The Nebraska Swimming and Diving team opens the 2023-24 season with an intrasquad meet on Friday, Oct. 6 at 4 p.m.
The Huskers look to build on their success from the 2022-2023 season, where five school records were set. Freshman Gena Jorgenson shattered the 1,650 freestyle record with a time of 16:13.34, and sophomore JoJo Randby notched a 1:00.07 in the 100 breaststroke, breaking the record previously set by Olympian Penny Heyns.
Jorgenson, a rising sophomore, earned a spot at the 2023 NCAA Championships during her first season as a Husker. Emily Haimes and Maia Hall join Jorgenson on the scarlet team. Co-captain Haimes helped the Huskers both in individual and relay events last season. She captured two ninth-place finishes in the 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay at the 2023 Big Ten Championships. Haimes was a part of seven winning relays on the season and qualified for the A Final in the 100 freestyle and the 100 butterfly at the Hawkeye invitational.
Hall hit the NCAA B Standard Cut with a 2:10.76 in the 200 breaststroke at the Hawkeye Invitational, which was good for a third fastest time in Nebraska history. Gabby Donahue, Ellee Delcamp and Giulia Marchi complete the returners for the scarlet, while the team will also feature Abby Baxter, Jenna Brown, Antonina Harned, Amelia Riggott, Beatrix Tanko and Anastasia Tichy as newcomers.
For the cream team, co-captain Caitlin Cairns had a breakthrough junior season, setting career-best times in the 50 freestyle (23.39), 100 backstroke (56.73) and 100 butterfly (54.59).
Sarah Barton and Randy will join Cairns on the cream team, along with diver Kelsey Clairmont. Randby totaled nine top-three finishes and six NCAA B Standard Cuts in the 100 breaststroke. The Omaha-native qualified for the 100 breaststroke A Final at last year’s conference meet and placed seventh. Barton, a three-time finalist at the 2023 Big Ten Championships, placed 13th in the 400 IM and earned a NCAA B Standard Cut time (4:15.60). She also placed 18th in the 200 butterfly (1:59.46) and 21st in the 200 IM (2:00.82).
Clairmont competed at the NCAA Championships and earned a 34th-place finish on the platform with a 214.00. Lexi Kucera, Madison Lloyd and Sydney McCracken round out the returners for the cream team. Kucera led the Huskers to relay success last season as a member of seven winning relays, most notably a first-place finish in the 800 freestyle relay at the Hawkeye Invitational. McCracken had a strong performance at the Big Ten Championships qualifying for the 100 breaststroke and 200 breaststroke C Finals.
Caterina Bisiacchi, Jordyn Schmucker, Anna Vlachou and Frankie Webb will take the pool on Friday as newcomers for the cream team.
The Huskers open the regular season on the road for a double dual in Minneapolis against Minnesota and South Dakota on Friday, Oct. 13 at 5 p.m.
Scarlet vs. Cream IntrasquadOctober 6, 2023 (4 p.m.)Devaney Center Natatorium
Order of Events 200 Medley Relay200 Free200 IM50 Free3-Meter Diving100 Butterfly100 Free500 Free1-Meter Diving100 Back100 Breast1-Meter Diving (swimmers)50 Free (divers)200 Free Relay
