Completed Event: Swimming and Diving versus Cardinal & Gold on October 3, 2025 ,

10.17.2025 | Swimming and Diving
AMES, Iowa - The Iowa State swimming and diving team held their second regular season dual on Friday evening where they faced Illinois. The Cyclones fell to the Illini by a score of 121-65.
"I'm still getting more data points on the right lineup for relays and the right lineup for our events as we move deeper into the season," said head coach Matt Leach. "But, you know, across the board we saw better times and better splitting, and that's all we can expect and ask for from our girls."
How It Happened
Iowa State's medley relay team of Lili Neisser, Matilde Geromin, Keirlyn Mullica and Grace Swoboda took third in the first event of the night for two points with a time of 1:46.62.Â
Freshman Carlotta Gazzola led most of the way through the 1000 free but finished as the runner-up, trailing Illinois' Liv Dorshorst by just over one second. However, she shaved two seconds off her personal best time in the event from a week ago, finishing in 10:23.29.
Emma Kuhn and Neisser combined for seven points in the 100 back, finishing 2-3 in the event. Kuhn swam to the runner-up finish in 57.11 while Neisser was right behind with a time of 57.54.
Matilde Geromin picked up Iowa State's first win of the night, taking the individual win in the 200 breaststroke and improving her time by over two seconds. Geromin has won the 200 breast in each of Iowa State's two meets this season. Anja Peck also scored three points in the event, finishing in 2:20.67 for third place.
In the 100 fly, freshman Kendall Mallers helped Iowa State to three points with a third place finish. Mallers' time of 57.64 marks a personal best in the event.
Grace Swoboda and Lili Neisser finished 2-3 in the 50 free to pick up seven points for ISU, both finishing in under 25 seconds. Swoboda trailed Illinois' Isabella Wilhelm, the winner of the event, by less than half a second in a tightly-contested race.
In 3M diving, Maggie Bendell edged out Illinois' Matilda Garcia by four-tenths of a point to earn the win for ISU. Iona Moffat (294.40) was third while Kate Mitchell (289.85) was fourth. All three earned NCAA zone cuts.Â
Iowa State's 400 free relay team of Corinne Guist, Megan Marquardt, Keirlyn Mullica and Swoboda finished as the runners-up in the event to end the night with a time of 3:32.25.
Event Winners
200 Medley Relay: Illinois (Paduano, Duran, Diner, Wilhelm) 1:43.02
1000 Free: Liv Dorshorst, Illinois, 10:22.09
200 Free: Sara Jass, Illinois, 1:52.35
100 Back: Sophia Paduano, Illinois, 56.46
200 Breast: Matilde Geromin, Iowa State, 2:18.15
100 Fly: Chloe Diner, Illinois, 56.37
50 Free: Isabella Wilhelm, Illinois, 23.79
200 IM: Sara Jass, Illinois, 2:02.10
400 Free Relay: Illinois (Adler, Wilhelm, Yousuf, Cavaliere), 3:31.64
3M Diving: Maggie Bendell, Iowa State, 305.40
On Deck
The Cyclones are back in the pool tomorrow (Saturday, October 18) for their second dual meet of the weekend with Illinois. Both teams will be sporting pink gear as part of Iowa State's Pink Meet in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.