PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Rutgers women's swimming & diving team wrapped up the Rutgers Invitational adding three more victories to its total, including Rutgers Aquatics Center Records in the 100 free and 400 free relay.
 

FROM THE POOL DECK

• Thru the four days of competition, Rutgers set three Rutgers Aquatic Center records, came in first in nine events, collected five runner-up performances and registered seven third place finishes.
• Freshman Sofia Chichaikina took six total titles during the invitational setting the Rutgers Aquatics Center record with her first-place 100 free performance and with the 400 free relay on Saturday night.
• In her first season with the Scarlet Knights, Chichaikina has helped re-establish three Rutgers Aquatics Center Pool records including the 800 free relay on day one of the Rutgers Invitational on Dec. 4 and the 200 free relay against Princeton on Nov. 15.
• Senior Francesca Bertotto also wrapped up invitational action with three event wins including 1650 free on Saturday night to pace RU in the distance events. The Mestre, Italy native also swam the third leg of RU's pool record setting 800 free relay squad on Wednesday night.
• Rutgers has reset the Rutgers Aquatics Center in all three freestyle relay events – 200, 400 & 800 – in the early part of the 2019-20 season.

RELAYS

• The meet wrapped up with an all-freshman 400 free relay team breaking the pool record. First-year Scarlet Knights Sofia Chichaikina, Elinah Phillip, Giulia Ghidini and redshirt freshman Eleonora Trentin swimming anchor combined for a swim of 3:21.68 to finish in first. The quartet reset the previous mark of 3:21.95 put together by Navy in 2016.

SPRINTS

• The Scarlet Knights went 1-2-3 in the 100 free as Sofia Chichaikina set a new pool record and hit the wall with a NCAA B cut time of 49.46. The Togliatty, Russia native bested the previous record of 49.51 set by Megan Clark of Northeastern in 2017.
• Rutgers saw season bests from its next two finishers in the event. Elinah Phillip was the runner-up in the 100 free in 50.32 with fellow freshman Giulia Ghidini right behind in third in 50.59.
• Chichaikina later took second in the 200 fly clocking in at 2:00.38.
• Also on the final day, Aleksandra Ignatova gave the Scarlet Knights a third place finish in the 200 breast in 2:17.57.

DISTANCE

• Francesca Bertotto claimed the 1650 free title racing to a season-best time of 16:46.60 for her third event victory after taking the 500 free and 800 free relay titles earlier in the invitational.

DIVES

• Going off the platform, the Scarlet Knights took second and third. Marina Wilkins was the runner-up with a score of 202.05 and was closely followed by Jenna Douglass in third collecting 201.60.

MEET QUOTES

"We wanted to break even more records and do even better than we did, but overall I think we did a great job this week. The seniors are swimming faster than they have in their careers, the juniors are doing the same thing, you've got an influx of talent in our freshman and sophomore classes and we really want it now. We have though got to go through the process and we've got to be patience. Hard work is going to get us where we want to be and the talent it here. We've just got to keep working hard and keeping going toward our goals." – Head swimming coach Jon Maccoll

"Jenna (Douglass) and Marina (Wilkins) both scored their highest scores so far on platform for the five dives, so that was good to see. I think we can do more, but I was real happy with where they are in this point in time. I thought we dove with some grit and some guts this weekend. We have a lot to work on to be in there at Big Ten's, but I'm happy with this group and they are trying to get the most out of themselves." – head diving coach Frederick Woodruff

UP NEXT

The Rutgers women's swimmers are back in the pool on tomorrow at 10 a.m. for Long Course Trials.

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