UNI swim and dive: Hogan wins MVC three-meter diving crown

Wednesday, February 25

Evansville, Ind.

10:30 a.m. / 5:30 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

MVC Championships

UNI swim and dive: Hogan wins MVC three-meter diving crown

2/28/2026 10:17:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving

FINAL RESULTS Photo Gallery

Hogan also named MVC Diver of the Year as Hovland voted MVC Diving Coach of the Year for third time.

EVANSVILLE, Ind. --- The UNI swimming and diving team wrapped up competition at the 2026 Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Championships on Saturday with junior Avery Hogan capturing the three-meter diving title, capping a dominating weekend of action for Panther divers.

Following the meet, Hogan was named the MVC's Diver of the Year after also taking second in the one-meter competition two days earlier, joining her sister Taylor Hogan, the 2022 MVC Diver of the Year as the first pair of sisters in conference history to receive the honor.

UNI diving coach Bethany Hovland was also recognized as the MVC Diving Coach of the Year for a second consecutive season after leading the Panthers to seven top-eight placements at the meet in the two diving events. She previously received the honor in 2022 and 2025.

Northern Iowa finishes the 2026 MVC Championships in fifth place with 920 points. Indiana State captured its second consecutive conference title, followed by Southern Illinois in second and Missouri State in third.

HOW IT HAPPENED
In the diving well, Hogan's career-best score of 282.25 was enough to put the Waterloo, Iowa native atop the podium as UNI's second-ever three-meter champion after her sister Taylor in 2022. Her score was also enough to qualify her for the NCAA Diving Zones next month in Texas after previously qualifying on the one-meter boards earlier this season. Senior Erica Peters meanwhile placed third in one-meter action (273.70), with Trista Thompson taking seventh (238.50).

Abigail Barkhurst took 14th place in the 1,650-yard freestyle with a time of 17:44.32, as Peyton Pasqualicchio followed close behind in 16th with a career-best time of 17:49.47, while Cassidy Miklos placed 20th (18:07.52).

Morgan Raether finished in fifth for the Panthers in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:00.72, with Elyse Brayton taking 12th (2:02.92), and Peyton Pasqualicchio in 24th (2:08.17). Continuing with the 100-yard freestyle, Abby Lear claimed ninth for UNI with a time of 50.80, as Averie Bilskemper would secure 19th in a career-best 51.29 seconds, while Morgan Meyer came in at 24th with a time of 51.95.

In her A-final debut, Aspen Cole secured seventh in the 200-yard breaststroke with a career-best time of 2:18.56, with Neriah Giedrys swimming a personal-best time 2:19.07 to take 17th, and Sydney Aird also swimming a personal-best time in the event at 2:20.27 to claim 19th.

The night concluded with the 400-yard freestyle relay where the team of Raether, Lear, Bilskemper and Meyer took fifth in the event with a time of 3:23.08, moving them to seventh all-time in UNI rankings.

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS

Indiana State (1,236)
Southern Illinois (1,161)
Missouri State (1,117)
UIC (1,054.50)
UNI (920)
Little Rock (869.50)
Illinois State (697)
Evansville (313)
Valparaiso (253)

FIRST TEAM ALL-MVC HONOREES

MVC HONORABLE MENTION TEAM SELECTIONS

Women's Swimmer of the Year: Olivia Herron (Southern Illinois)
Women's Freshman Swimmer of the Year: Grace Cummings (Indiana State)
Women's Diver of the Year: Avery Hogan (UNI)
Women's Freshman Diver of the Year: Ava Molina (UIC)
Women's Swimming Coach of the Year: Josh Christensen (Indiana State)
Women's Diving Coach of the Year: Bethany Hovland (UNI)
Elite 18 Winner: Molly Kroeger (UIC)

UP NEXT
Panther divers Erica Peters and Avery Hogan will return to action at the NCAA Diving Zones, March 9-11 at the Rec Center Natatorium in College Station, Tex.

UNI swimming and diving action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Swimming and Diving), X (@uniswimdive) and on Instagram (@uniswimdive). Schedules and rosters, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.