Iowa City Welcomes the Exciting Shift of the Girls’ State Swimming and Diving Championship!

IOWA CITY — Following 21 years in Marshalltown, the girls’ state swimming and diving championships are relocating.

The board of directors of the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union sanctioned the University of Iowa’s Campus Recreation and Wellness Center as the new venue for the meet, starting this fall.

The IGHSAU made the announcement on Monday.

The competition, which took place in Fort Dodge from 1974 to 2003, had been hosted at the Linda Bloom Natatorium, part of Marshalltown’s YMCA-YWCA, since its inauguration in 2004. The boys’ state swim meet was also conducted there until 2017 when it transitioned to Iowa City.

“We are thrilled to have the University of Iowa’s Campus Recreation and Wellness Center hosting the girls’ state swimming and diving championships,” stated IGHSAU Executive Director Erin Gerlich in a press announcement. “Iowa City, Coralville, and the Iowa City Sports Commission provide exceptional support for all the state events they host. They will paint the town pink for our swimmers and divers next November.”

The CRWC was inaugurated in 2010. The natatorium has welcomed numerous national competitions, including the 2015 NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships, USA Diving Regionals alongside the boys’ state meet.

“We are incredibly excited to be joining Mayor Bruce Teague and Associate Director of Aquatics Emily Downes in welcoming the IGHSAU to Iowa City for the annual Swimming & Diving Championships,” remarked Iowa City Area Sports Commission Sports Development Manager Kylee Walker in the statement. “Emily and I are both proud Iowa girls, so it’s particularly significant to be assigned the task of organizing these annual state championship experiences. We know firsthand how impactful these moments were in our lives, making it a special opportunity to serve.

“It is a chance we don’t take lightly.”

In recent years, there has been a push to relocate the state meet to a more modern facility. The pool in Marshalltown provided a vibrant atmosphere, yet as the meet evolved, its limitations became more apparent.

“As the (Cedar Rapids) Jefferson coach, I value the nostalgia of an older pool and the unique characteristics it fosters during training,” said J-Hawks Coach Jessica Hinke, “especially at Jefferson, where it’s notably challenging to exit because of the high edges. Swimmers become considerably stronger throughout the season simply by pulling themselves out of the pool.

“However, significant meets need to take place at pools that are sufficiently spacious to accommodate that capacity, and those pools must be designed for competitive swimming rather than swim lessons.”

Iowa City High Coach Mandi Kowal also embraced the transition.

“What will not be missed (in Marshalltown) is the shallow depth of the pool,” she stated. “(This relocation) guarantees the girls will compete at state in an efficient pool.”

Gerlich expressed that there is a sense of sorrow in departing from the Marshalltown community.

“While we are excited about transferring the state meet to Iowa City, this is a bittersweet occasion as Marshalltown has served as an exceptional host for 21 years,” Gerlich expressed. “We are thankful for all the dedication displayed by the Marshalltown Y staff and its numerous volunteers over the years.”

A recurring concern regarding hosting the meet in Iowa City was the potential conflict with an Iowa football game. This year’s meet is slated for Nov. 14-15, a Friday and Saturday. On that Saturday, the Hawkeyes will be playing at USC. In years when Iowa has a home game during the week of the state meet, it will be organized for Thursday and Friday, as per IGHSAU Associate Director Jason Eslinger.