Hall Breaks School Record at Hawkeye Invite

Maia Hall raced to a school-record and an event title in the 100 breaststroke to highlight another strong day of performances and keep the Nebraska swimming and diving team in first place at the Hawkeye Invitational on Friday.  

Through 13 events, the Huskers have totaled 908 points to carry more than a 100-point lead over second-place Arkansas (805.5) heading into the final day of competition on Saturday, which begins with the 1,650 freestyle featuring Husker All-American Gena Jorgenson. San Diego State is right behind the Razorbacks in third at 792, while Illinois (682.5) and the hosts from Iowa (632) round out the top five in the nine-team invitational field.

Hall, a senior from Whitby England, became the first Husker to break the one-minute barrier in the 100 breast, posting a career-best and NCAA B cut time of 59.97 to defeat runner-up Moa Bergdahl from San Diego State (1:00.24) in the A final.

Husker senior JoJo Randby added a third-place finish with a solid 1:00.54 of her own in the 100 breaststroke, while fellow senior Sydney McCracken won the B final in the event by shattering her previous career best by more than seven tenths of second with a 1:01.72. 

Sophomore Beatrix Tanko cruised to a win in the 100 butterfly to give Nebraska another individual title on Friday, posting a time of 53.46.  

In the 400 IM, Gena Jorgenson clocked an NCAA B cut time (4:13.78) to work her way to a runner-up finish, while freshman Marissa Laurin and an eighth-place effort with a time of 4:20.10.  

Guilia Marchi, a junior from Asola, Italy, picked up a fifth-place finish in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:48.80, while Maisie Gilford took 10th (1:49.70), Riley Miklos finished 11th (1:49.82) and Caterina Bisiacchi finished 15th (1:50.35) to give Nebraska 70 team points in the event.

In the diving well, sophomore Abby Baxter produced a 332.45 on the three-meter board for a fourth-place finish. Antonina Harned, a sophomore from Windermere, Fla., scored 297.00 to take sixth.  

Action resumes Saturday at 10 a.m. (CT) for prelims, with finals to follow at 5 p.m. (CT). 

Hawkeye Invitational  
Nov. 21-Nov. 23, 2024  
Iowa City, Iowa (Campus Recreation & Wellness Center)  
Prelims: 10 a.m. (CT)  
Finals: 5 p.m. (CT)   

Team Standings 
1. Nebraska - 908
2. Arkansas - 805.5
3. San Diego State - 792
4. Illinois - 682.5
5. Iowa - 632
6. Kansas - 547
7. Colorado State - 431
8. Iowa State - 333
9. Northern Iowa - 305

Saturday's Order of Events 
1,650 Free 
200 Back 
100 Free 
200 Breast 
200 Fly 
Platform Dive (Finals) 
400 Free Relay (Finals)