PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The Rutgers women's swimming and diving team makes its way Iowa this week for the Big Ten Women's Swimming & Diving Championships. Competition begins Wednesday and runs thru Saturday.
 

LAST TIME OUT

• In the last meet before the conference championships, Rutgers earned a 181-172 victory over Nebraska at the Rutgers Aquatics Center on Jan. 30 & Feb. 1.
• Sophomore Terka Grusova helped Rutgers to six of its eight event victories, including a win with the 400 free relay team that reset the pool record for a second-time this season and also rest the 100 back Rutgers Aquatics Center record with her opening lap and raced to the second fastest time in Rutgers history in the 200 IM.
• Grusova joined freshmen Giulia Ghidini, Elinah Phillip and Sofia Chichaikina in posting a time of 3:21.66 in the 400 free relay, marking the second time this season the Scarlet Knights have re-established the home pool record in the event.
• The 400 free relay squad bested the previous pool record by .02 seconds that was set by Chichaikina, Phillip, Ghidini and redshirt freshman Eleonora Trentin at the Rutgers Invitational earlier this season.
• Grusova's  leadoff with the back in the 400 medley relay also reset the 100 back pool record with a time of 52.95 surpassing the previous mark of 53.65 set by former teammate Vera Kopriovova in 2018.
• Additionally, Grusova was just over a second shy of setting a new Rutgers Aquatics Center record and just over two seconds short of a new Rutgers school record in the 200 IM.
• Grusova's other victories included the 100 and 200 back, as well as the 200 and 400 medley relay.
• Also in the 200 IM, Chichaikina was the runner-up logging the fifth fastest time at Rutgers.
• Chichaikina also captured a win for the Scarlet Knights in the 50 free.

B1G TOP MARKS

• Sophomore Terka Grusova's NCAA B cut 100 back time of 52.95 from her leadoff leg of the 400  relay in the dual meet versus Nebraska is currently fifth in the Big Ten . 
• Freshman Sofia Chichaikina is currently listed 10th in the Big Ten with her NCAA B cut time of 49.46 in the 100 free from the Rutgers Invitational. Her time was a Rutgers Aquatics Center record and the second fastest time in school history.
• Four divers are also listed among the top scores in the Big Ten.
• Sophomore Marina Wilkins' platform score of 202.05 from the Rutgers Invitational is third in the Big Ten, while her NCAA Zone qualifying mark of 302.80 on the 3-meter against Iowa State puts her third in the league.
• Also on the 3-meter, freshman Sam Blanc ranks second in the conference with her NCAA Zone qualifying score of 308.85.
• Sophomore Jenna Douglass is featured in fourth on the platform after her 201.60 at the Rutgers Invitational.
• Fellow second-year Scarlet Knight Megan Demeo checks at 10th on the 1-meter after posting a NCAA Zone score of 272.75 at the Rutgers Preseason Tuneup.

B1G HONORS

• 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.

RUTGERS AQUATICS CENTER RECORDS

• Rutgers has reset six Rutgers Aquatics Center records in 2019-20, including all three free relays events.
• The first record reset was the 200 free relay team of Elinah Phillip, Giulia Ghidini, Sofia Chichaikina and Clare Lawlor against Princeton on Nov. 15 as the quartet swam to a time of 1:31.75.
• The 400 free relay pool record was reset twice during the 2019-20 season.
• The 400 free relay squad of Chichaikina, Phillip, Ghidini and Eleonora Trentin combined for a new record of 3:21.68 at the Rutgers Invitational on Dec. 7.
• Then on Feb. 1 in a dual meet with Nebraska, sophomore Terka Grusova joined freshmen Giulia Ghidini, Elinah Phillip and Sofia Chichaikina in posting a time of 3:21.66 re-establishing the home pool record by.02 seconds.
• Also with the 400 free relay, leadoff Terka Grusova swam a 100 back time of 52.95 for a new pool best
• The 800 free relay consisting of Chichaikina, Ghidini, Francesca Bertotto and Alexandra Fabugais-Inaba finished in a record time of 7:15.38 on day one of the Rutgers Invitational on Dec. 4.
• Chichaikina also reset the Rutgers Aquatics standard in the 100 free with her NCAA B cut time of 49.46 on the final day of the Rutgers Invite on Dec. 7.

TOP TIMES IN RUTGERS HISTORY

• The Scarlet Knights have registered 17 times and scores that ranked among the Rutgers top 10 by eight different swimmers and divers.

TRAINING FOR TOKYO

• Several Scarlet Knights are pursuing Olympic dreams while "On The Banks".
• Rutgers hosted Long Course Trials in early December to capture times in a metered pool and measure results for potential Olympic invites.
• Senior Clare Lawlor qualified for Ireland's trials in three of four events she swam including the 50 back, 50 fly and 50 free. 
• Sophomore Simone Lusby of New Zealand registered times to be eligible for her country's trials in the 50 back and 100 back.
• Freshman Sofia Chichaikina logged Russian national cuts in both the 50 and 100 free.
• 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.  

INTERNATIONAL WATERS

• Sophomore Terka Grusova made her mark in international waters in December swimming at the 2019 European Short Course Swimming Championships.
• Representing her home country of the Czech Republic, Grusova swam in three backstroke events.
• Grusova kicked off her appearance placing 21^st overall in the field of 36 in the 100 back touching the wall in 59.52.
• The Jablonec nad Nisou, Czech Republic product later finished 20^th in the 200 back with a time of 2:11.08.
• She wrapped up competition taking 22^nd among the 35 competitors in the 50 back clocking in at 27.91.

VIDEO PREVIEW

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