Huskers Ready for Road Dual with Hawkeyes

The Nebraska swimming and diving team hits the road for the first time in 2024-25 when the Huskers travel to Iowa City to take on the Hawkeyes on Friday afternoon.

The dual meet between Nebraska and Iowa at the Campus Wellness and Recreation Center is set to begin at 4 p.m. (CT).

The Big Red enjoyed a strong season-opening performance in a double-double with No. 24 Minnesota and South Dakota at the Devaney Natatorium in Lincoln (Oct. 4).

All-American Gena Jorgenson won three event titles while senior Maia Hall added a pair of individual victories in the breaststroke events to lead Nebraska.

Jorgenson, a junior from Aberdeen, S.D., powered her way to wins in both the 500 (4:45.33) and 1,000-yard (10:02.71) freestyles while adding another victory in the 200 backstroke (2:01.53) to help the Big Red cruise to a 226-74 win over South Dakota. The Huskers came up short in a 196-104 loss to the No. 24 Golden Gophers to split the double-dual.

Hall put up an impressive day of her own, sharing the 100-yard breaststroke title with senior teammate JoJo Randby (Omaha, Neb.) in identical times of 1:03.43. Hall, a senior from Whitby, England swept the breaststroke titles with a win in the 200 (2:17.43), while Randby added a fourth-place finish in the event. Hall added to her strong all-around performance on the day with a third-place showing in the 200 IM.

Marissa Laurin contributed several impressive efforts in her Husker debut. The freshman from Grand Prairie, Alberta, Canada, notched runner-up finishes in the 200 back (2:02.47) and 200 IM (2:06.79) while adding a fourth-place finish in the 100 back. She also swam a leg of Nebraska's third-place 200 medley relay. 

Newcomer Maisie Gilford also contributed in her Husker debut with a pair of third-place finishes in the 50 (23.51) and 100 (51.53) freestyles, while anchoring the 200 medley relay.

The Husker divers also got the season off to a solid start with sophomore Antonina Harned taking second and meeting the NCAA qualifying standard in the three-meter dive with a 305.60. Junior Kelsey Clairmont added a fifth-place finish in the event with a 272.15.

Abby Baxter added an NCAA standard of 285.25 to finish fourth on the one-meter board, while Clairmont added a qualifying score of her own with a 270.70.

Last Meeting with Iowa
Last season, Iowa escaped from Lincoln with a 159.5-140.5 dual victory over the Huskers. Gena Jorgenson led the Huskers with wins in the 500 (4:53.99) and 1,000 freestyles (10:10.44), while Abby Baxter took the one-meter diving title (320.00) and Kelsey Claimont claimed a victory on the three-meter board (339.20).

Nebraska leads the all-time series with Iowa, 10-9.

A Look at the Hawkeyes
Iowa opened its season with a 173-127 win over in-state rival Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls (Oct. 4). Senior Makayla Hughbanks swept the one- (289.73) and three-meter (305.25) diving titles on her way to being named the Big Ten Diver of the Week.

Sophomore Olivia Swalley led the Iowa swimmers with three individual titles, including a sweep of the 100 (1:03.17) and 200 (2:18.77) breaststrokes, and a win in the 200 IM (2:03.40). Annie Galvin added wins in the 100 and 200 backstrokes, while Olivia Frantum swept the 500 (5:05.89) and 1,000 (10:24.59) freestyles.