Iowa, Michigan State Earn Big Ten Conference Weekly Honors

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Photo Courtesy: Brian Ray/Iowa Athletics

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Five University of Iowa swimming and diving student-athletes earned Big Ten Conference weekly honors, the Big Ten office announced Wednesday afternoon.

The Hawkeye women pulled off a clean sweep.  Junior Tereysa Lehnertz was named the Big Ten Swimmer of the Week, sophomore Jacintha Thomaswas tabbed as the Big Ten Diver of the Week, and Hannah Burvill was selected as the Big Ten Freshman of the Week.

Lehnertz earned the weekly nod after notching Iowa’s lone first-place finish last Friday in a dual win over Michigan State.  She clocked in at 2:19.54 in the 200-meter butterfly to beat second-place by four-tenths of a second.  A native of Iowa City, Iowa, Lehnertz also led the Hawkeyes to a pair of top-three finishes as a member of the 400-meter freestyle relay (4:05.46) and 400-meter medley relay (4:24.63).  She is Iowa’s first Big Ten Swimmer of the Week since Emma Sougstad (Dec. 16, 2015).

In the diving well, it was Thomas who led Iowa with a pair of top-three finishes, including a first place finish off the 1-meter (272.85).  Her third-place score of 283.35 in the 3-meter was a career-best.  Thomas is the first Hawkeye diver to earn the accolade since Morgan Rafferty (Dec. 16, 2015).

Making her collegiate debut, Burvill competed in three events, swimming to three third-place finishes and Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors.  The Pyrford, Great Britain, native was Iowa’s top performer in the 100-meter freestyle (59.45) and 200-meter freestyle (2:08.97), finishing third in both events.  She swam the freestyle leg of Iowa’s 400-meter medley relay, helping the Hawkeyes to a third-place finish.  Burvill is Iowa’s first Big Ten Freshman of the Week since Abbey Schneider (Dec. 16, 2015).

For the Hawkeye men, sophomore Jack Smith was named the conference’s Swimmer of the Week, while senior Brandis Heffner earned Big Ten Diver of the Week.

Smith recorded three top-three finishes, including second-place showings in the 100-meter freestyle (54.02) and as a member of the 400-meter medley relay (3:59.14).  Smith swam the first-leg of the 400-meter freestyle relay, helping the Hawkeyes to a third-place finish (3:38.25).  Smith becomes Iowa’s first Big Ten Swimmer of the Week since Roman Trussov (Nov. 5, 2013).

Heffner was Iowa’s top diver in each event, recording a first-place finish off the 1-meter (302.95) and a second-place finish off the 3-meter (297.40).  Addison Boschult was the last Hawkeye to claim the weekly conference laurel (Dec. 10, 2014).

The Hawkeyes are back in action Saturday, hosting their annual intrasquad meet at the UI Campus Recreation and Wellness Center Natatorium.  The meet is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. (CT), and is open to the public and free of charge.

**Additionally Scott Piper of Michigan State earned the honor of Big Ten Freshman of the Week on the men’s side.

Fr. – Naperville, Ill. – Naperville Central

  • Finished in the top 10 in all three of his events in Michigan State’s double dual meet against Notre Dame and Iowa
  • Finished first in the 200-meter IM (2:12.98), fourth in the 200-meter butterfly (2:10.51) and ninth in the 200-meter breaststroke (2:41.41)
  • Earns his first career Freshman of the Week honor
  • Last Penn State Freshman of the Week: Lachie McLeish (Nov. 18, 2014)

Press release courtesy of Iowa Swimming and Diving. 

 

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