By the numbers: Iowa swimming and diving

As the regular season winds down, the Hawkeyes have a variety of strong numbers that suggest good things are to come during the Big Ten meet.

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Hannah Kinson

Iowa’s Hannah Burvill dives off the blocks in the 400 Freestyle Relay during a swim meet at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center between Iowa and Rutgers on Nov. 8, 2019.

Chris Werner, Sports Reporter


With only one meet remaining ahead of Big Ten Championships, the Iowa men’s and women’s swimming teams are entering the final stretch of the season.

Both squads have boasted a variety of impressive performances this season and have the numbers to prove it.

1 — Meet remaining before Big Ten’s

During the regular season, Iowa’s men’s team has competed in six dual meets, and the women participated in nine. The men stand at 3-3 (2-3 Big Ten) while the women have a record of 5-4 (3-3).

The men also had two invitationals this season and finished fifth and second in those events. The women participated in three non-dual events and finished in fourth, seventh, and fourth.

For its final tune-up prior to the Big Ten Championships, Iowa will welcome the men’s and women’s teams from Western Illinois to the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center on Feb. 7.

4 — School records set at the Minnesota Invitational

In the span of just three days, four school records were broken, and new standards were set.

On the second day of the Minnesota Invitational, senior Hannah Burvill broke her own school record in prelims of the 50-free after touching in 22.54 seconds. On day four, three more records fell.

First, junior Kelsey Drake took Iowa’s 200-fly crown with a time of 1:58.18 in prelims. Next, freshman Millie Sansome cruised to a school record in the 200-back in prelims, setting the new mark at 1:56.31.

Finally, Burvill broke through again, topping another of her own records. Burvill swam the 100-free in 48.65. Sansome has since broken her own record in the 200-back, setting the new time of 155.94 at the Shamrock Invitational last weekend.

RELATED: Mid-year transfers provide more firepower for Iowa swim/dive

7 — School records held by current athletes 

As Iowa starts 2020, an astounding seven Hawkeye swimming and diving records are held by current members of the Black and Gold. Apart from the four races mentioned above, Kelsey Drake also has the school’s fastest time in the 100-fly, swimming it in 53.12 at the Hawkeye Invitational at the beginning of last season.

Burvill also has the record in the 100-back, setting the time of 53.27 at last year’s Big Ten Championships. Burvill also set the 200-free standard with a 144.42 at the Big Ten Championship during her sophomore season. 

11 — Combined Big Ten Weekly Honors 

Unsurprisingly, with all of the individual success Iowa’s swimming and diving program has had during the season, multiple athletes have garnered attention from the Big Ten throughout the year.

Iowa started out the season strong with five athletes getting recognition for their work during the first week of the season.

The conference announced on Oct. 9 that Anze Fers Erzen had earned Men’s Swimmer of the Week, Anton Hoherz Men’s Diver of the Week, Michael Huebner Men’s Freshman of the Week, Sam Tamborski Women’s Diver of the Week, and Millie Sansome as the conference’s Women’s Freshman of the Week.

The duo of Tamborski and fellow women’s diver Jayah Mathews then earned three of the next five Women’s Diver of the Week awards, as Tamborski garnered the honor on Oct. 16 and Mathews on Nov. 6 and 13.

Mathews was awarded the same title on Dec. 18, along with Sansome again earning Women’s Freshman of the Week and Kelsey Drake honored as Women’s Swimmer of the Week on the same day.