior Emilie Mosner swept the breaststroke races, winning the 100 in 1:04.51 and 200 in 2:20.26. Sophomore Payton Flowers picked up two individual wins, in the 50 free (23.11) and 100 fly (55.49), as well as anchoring the 400 free relay team (3:27.92) who capped the afternoon with a win. Freshman Klare Pilger shined as she picked up her first individual win in the 100 back (56.62) and swam the opening leg of the 200 medley relay race.

HAWKEYE HEADLINERS
The preseason Hawkeye headliners are Zita Bernatsky and Payton Flowers. The duo of
sophomores was 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.

DIVING IN
The University of Iowa divers shined 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). 

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)

A CLOSER LOOK
The 2026-27 Iowa swimming and diving roster features 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 seasons 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 Borroughs 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