Omaha, Nebraska’s Abigail Knapton has announced her transfer to Rutgers where she will take advantage of the NCAA’s exception rule for COVID and dive a 5th year.
“I was 13 years old when I started diving. Ever since then God has been opening and closing doors in ways that I could have never imagined. Recently, a few more doors have opened for me. I have been given a sixth year of eligibility, and my coaches have found a new home.
My days at Nebraska were some of the happiest of my life, and I will always cherish the friends and memories that I made along the way. While Nebraska will always be my home, I know that I can’t pursue my Olympic dreams without my coaches or a facility. Therefore, I have decided to follow my coaches to New Jersey and will dive my final year of eligibility at Rutgers. I am very excited for this next chapter of life, and can’t wait to see what the future holds!
Thanks to so many who have supported me on this journey. Thank you, Nebraska. And thanks be to God. ❤️”
Knapton graduated from Omaha’s Marian High School in 2016 and moved to Lincoln to dive for the Huskers. As a freshman at the 2017 NCAA Championships, she earned All-American status with a 4th-place finish on the platform. In 2018, she finished 8th on the platform at NCAAs, becoming the first diver in Nebraska history to capture first-team All-America honors in back-to-back seasons. At 2019 NCAAs, she came in 5th on the platform and 15th on the 3-meter board. In 2021, she wrapped up her Nebraska career with two more first-team All-America awards with a pair of 8th-place finishes on the platform and 3-meter springboard. She also won the platform and 1-meter events and was runner-up in 3-meter at the 2021 B1G Championships.
Knapton will be following her coach Natasha Chikina, recently hired as the head diving coach at Rutgers, and her husband Kris Hoffman, who is also a diving coach.
Rutgers did not score any points in diving at the 2021 B1G Championships. The Scarlet Knights finished 13th out of 13 teams.
Wow! This is a huge get for Rutgers. With her and Savana Trueb transferring as well. Rutgers should be near the top of the Big Ten in diving.
Near the top…? Like with Indiana, Purdue, Ohio State…?
When you have the defending SEC platform champion and the defending BIG10 1 meter and platform champion joining your team, I would say so.