Usually when a team competes against its biggest rival, there is some added pressure.

Senior Chelsey Walden said that will not be the case for the ISU swimming and diving team this week when she and her teammates take on the University of Iowa Hawkeyes on Friday in Iowa City.

“There’s not necessarily added pressure, but there is some added excitement,” Walden said. “When it comes down to those final yards, you are really going to kick it in because it is such a big rivalry.

“I’m not saying that other meets are not important, but that added excitement will definitely get your adrenaline going a little bit more.”

The Cyclones (5-0) are coming off a dominating 195-94 victory over their other intrastate competition, the Northern Iowa Panthers, and hope to start their season with six straight wins.

The Hawkeyes (4-5) won their dual over Truman State University, but placed fourth in their most recent meet, the Ohio State Invitational.

Iowa State lost a very tight decision to Iowa last year in Ames, 144-156, and hopes to reverse a trend in which it has lost the last three to the Hawkeyes.

Another thing that adds more to the meet is that Iowa State is down 7-4 in the Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk Series and could turn that score around on Friday. If the swimmers can win Friday evening, the men’s basketball team could give the Cyclones the lead Friday night.

Swimming coach Duane Sorenson said all the races in this meet will be important.

“We will be favored in a number of races, and the Hawkeyes will be favored in a number of races,” Sorenson said. “There is no race that is more important than any other, and we just have to swim well in every event.”

Some of the most highly competitive events in last year’s meet against Iowa were the diving events; in fact, Iowa’s Nancilea Underwood set a Beyer Hall Pool record in the 3-meter competition a year ago. The Cyclones are anticipating stiff competition from the Iowa divers again this year, which is why the Cyclones are happy to have sophomore Haley Haynes back from injury.

Haynes said she was a little bit surprised with her performance in the Cyclones’ previous meet against Northern Iowa.

“I was happy with my performance, but I wasn’t expecting to get my second-personal best,” Haynes said. “Hopefully, we are all ready for this meet, and we can all step up and compete against Iowa and hopefully win.”

Diving coach Jeff Warrick said his divers are ready for the opportunity to face Iowa at their home pool.

“It’s always a big rivalry between the schools,” Warrick said. “I think the divers are ready, though, they have been practicing and competing well.

“Everyone is on the upward trend of feeling better with injuries, so were looking for a good meet.”

The next competition after the Iowa meet for the Cyclones will be the Georgia Diving Invitational in Atlanta from Jan. 3 to 5.