Iowa raced to a big win against rival Iowa State.
Iowa Press Release
IOWA CITY, Iowa -- The University of Iowa women’s swimming and diving team rolled to its seventh straight victory over Iowa State on Friday night at the UI CRWC Natatorium. The Hawkeyes won 14-of-16 events en route to a 197-101 Cy-Hawk Series victory.
“We really challenged our team this week with some tough practices,” said UI head coach Marc Long. “For them to step up and perform as well as they did, in the pool and off the boards, against a team that was really gunning for us was great. I’m proud of the team’s effort.”
On the night, the Hawkeyes posted 19 season bests and 11 career bests, while eight individuals combined to produced eight NCAA provisional times.
The Hawkeyes got off to a strong start with an early 1-2 showing in the opening 200-medley relay. The quartet of senior Emma Sougstad, juniors Meghan Lavelle and Mekenna Scheitlin, and freshman Hannah Burvill took first with a time of 1:39.62 -- all four went on to win at least two individual events on Friday.
The Hawkeyes went 1-2-3-4 in the 200 free with Burvill leading the way. She clocked in with a NCAA ‘B’-cut 1:47.37. Burvill also swam to a first-place finish in the 100 free with a top time of 49.74.
Sougstad didn’t set any new school records on Friday, but she did swim to first-place finishes in the 100 breast (1:01.08), 200 breast (2:14.06), and 200 IM (2:01.70). She accounted for 38 of Iowa’s total points scored.
In the backstroke, it was Lavelle who carried the Hawkeyes. She touched first in the 100 (54.61) and 200 (1:58.96) -- both NCAA ‘B’ cut times.
Scheitlin recorded two wins of her own, touching first in the 50 free (22.86) and 100 fly (54.93). Her time in the 50 free meets NCAA ‘B’ qualifications and is a career best.
In the 200 fly, junior Tereysa Lehnertz posted Iowa’s top time, touching first in a time of 1:59.96.
Iowa ended the night with a victory in the 400-free relay. Burvill, junior Carly O’Brien, Lavelle, and senior Taylor Flummerfelt clocked in with a winning-time of 3:24.78.
In the diving well, the Hawkeyes were led by freshman Thelma Strandberg. She took first in the both the 3-meter (297.35) and 1-meter (278.15), earning a total of 18 points for the black and gold.
Tonight’s pool victory gives Iowa a 12-7 advantage over Iowa State in this year’s Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series.
Next up for the Hawkeyes is a trip to South Bend, Indiana, for a triple dual against Illinois and Notre Dame. The two-day event begins on Jan. 12 at 5:30 p.m. (CT).
