Seniors were the story of the year for the Cyclone swimming and diving squads as the lone qualifiers for the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships were senior standouts — swimmer Nan Liu and diver Tien Tran. Liu and Tran had the privilege of representing the Cyclones at the NCAA Championships from March 18-20 in West Lafayette, Ind.

Liu competed in the 100 fly event and managed to earn a 27th-place finish in the event as she closed out a season that included a team-high 30 wins.

Liu was named Iowa State’s Most Valuable Swimmer as she graduates as one of the most decorated individuals in ISU swimming history.

Liu will leave campus as the record holder in the 100 fly and backstroke, 200 backstroke and as part of record-breaking 200 and 400 medley relay teams, in addition to being a member of record-holding 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams.

Tran was named the squad’s Most Outstanding Diver as she became just the third diver in ISU history to qualify for a trip to the NCAA Championships.

While at the NCAA Championships, Tran put the finishing touches on a stellar career at Iowa State as she landed at 24th place in the 3-meter dive competition.

Tran was able to put her name on her second ISU record as she dove to a 271.75 score to break the five-year-old school record in the platform diving competition of 260.95 held by Hillary Nichols.

The five seniors on the squad — Tran, Liu, Frances Calzada, Abby Glaser and Lindsey Behrens — leave the squad after compiling 203 wins in their time spent competing as Cyclone and will all leave with their name in the Cyclone swimming and diving record books.

The five seniors will be replaced by four new incoming swimmers that all sport impressive resumes.

New recruit Alex Gustafson from Waukee enters the Cyclone swimming program after being a four-time CIML champion in the 200 and 500 freestyle events.

The only other Iowa recruit  — Emily Wiltsie of Mason City — will enter the pool as a former member of the 2009 Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union Swimming and Diving State Championship team after earning first- or second-team All-State honors in swimming and diving 13 times in her career as a Mason City Mohawk.

Traveling to Iowa to wear the cardinal and gold of the swim team will be newcomers Katie Vollhaber of Mounds View, Minn., and Hayley Krzeczowski of St. Charles, Ill. Vollhaber was a four-time state qualifier and earned All-Conference honors five times in her high school swimming career. Krzeczowski also brings four time All-Conference honors to the Cyclone after her time as a team captain at East High School in St. Charles.

With such an accomplished senior class leaving after guiding the Cyclones to a team record eight wins during the regular season, new swimmers and divers will step to the forefront of the squad behind new captains Abby Christensen, Lindsey Frodyma and Jenny Vondenkamp as they look to try and build on one of the most successful seasons in team history.