Rutgers Set To Host Annual Invitational

Courtesy: Rutgers Athletics

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Rutgers women’s swimming and diving hosts the annual Rutgers Invitational at the Rutgers Aquatics Center beginning on Wednesday, Dec. 4 and running through Saturday, Dec. 7.

• This year’s Rutgers Invitational includes a seven-team field as the Scarlet Knights welcome men’s & women’s squads from UConn, Colgate, Columbia, American, Lehigh and Illinois (diving only).

• Rutgers captured the 2018 Rutgers Invitational holding a multiple day lead over teams from Columbia and Queens.
• Current sophomore Terka Grusova set a new Rutgers Aquatic Center Pool record (52.98) in the 100 back.
• On the boards, senior Jenna Douglass was bested by former teammate by a quarter of a single point to take second on the 1-meter.
• Additionally, fellow senior Francesca Bertotto won the 500 free six seconds ahead of the competition on day three and wrapped up action with a win in the 1650 free with a 20-second lead.

• Rutgers won the first-ever battle for the Cannon Trophy between Rutgers and Princeton with 11 event victories and 24 new bests in a 163-137 victory.
• Highlighting the victory over the Tigers was the 200 freestyle relay team breaking the Rutgers Aquatics Center record. A trio of freshmen and a senior in Elinah Phillip, Giulia Ghidini, Sofia Chichaikina, and Clare Lawlor finished with a time of 1:31.75, besting the record set by Columbia with a time of 1:31.95 and was .15 seconds shy of breaking the school record in the event.
• Sophomore Terka Grusova led RU with three first-place finishes, which included a victory in the 100 backstroke (53.95) which was .1 second off a NCAA B cut time. In addition to leading off the 400 medley relay to a win, she also won the 200 back (1:58.54) and finished second in the 200 individual medley (2:01.40) with a career best.
• Freshman Sofia Chichaikina picked up wins in the 100 freestyle (49.85), 200 butterfly (1:59.79) and swam the anchor leg on the 400 medley relay.
• The diving squad was led runner-up performances on both the 1-meter (268.50) and 3-meter (266.54) by Sam Blanc.

• Scarlet Knights currently boast the second and third best scores on the 3-meter in the Big Ten thanks to NCAA Zone qualifying performances against Iowa State back on Nov. 9. Samantha Blanc 208.85 and Marina Wilkins (302.80).
• Diver Megan Demeo also ranks eighth on the 1-meter having collecting 272.75 during the Preseason Tuneup in mid-October.
• The Rutgers Aquatic Center pool record holders of the 200 free relay squad are currently fifth in the events among the league’s competition with their time of 1:31.75.
• Two-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week Sofia Chichaikina’s 100 individual medley time of 59.07 places her seventh, while her 100 free swim against Princeton in 49.85 puts her eighth.
• Terka Gruzova’s 100 back performance of 53.86 against Princeton puts her name eighth among the conference competition.
• Francesca Bertotto, meanwhile, comes in eighth in the Big Ten in the 1000 free after a time of 10:03.18 versus Princeton.

• Rutgers has been honored with a trio of weekly awards from the Big Ten this season.
• Sofia Chichaikina – Freshman of the Week (Nov. 13)  – Finished first, second or third in seven events against Iowa and Iowa State.
• Sofia Chichaikina – Freshman of the Week (Nov. 20)  – Repeated weekly award after capturing victories in the 100 free and 200 fly and helping the 400 medley and 200 free relays to wins, including setting a pool record with the 200 free relay squad.
• Terka Grusova – Swimmer of the Week (Nov. 20)  – Won a trio of events – the 100 and 200 back along with the opening leg of the 400 medley relay.

• Federica Greco and Terka Grusova along with 2019 graduate Vera Koprivova were competed at the 30^th World University Game in Italy last summer, the most Scarlet Knights to be featured at the event.
• Swimming for host Italy, Greco posted the highest world finish of the week from the Rutgers trio. She turned in a 59.70-second butterfly leg in the 4×100-meter medley relay finals helping Italy to place sixth. Greco also qualified for the semifinals in both the 50- and 100-meter butterfly events with matching 14^th place finishes.
• Grusova, competing for her native Czech Republic, went 3-for-3 in qualifying for semifinals in her trio of backstroke events and finished 12^th in the 100, 15^th in the 200 and 16^th in the 50.
• Additionally, head coach Jon Maccoll served as an assistant coach for the Czech Republic National Team.

• The Scarlet Knights continue their march toward the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Clare Lawlor is gunning for the Irish National Championships (April 1-4), while Francesca Bertotto, Federica Greco and Giulia Ghidini look to book a spot at the Italian National Championships (April 1-4).
• Rutgers has also booked the USA Swimming TYR Pro Swim Series and the United States Olympic Trials on its schedule.

• Rutgers swimming and diving placed a program-record six Scarlet Knights on the 2019 College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Scholar All-America individual awards list including returnees Federica Greco (Fly/IM), Lauren Boone (Diving) and Jenna Douglass (Diving).
• To earn Scholar All-America designation, a student-athlete must have participated in the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships and achieve a grade point average of 3.50 or higher, either cumulative or during the semester of the corresponding championships.
• The team earned its 11^th straight CSCAA Scholar All-America Team Award in June with a team GPA of 3.53 and placed 12 on the Academic All-Big Ten list.

• The Rutgers women’s swimming & diving team will host the Rutgers Invitational at the Rutgers Aquatics Center on Dec. 4-7.