Minneapolis, Minnesota, will host the Considerable Ten Swimming & Diving Championships from February 18-21, 2026, as the University of Iowa sends its team to compete at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center. The Hawkeyes are looking to build on their performance from the 2025 championships, where they finished 14th overall with a total of 158.50 points . This year’s competition marks a key moment in the season for Iowa, offering a chance to showcase improvements and contend for top placements within the conference.
The Hawkeyes enter the championships following a successful regular season finale, defeating St. Thomas 182-42. Iowa dominated the meet, winning nine individual events, including impressive performances from Jenna Kerr in the 50 and 100 free (24.03, and 51.14 respectively), Payton Flowers in the 100 fly (55.13), Emilie Mosner in the 100 breaststroke (1:04.04), Josie Hood in the 200 free (1:52.43), Olivia Swalley in the 200 IM (2:04.51), Olivia Frantum in the 500 free (5:03.62), and divers Lainey Woodward (1-meter, 304.60) and Geneva Pauly (3-meter, 313.85) . The team also honored seven seniors – Olivia Asay, Meredith O’Malley, Sila Ozkazanc, Geneva Pauly, manager Lauren Trent, Leslie Wendel, and Lainey Woodward – prior to the meet.
Hawkeyes Look to Build Momentum
Iowa’s recent success extends to a 194-105 victory over in-state rival Iowa State in the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series. Senior diver Lainey Woodward was a standout performer, securing wins from both the one-meter and three-meter springboards, and moving to 8th in Iowa’s record book on the one-meter with 317.63 points . These wins demonstrate the team’s strength in diving, a crucial component of their overall strategy at the Big Ten Championships.
During the recent meet against St. Thomas, several Hawkeyes achieved personal or season-best times. Freshman Willa Hage recorded a personal best in the 200 IM (2:06.90), while junior Hope Schimming updated her season best in the same event (2:10.10). The quartet of Flowers, Dildine, Kelly, and Olen also improved their season-best time in the 200 free relay to 1:33.58 . These improvements suggest a positive trajectory for the team as they head into the conference championships.
Championship Schedule and Coverage
The Big Ten Championships will kick off on Wednesday, February 18th, at 4:00 p.m. CT. Preliminaries will be held at 10:00 a.m. CT from Thursday through Saturday, followed by finals at 5:30 p.m. CT each day . Fans can follow the action through multiple platforms, including live updates on the official Iowa Swimming and Diving ‘X’ account, MeetMobile, and DiveMeets for diving results. Livestreaming of each event will be available through B1G+ .
Notably, junior Olivia Swalley finished 12th in the 400 IM B Final with a time of 4:10.91 at the 2025 Big Ten Championships . The Hawkeyes also updated their program top-10 list four times during that competition, indicating a commitment to continuous improvement and a strong foundation for future success.
As the Iowa swimming and diving team prepares for the Big Ten Championships, the focus will be on translating their regular season successes into strong performances against some of the conference’s top competitors. The championships represent a significant opportunity for the Hawkeyes to showcase their talent and build momentum as they look ahead to future seasons. Fans can expect a competitive and exciting week of swimming and diving action in Minneapolis.
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