ISU Set to Host Coyotes of South Dakota

AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State swimming and diving team (1-1, 0-0 Big 12) is set to host South Dakota (1-2, 0-0 Summit) Friday, Oct. 24 at 6 p.m. in Beyer Hall. The two teams have met up six times in dual meet action, with the Cyclones holding a perfect 6-0 series lead.

With a win over the Coyotes, ISU would improve to 2-1 on the season, becoming the ninth Iowa State swimming and diving team to do so in the past 10 years. After letting a 27-point lead slip away in their loss to Nebraska, the Cyclones are looking to rebound with a strong performance at home.

“We just came off of a really good meet and a really emotional meet,” junior swimmer Marissa Engel said. “So I think the girls are really anxious to get after their times again and make sure they're doing everything they can to do their best after we swam our hearts out.”

The Cyclones opened the season with a 203-91 routing of South Dakota State, and Iowa State head swimming and diving coach Duane Sorenson expects South Dakota to pose a matchup similar to the Jackrabbits.

“We're going to go in there and race. It's a chance for us to put some of our women into different events to see how they fair,” Sorenson said. “It's also a chance for some of our secondary kids to get in and swim for points, and we can see how they handle the pressure.”

Sorenson and his coaching staff have put an emphasis on racing through the pressure and keeping a competitive mindset throughout all 16 events of a dual meet.

“When the pressure came on, we had some people who didn't perform, and we addressed that,” Sorenson said of the Nebraska meet, “being more mentally tough when the going gets tough.”