The Iowa State swim and dive team is set to welcome the Illinois Fighting Illini to Beyer Pool for a two-day meet clash Friday and Saturday.
The action kicks off at 5 p.m. Friday and will start again at 11 a.m. Saturday. This meet will serve as another key early-season test for both teams.
Coming off a tough loss to Nebraska, 197-103, last weekend, the Cyclones will look to bounce back with a strong performance in the pool. The Cyclones showed flashes of potential early on but ultimately fell short.
Key swimmers to watch for Iowa State include sophomore Grace Swoboda and senior Corinne Guist. Swoboda had a strong start to the season against Nebraska, which saw her earn a first-place finish in the 100 breast event. Guist, a distance freestyle swimmer for the Cyclones, will look to continue to provide leadership in events like the 200-yard freestyle and 500-yard freestyle.
On the diving boards, Iowa State recently had three divers make NCAA zone cuts, both in the 1-meter and 3-meter events. For the 1-meter zone cuts, it was sophomore Maggie Bendell and senior Kate Mitchell.
In the 3-meter zone cuts, it was Mitchell as well as freshman Jade Hazes. Their contributions in the diving events this weekend will be much needed to hopefully take home both events.
Illinois will enter the weekend with fresh legs, as this will be the team’s first dual meet of the season. Illinois head coach Jeana Kempe brings a talented squad to Ames that features plenty of depth in both the backstroke and butterfly events.
The Illini will look to capitalize on early-season energy and test their lineup against a Cyclone team that has already kicked off their season.
Illinois hopes to keep up with the Cyclones mainly in the sprint-style events like the 50-yard freestyle. However, matching the Cyclones’ energy on the diving boards will be up to junior Matilda Garcia, who last year competed in both the 1-meter and 3-meter events. The roster features a strong group of upperclassmen divers for the Illini who hope to prove their offseason work paid off.
Friday will be an action-packed kick-off to an amazing weekend meet, but Saturday, the Cyclones swim and dive program is doing something a bit more special.
Saturday will be featured as the team’s Breast Cancer Awareness meet, as announced on their social media platforms. The post urged Cyclone swim and dive fans attending the meet on Saturday to wear pink and cover the Beyer Pool bleachers in pink, a nice touch and nod to Breast Cancer Awareness from the Cyclone program during BCA Month.
This matchup is a great chance to see Big 12 and Big 10 talents go head-to-head early on in the season. Both teams are looking to build momentum heading into the rest of the season. Expect a fast-paced and competitive meet on both days from start to finish.
Fans unable to attend in person Friday or Saturday can catch the action via livestream on YouTube. Iowa State head diving coach Jeff Warrick streams each home meet on his YouTube channel, offering a way for fans to tune in.
Friday’s live stream will begin at 4:45 p.m. with the first event starting around 5:05 p.m. On Saturday, the stream will start at 10:45 a.m. with the first event beginning around 11:05 a.m.
This weekend’s meet offers another opportunity for the Cyclones to improve on their times and take home a win at Beyer Pool.
With an early-season contest like this, expect both teams to bring their best on Friday and Saturday.
