University of Northern Iowa
MVC Championships
UNI swim & dive prepares to open MVC Championships in Iowa City
2/14/2023 10:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving
Panthers hosting conference championships for fourth time. UNI picked to finish sixth in pre-meet coaches poll.
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- UNI swimmers and divers will put it all on the line beginning Wednesday night as the 2023 Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Championships open at the Campus Recreation-Wellness Center in Iowa City. This year marks the fourth time in the last 7 years that UNI has played host to the conference meet on the University of Iowa campus.
Fans can follow live results via mobile device on the Meet Mobile app for swimming results, and online for diving competition via Dive Meets. A livestream will also be available via the UNI Athletics YouTube page. Additionally meet information can be found at UNI's MVC Championships website, or on the MVC Swimming & Diving Championships website.
The Panthers enter this year's MVC Championships after being picked 6th in the conference's pre-championship poll, as voted on by the league's head coaches. Defending champion Missouri State was selected as the favorite to hoist the conference title once again, as the Bears seek their 7th consecutive conference crown.
The 2022-23 championships will be the largest in MVC history with 10 total teams competing following the addition of new full-time conference member UIC in July, and affiliate member Marshall in September.
"We are thrilled to get a chance to race again in Iowa City and host the MVC Championships," said UNI head coach Nick Lakin. "Each year, the conference gets significantly deeper in almost every event and we are looking forward to testing ourselves in that environment. This year will be no different, especially with the addition of two new teams. We feel we have been improving rapidly since the new year and can't wait to get started. We have some individuals and a few relays looking to make some noise and we are excited to see how we match up with the rest of the new look Missouri Valley Conference."
Taylor Hogan is UNI's lone returning champion from last year's MVC Championships in the 3-meter diving competition. Hogan's victory also secured her MVC Diver of the Year honors as well as the second highest 3-meter score in program history of 286.35 points. Hogan also looks to make an impact in the 1-meter competition after posting UNI's 6th highest score in history this season of 270.70, punching her ticket to the NCAA Diving Zones next month. Erica Peters and Maddie Moran supplement Hogan on the 3-meter board, both ranking in the top-15 in the MVC this season.
Junior Amber Finke looks to reclaim her league title in the 200-yard backstroke after winning the event at the 2021 championships with a time of 1:57.72. Finke has improved on her championship time from two years ago by 0.17 seconds, the second-fastest mark in school history, and second fastest in the MVC this season. The Carol Stream, Illinois native also ranks 5th in the 100-yard backstroke this season (55.20), with her career-best time of 54.44 from last season being just 0.37 off from breaking Katie Taylor's 2019 school record of 54.08.
Faith Larsen leads the Panther sprinters into Iowa City with the conference's fastest time in the 50-yard freestyle of 22.96, the only time under 23 seconds this season. Larsen, who notched her time as part of a lead-off leg for the 200-yard freestyle relay at the Kansas Classic in November, swam the 50 freestyle as UNI's first ever competitor at the U.S. Open Championships this past December.
Two-time Paralympic national champion Olivia Chambers enters the MVC Championships with top-20 times in both the 1650-yard freestyle (17:21.74) and 400-yard individual medley (4:29.27), looking to anchor UNI's distance swimmers along with teammate Hallory Domnick.
Freshman Sydney Aird anchors the Panthers in both the 100 and 200-yard breaststroke events, posting top-16 times in both races. Scout Bergwall does the same for UNI in the 100 and 200-yard butterfly.
Players Mentioned
