The Iowa women’s swimming and diving team captured its first Big Ten honor of the season on Wednesday. Junior co-captain Verity Hicks was named Big Ten Swimmer of the Week.

The native of New Zealand earned the award for her performance against Iowa State on Dec. 11. The Hawkeyes lost the meet, 166-133.

Hicks took first-place in the 200 freestyle, swimming a season-best time of 1:51.42 in the process.

She also took first-place in the 500 freestyle and swam a leg on the AquaHawks’ 400-freestyle relay, which took second.

So far, Hicks has enjoyed ample success during her junior campaign. She has eight individual first-place finishes, and she has played a pivotal role on the AquaHawk relay team.

The honor is Hicks’ first Big Ten weekly award. The accolade comes exactly one year to the day since the AquaHawks last earned the Big Ten Swimmer of the Week honor.

Current senior Christine Kuczek won that laurel on Dec. 16, 2008.

— by Mitch Smith