The Iowa women’s swimming and diving team claimed its second Big Ten weekly award of the 2011-12 season — its first for diving — on Tuesday, according to a release.

Senior diver Veronica Rydze was honored following her performance in the Hawkeye Invitational in the Campus Recreation & Wellness Center on Dec. 2-4.

The All-American from Iowa City posted career-best scores in both the 1- and 3-meter dives with scores of 308.95 and 345.90, respectively. She finished first in both events, and her scores were both NCAA zone diving qualifying marks.

This marks the second time Rydze has earned conference Diver of the Week honors; she also claimed the award on Jan. 19, 2010, following her first-place efforts in both 1- and 3-meter diving against Illinois.

Freshman Becky Stoughton earned Big Ten Swimmer of the Week honors earlier this season for her Nov. 4 performance against Minnesota.

Rydze and the rest of the Hawkeyes will next compete on Friday, when the Hawkeyes travel to Ames to take on Iowa State.

The meet is scheduled to start at 6 p.m.

— by Tork Mason