2023 HAWKEYE INVITE
- November 30-December 2, 2023
- University of Iowa Aquatic Center, Iowa City, IA
- SCY (25 yards)
- Live Results available on MeetMobile
TEAMS
- Iowa
- Nebraska
- Rutgers
- Iowa State
- New Mexico State
- Colorado State
- Northern Iowa (diving only)
- Coe College (diving only)
RESULTS
The 2023 Hawkeye Invite, a women’s only meet, is being held at the University of Iowa Aquatic Center this weekend. The invite has attracted two other Big Ten teams in addition to the hosting Hawkeyes in Nebraska and Rutgers. The Big 12 is also being represented by Iowa State, while there are two mid major programs in attendance in New Mexico State and Colorado State. Northern Iowa, another mid major program, and Coe College, a Division III program, have also sent their diving squads to the meet but no swimmers.
The first day of the meet had a familiar event lineup, featuring the 500 free, 200 IM, and 50 free individually, as well as the 200 free and 400 medley relays.
As Iowa continues to rebuild its program following the elimination and subsequent reinstatement of the women’s swimming & diving team, the Hawkeyes looked really good on the first day of the meet. They kicked off the finals session with a win in the 200 free relay, seeing Kennedy Gilbertson (23.14), Jenna Kerr (22.92), Olivia Swalley (22.72), and Scarlet Martin (22.68) combine to clock a 1:31.46. Nebraska was right there with the Hawkeyes all the way through the race, seeing Jojo Randby (23.16), Anna Vlachou (23.07), Beatrix Tanko (22.78), and Emily Haimes (22.89) team up for a 1:31.90.
The Hawkeyes would also go on to close the session out with a win in the 400 medley relay. Interestingly enough, that Iowa 400 medley relay was made up with the same four swimmers as the 200 free relay. Gilbertson led off in 53.86, Swalley took the breast leg with a 1:01.35, Martin went 53.48 on the fly leg, and Kerr anchored in 49.59, putting them into the finish in 3:28.28.
Both Gilbertson and Swalley were individual event winners on the day as well. Gilbertson claimed victory in the 50 free, where she sped to a 22.70. That time stands as a new personal best for her, undercutting her previous mark of 22.75, which she set at the Hawkeye Invite last year. Martin was also under 23 seconds in the event, taking 3rd with a 22.91, which marks her first time under 23 seconds in the event. It was Colorado State’s Lexie Trietley who came in 2nd, clocking a 22.89, which is just off her career mark of 22.76.
Swalley, a freshman, won the 200 IM in 1:59.15 after posting a 1:59.93 in prelims. The performances were solid for Swalley, who holds a personal best of 1:58.59 in the event. She swam a very well-rounded race, splitting 26.03 on fly, 29.88 on back, 33.93 on breast, and 29.31 on free.
Nebraska picked up their only win of the day in the 500 free, where Genevieve Jorgenson sped to a 4:43.87 to finish first by well over 4 seconds. It was a terrific swim for Jorgenson, shattering her previous personal best of 4:45.02, which she swam at the Big Ten Championships in March of this year.
Iowa State picked up their lone win of the day in 1-meter diving, where Lauren Kimball won convincingly with a score of 290.75.
SCORES THROUGH DAY 1
- Iowa – 229
- Nebraska – 188
- Iowa State – 183
- Colorado State – 141
- New Mexico State – 114
- Rutgers – 99
- Northern Iowa – 42
- Coe College – 3