Iowa State swimming and diving is set to compete in the Hawkeye Invitational this week in Iowa City. The meet begins 10 a.m. Thursday and will run through Saturday evening. 

Nine teams will take to the pool in the Invitational, as the Cyclones face off against a field of Iowa, Northern Iowa (UNI), Illinois, Nebraska, San Diego State, Colorado State, Arkansas and Kansas. 

The Cyclones enter the meet at 2-1 on the season. They opened the season with dominant wins over South Dakota State and South Dakota before falling to Nebraska via a brutal 202-94 defeat. They’ll look to rebound from that loss in Iowa City with another shot at the Cornhuskers. 

The Invitational will serve as a preview for the rest of Iowa State’s schedule this season. Out of the five regular season duels remaining, three of the Cyclones’ opponents will be competing this weekend. 

The multi-team meet serves as a chance to get a leg up on Iowa, UNI and Kansas before they meet Iowa State in duels later this season. 

The Hawkeyes have looked strong this season, opening at 2-1. They had big wins over UNI and Nebraska before they fell to No. 23 Minnesota in their last outing. Iowa should certainly be slated to be one of the frontrunners this weekend.

The Fighting Illini are another tough match-up for the Cyclones in the Invitational. They are 5-0 this year, with a big win over Kansas on their resume. 

The Big 10 teams will likely be a force to be reckoned with, but Iowa State should have a fighting chance in Iowa City. Battling against some tough competition in the Big 10 will be a good test for the Cyclones, and getting an early look at some of the upcoming matchups should serve the team as well. 

Throw in a few wildcards in the form of San Diego State, Arkansas and Colorado State, and that makes a recipe for an electric meet. The live results from Iowa City can be followed on hawkeyesports.com this weekend.