Iowa’s Kennedy Gilbertson to Stay in Big Ten, Announces Transfer to Nebraska

Following the announcement of Iowa’s swimming & diving program cut, Wisconsin native Kennedy Gilbertson has announced her transfer to Nebraska next fall. Gilbertson is currently a sophomore at Iowa, and the 2019-20 season was her freshman season and only official season.

Iowa’s program cut grants swimmers a no-penalty transfer, even within the Big Ten conference, so Gilbertson will join the Huskers and immediately be allowed to compete next fall.

Thank you Iowa for such an incredible opportunity that I will cherish forever. Thank you for giving me such an amazing group of swimmers to train with. Thank you for teaching me that anything is possible if you want it bad enough. 🖤  Thank you for helping me reach my childhood dream of making finals at the BIG 10 championship. Due to the program being cut I will be transferring next fall.

I’m very excited to announce that I will continue my swim career in the BIG 10 conference and swim for the University of Nebraska. I would like to thank all my Iowa coaches, my club coach and my friends and family. GBR!!

TOP TIMES (SCY)

• 50 free – 23.16 (24.14 in HS)
• 100 free – 50.51 (52.01 in HS)
• 200 free – 1:50.97 (1:54.84 in HS)
• 50 back – 25.50 (26.29 in HS)
• 100 back – 54.35 (55.49 in HS)
• 200 back – 1:57.58 (2:03.01 in HS)
• 100 fly – 55.52 (58.00 in HS)

Gilbertson made huge strides as a freshman at Iowa last season, knocking out personal bests in nearly all of her events. Her biggest drops came in the 200 back, 100 fly and 50 free.

The 200 back is her best event, and she scored in that race for Iowa at the 2020 Big Ten Championships, hitting her PR 1:57.58 in prelims before finishing 23rd overall in finals. At a YMCA meet in December of 2020, Gilbertson took a half-second off of her 100 back time (54.35) and dropped 1.5 seconds in the 100 free (50.51).

Gilbertson should make an immediate impact on the Nebraska roster next fall. With her 1:57.58 from Big Tens, she would’ve been the only Husker under two minutes in the 200 back last season, and she would’ve been #2 in the 100 behind senior Autumn Haebig (53.29).

Nebraska recently gained some strong backstroke talent thanks to Boise State transfer Madesyn Ronquillio (54.0/1:57.5) and freshmen Gabby Donahue (54.7) and Sarah Barton (1:58.7).