While the Cyclone divers are down in Missouri competing in the Mizzou Invite, the swimmers will be going to Kansas for the Kansas Classic.

Iowa State swimming will be competing against an onslaught of teams in the Kansas Classic over the course of three days, Friday to Sunday.

Like the Mizzou Invite, the Kansas Classic will be a championship-like setting, though not all teams will be from the Big 12.

“We’ll swim prelims in the morning and finals at night,” said head coach Duane Sorenson. “We’ll also be swimming all five relays and that will be time finals that night.”

Sorenson said the swimmers will be swimming in multiple heats in the morning, and then the top times will be swimming at night.

“It’s a chance to put yourself in a position to score points,” Sorenson said. “First place through 16th place scores points. You have to learn how to swim fast in prelims and then faster in finals at night.”

Like the double header meets two weeks ago, Sorenson said the recovery each day will be key to being able to get up and swim the next day. 

“That’s a very important part of getting ready to swim the next day or the next session,” Sorenson said. “The other part with that is learning how to go in and focus on your one event for that session.”

Sorenson said the swimmers will only be swimming one or two events per session, so they’ll be able to put in their maximum effort for each event.

“Instead of a dual meet where they’re swimming four events in an hour and a half, they may only swim one event the whole session,” Sorenson said.

Lots of teams also means lots of competition, and Sorenson said the teams that will be the toughest are Kansas, because they’ve won the last two years; Miami, who has a few quality individuals but not too much depth; North Texas, who beat Iowa State two years ago; and Northern Iowa, who has a handful of great swimmers.

“We’d like to be for sure top three and maybe top two if we can pull it off,” Sorenson said. “If we have a great meet, push Kansas for first place.”

Sorenson also said it’s important for the swimmers to focus on each event at a time and not think too much about the future days.

“Having [the swimmers] staying in the present and focusing on that event for that session and not worrying about what they’re going to do on Sunday when they’re swimming on Friday,” Sorenson said. “And doing the proper little things that get themselves in the best position to have a great performance.”

Sorenson said the swimmers will have different tech swimsuits that will make them feel more “slippery and fast.”

“They get that much more motivated because they know no matter what they do they’re going to swim a faster time,” Sorenson said. “The energy level is going to be at a higher level than it normally is — it’s a different vibe in the pool.”