Courtesy: Rutgers Athletics
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers swimming and diving has released its 2019-20 competition schedule with five dual meets, a pair of home invitationals and multiple long-course events to prepare the Scarlet Knights for 2020 Summer Olympic qualifications, along with the perennial Big Ten and NCAA Championships.
Rutgers opens the season by hosting Army, Princeton, Rider and Seton Hall in a preseason tune-up invitational meet at the Rutgers Aquatic Center on Oct. 11-12.
The Scarlet Knights hit the road at Iowa (Nov. 8) and Iowa State (Nov. 9) before returning home for a rematch with Princeton on Nov. 15.
The annual Rutgers Invitational will take place from Dec. 4-7 in Piscataway. The event will mirror the format of the major championship meets that await the Scarlet Knights in March and April, featuring morning preliminary sessions and evening finals.
In a season-long attempt to prepare the Rutgers swimmers for Olympic trials and national team qualifications, the Scarlet Knights will hold long-course trials at the Rutgers Aquatic Center on Dec. 8.
RU heads for warmer weather at the turn of the new year as the divers take their training trip to Puerto Rico Jan. 1-10, while the swimmers travel to Southern California Jan. 3-14.
Rutgers hosts a pair of dual meets on Jan. 17 against Villanova and Jan. 31-Feb. 1 opposite Big Ten foe Nebraska to wrap up the regular season slate.
Championship season kicks off with the Big Ten Championships from Feb. 19-22 at Iowa, followed by a Last Chance Meet for the swimmers on Feb. 28 at Liberty. Qualified divers will attempt to book their tickets to the NCAA Championships at the Zone A Championships from March 9-11 at West Virginia. The NCAA Championships are set from March 18-21 in Athens, Georgia.
The Scarlet Knights continue their march toward the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Clare Lawlor is gunning for the Ireland National Championships (April 1-4), while Francesca Bertotto, Federica Greco and Giulia Ghidini look to book a spot at the Italy National Championships (April 1-4).
The student-athletes have their sights set on the TYR Pro Swim Series from April 16-19 in Mission Viejo, Calif. and the USA Swimming Olympic Trials from June 21-28 in Omaha.