Big Red Ready to Open Season with Mavs, Jacks

The Nebraska swimming and diving team opens its 2025-26 regular season on Friday, Oct. 3, at 1 p.m. (CT) in a double-dual against South Dakota State and the University of Nebraska-Omaha at the Devaney Natatorium. 

In the season-opening intrasquad meet at Devaney Natatorium on Friday, Sept. 26, Nebraska’s Scarlet squad bested the Cream 386-334.

Leading the Scarlet team was Beatrix Tanko with 63 points. The junior from Budapest, Hungary, nabbed titles in the 100 free, 100 fly and the 100 IM. Marissa Laurin, a sophomore from Grand Prairie, Alberta, Canada, added 58 to the Scarlet efforts. 

Aurora Zanin, a newcomer from Vittorio Veneto, Italy, posted a trio of fourth-place finishes to total 51 points for the Cream team. Team captain, Giulia Marchi, added 43 to the total team score through a second-place position in the 100 free and third in the 100 IM. 

Two-time first-team All-American Gena Jorgenson will return for her final year with the Big Red after a monumental junior season. Hailing from Aberdeen, S.D., Jorgenson will highlight the 1,650 freestyle as she took sixth at the 2025 NCAA Championships with a school record time of 15:49.99. Jazmyn Lunn, a sophomore from Brookings, S.D., will highlight the butterfly events as the pair faces the South Dakota State Jackrabbits. 

True freshman Alaira Hadford is also set to compete against a hometown opponent. The Omaha native won the Nebraska state title in the 500 free as a sophomore and senior at Omaha Marian High School. Additionally, she is a four-time champion in her 200 free relay efforts and a three-time state champion in the 400 free relay. 

Junior Abby Baxter leads the Huskers in the diving well. Baxter claimed a 20th-place finish on the three-meter board at the 2025 NCAA Championships. Freshman Addy Farman adds to a group that includes Kelsey Clairmont, Ellee Delcamp, Jordyn Schmucker and Frankie Webb. 

The Huskers defeated South Dakota State last year in Brookings, 170-72, and later went on to score a victory over the Omaha Mavericks at Devaney, 169-73. 

In addition to the women’s competition, SDSU’s men’s team will face Omaha’s men’s team simultaneously, with alternating events at the Devaney Natatorium. 

Order of Events
200 Medley Relay
1,000 Freestyle
200 Free
100 Backstroke
100 Breaststroke
200 Butterfly
50 Freestyle
3-Meter Diving 
100 Freestyle
200 Backstroke
200 Breaststroke
500 Freestyle
100 Butterfly
1-Meter Diving
200 IM
400 Freestyle Relay

A link to live results for Friday's double-dual will be available on Huskers.com, and results can also be accessed through the Meet Mobile app. A live video stream can also be accessed through Nebraska's YouTube channel.