Iowa swimming and diving helps Big Ten earn an impressive win in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge
Iowa sent seven swimmers to compete against some tough competition at the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and they had some impressive finishes.
Swimmers dive into the pool for the Women’s 50-yard backstroke during a meet between University of Iowa and Western Illinois on Friday, Feb. 2, 2018 at the University Aquatic Center.
November 12, 2018
The ACC/Big Ten Challenge for swimming and diving concluded this past weekend, with a different format than regular duals. Instead of scouting and trying to beat Big Ten rivals, the Hawkeyes joined forces with normal Big Ten foes to take down ACC competitors.
The Big Ten women blew the ACC out of the water, 251-102. The Big Ten men had a much closer finish — they eked out a victory, 179-174.
The Hawkeye swimmers who competed were junior Hannah Burvill, sophomore Kelsey Drake, freshman Mateusz Arndt, seniors Kenneth Mende and Jack Smith, and juniors Joe Myhre and Will Scott.
On Day 1, Myhre anchored the 400-medley relay, finishing in sixth-place (3:11.53). Scott and Mende also competed in the event and ended up finishing seventh (3:15.91).
Burvill was the first for the Hawkeyes to compete in an individual event, swimming to sixth place in the 100 free (season-best 49.77). That is also the best time for the Hawkeyes in the 100 free by a full second. Burvill later competed in the 800-free relay as the third leg, and the team took third (7:10.07).
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Arndt swam an impressive 500 free, dropping three seconds from his best time (team-best 4:25.24). He finished seventh. He later led the 800-free relay team to sixth place (6:30.23).
To conclude the first day, Drake tied her season-best time of 53.55 in the 100 fly to earn seventh in a stacked heat. Mende also finished eighth place in the 200 back (1:47.60).
On Day 2, Drake and Burvill opened the session together in the 200-medley relay (1:40.74). Mende followed by leading off for the men in the same event and earned sixth place (1:28.51).
Arndt continued his impressive swimming, swimming to eighth place in the 200 free (1:38.46). Mende followed the event with an eighth-place finish in the 100 back (49.73).
For only the second time this season, Burvill competed in the 50 free and finished eighth (23.40). She later raced in the 400-free relay to help it finish fourth (3:19.12).
To conclude the Hawkeye action, three men competed in the 400-free relay. Myhre and Smith were on the same team and helped it finish fifth (2:56.50). Scott’s team was not too far behind, and he led the sixth-place finishers (44.49).
Iowa will host the Hawkeye Invitational at the Campus Recreation & Wellness Center Nov. 15-17. The sessions will begin at 10 a.m., 1.p.m., and 6 p.m. each day respectively.