It’s been over a month since the Iowa State swim and dive team has been in action. The Cyclones returned to the pool in Cedar Falls to take on the University of Northern Iowa Panthers. 

The team entered with a 2-3 record and was looking to pick up another win before moving into the back stretch of the season. 

It was senior day in Cedar Falls for the Panthers swimmers and divers and the Cyclones crashed the party with a 171-129 victory, improving to 3-3 on the year.

Iowa State showcased strong relay performances as well as strong results on the diving boards. 

The Cyclones controlled the 1000-yard freestyle early, finishing first and second in the opening event. Freshman Carlotta Gazzola touched the wall first, finishing with a time of 10:30.73, followed by senior Corinne Guist with a time of 10:33.23. 

Gazzola later doubled up with another win in the 500-yard freestyle, posting a time of 5:08.82. Guist finished third in the event at 5:10.84, continuing to add points to the Cyclones’ advantage. 

Iowa State earned additional first-place finishes throughout the meet. Sophomore Grace Swoboda claimed the 100-yard breaststroke title in 1:02.47, while freshman Kendall Mallers won the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 2:05.85. 

In the 200-yard individual medley, junior Emma Kuhn led a Cyclone sweep of the top three spots, winning first with a time of 2:05.69. Sophomore Anja Peck and junior Abbi Crum finished second and third. 

In the 200-yard backstroke event, sophomore Lili Neisser took first place, finishing with a time of 2:04.24, while adding a second-place finish in the 100-yard backstroke. 

Iowa State divers made a strong impact yet again on both boards. Sophomore Maggie Bendell won the 1-meter diving competition with a score of 278.40 while senior Kate Mitchell finished second. 

Mitchell responded with a win on the 3-meter board, scoring 288.05 points as Iowa State placed three divers among the top five in the event. 

With strong finishes in distance events, relays and diving events, Iowa State demonstrated depth and consistency throughout the meet. The Cyclones’ balanced performance against UNI provides momentum as the team moves forward into the heart of their season and continues preparation for conference competition. 

With the Cyclones now 3-3, they will jump back into the pool on the road in Houston, Texas, at the Big 12 Duals Friday and Saturday. 

The next home meet for Iowa State will be Jan. 31 at Beyer Pool against in-state rival Iowa, as part of the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series.