The ISU Women’s Swimming and Diving Team competes against St. Olaf Friday night at Beyer Pool in Ames.

St. Olaf, a Division III school, gives the Cyclones the opportunity to compete in different events.

“It gives St. Olaf a chance to compete at a higher level and us a chance to compete,” head swimming coach Duane Sorenson said. “They are a very good Division III school,” Notbohm said.

The St. Olaf women’s program has had great success with 21 winning seasons.

Under head coach Dave Hauck’s guidance, the women have recorded a 79-13 dual meet record, including a perfect 64-0 in conference.

They have won eleven of the last twelve MIAC Championships and have had two top-5 and five top-10 finishes at the NCAA championship. Five women have become national champions and 42 have earned All-American honors.

The relationship between the two teams goes back many years.

“We are very good friends with the coaching staff,” Sorenson said.

Hauck was honored as the NCAA Division III Men’s Swimming Coach of the Year.

The team’s schedule has changed due to the holidays and finals.

“They got to go home last week for the holidays and during finals week we will have individual practices that are optional,” Sorenson said.

“During finals week we will practice as much as we can; it all depends on how many finals we have each day,” ISU swimmer Susanne Notbohm said.

The team also gets to go home for a week during Christmas, which is nice during a season that can get long.

However, the Cyclones have been able to make sure their intensity hasn’t changed during practice.

“We’re still training as hard as ever and they’re intense as always,” Sorenson said.

“The practices are really tough right now, we are doing everything at a fast pace,” Notbohm said. “We have reached the high-intensity phase.”

And the way things shake up now, the team’s goals made at the beginning of the season are still in reach.

“We swam very well at the Minnesota Invitational and that reinforced our goals,” Sorenson said.

“We are ahead of last year’s team and that’s very important.”

Although the season is still young, there have been some surprises.

“Sam Dyshaw had a lifetime best in the 400 freestyle relay at the Minnesota Invitational,” Sorenson said.

“This team’s work ethic is the best I’ve seen since I’ve been here,” Notbohm said.

The Cyclones are coming off a record-setting season and are looking to match last year’s success.

The team faces intrastate rival Northern Iowa on Dec. 14 in Ames.

Then it will move on to Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., to compete against Lehigh.

The team goes on the trip to Florida every year and the swimmers really enjoy it.

“They can get a real tan and look forward to swimming in the ocean and hanging out at the beaches,” Sorenson said.