Swim & Dive Notes: Iowa Hosts Hawkeyes Invitational

THIS WEEK

University of Iowa women’s swimming and diving hosts the Hawkeye Invitational Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 30-Dec. 2. Prelims begin at 10 a.m. (CT) and the finals will start at 5 p.m. (CT) each day in the CRWC Natatorium.

FOLLOW LIVE

• Live results for the meet are available on hawkeyesports.com (via the schedule page) and Meet Mobile.

• Fans can also follow the Hawkeyes on Twitter/IowaSwimDive for live meet updates.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

• Iowa kicked off the 2023-24 season with a, 197-104, victory against UNI.

• Freshman Olivia Swalley posted two top-10 times at Nebraska (Nov. 10):

• 200 Breast- Olivia Swalley (2:17.07)- 7th all-time

• 200 IM- Olivia Swalley (2:02.19)- 8th all-time

• Iowa returned 20 student-athletes from last season and added 10 newcomers this season, including eight freshmen and two transfers

• Amongst the returners are senior diver Sarah Ballard and junior Makayla Hughbanks, who qualified to compete in last season’s NCAA Zone D Diving Championships.

FRESHMEN MAKING NOISE

Three Hawkeye freshmen combined for six individual wins against UNI. Olivia Frantum won the 1,000 free and the 500 free. Olivia Swalley registered three wins of her own — 100 breaststroke, 200 backstroke, and 200 IM. Diver Simone Beinlich placed first off the three-meter springboard with a 262.3.

HIGHLIGHTING HUGHBANKS

Junior Makayla Hughbanks came away with a career-best 312.6 in the 1-meter dive, ranking eigth all-time in program history. The Bettendorf, Iowa, native also leads the team in the 3-meter dive score, posting a zone-qualifying total of 355.40 ranking fifth overall in Iowa history.

SWEET VICTORY

Iowa tallied ten individual wins to beat Big Ten foe Nebraska, 159.5-140.5, for the Hawkeyes’ second meet victory of the 2023-24 season.

SWALLEY STUNS

In only the third meet of the season, freshman Olivia Swalley has etched her name on Iowa’s top-ten list ranking ninth all-time in the 100 breaststroke (1:02.16), seventh all-time in the 200 breaststroke (2:17.07) and eighth all-time in the 200 IM (2:02.19).

MARTIN MAKING MOVES

Sophomore Scarlet Martin was responsible for two first-place finishes, including a season best in the 100 butterfly (54.18) and collegiate best in the 200 butterfly (1:59.56) to better her sixth ranked mark at Iowa. She also contributed to a victory as the anchor in the 400 Free Relay with a collective time of 3:24.90.

ETCHED IN THE BOOKS

The Hawkeyes combined for 16 top-ten program performances throughout the course of the 2022-23 season. 

• 50 Free – Kennedy Gilbertson (22.75) – 4th all-time

• 100 Free – Sabina Kupcova (50.26) – T-6th all-time

• 200 Free – Sabina Kupcova (1:48.59) – 7th all-time

• 1000 Free – Alix O’Brien (10:04.70) – 9th all-time

• 100 Back – Kennedy Gilbertson (53.66) – 5th all-time 

• 100 Fly – Scarlet Martin (53.45) – 4th all-time

• 200 Fly – Scarlet Martin (1:59.93) – 6th all-time

• 200 IM – Sabina Kupcova (2:02.59) – 8th all-time

• 200 Medley Relay – Gilbertson, Schreiber, Martin, Pedersen (1:40.27) – 8th all-time

• 200 Medley Relay – Gilbertson, Schreiber, Martin, Black (1:40.75) – 10th all-time 

• 400 Free Relay – Gilbertson, Kupcova, Pedersen, Martin (3:20.08) – 5th all-time

• 1 Meter Dive – Makayla Hughbanks (312.6) – 8th all-time

• 3 Meter Dive – Makayla Hughbanks (355.40) – 5th all-time 

• Platform Dive – Geneva Pauly (266.05) – 3rd all-time

UP NEXT 

University of Iowa women’s swimming and diving travels Friday, Dec. 8 to take on in-state rival Iowa State at 6 p.m. (CT) inside Beyer Hall Pool in Ames, Iowa.