Looking Back at the 2019-20 Swimming & Diving Season

Photo by: Ben Solomon/Rutgers Atheltics

Looking Back at the 2019-20 Swimming & Diving Season

Mar 17 | Women's Swimming & Diving

Scarlet Knight 2019-20 Swimming & Diving Season Recap

The Rutgers swimming & diving team continued to trend upwards in the 2019-20 season consistently swimming to faster times and diving to stronger scores throughout the season.

During the 2019-20 season the Scarlet Knights established:

Five Rutgers Records
Six Rutgers Aquatics Center Pool Records
18 Times/Scores Among Rutgers All-Time Top 10
Two NCAA Zone A Diving Finalists
Repeat NCAA Championship Qualifier

Preparing all season long to have their best performances come at the Big Ten Championships, the Scarlet Knights were able to capture:

41 Season Bests
26 Personal Bests
Highest Big Ten Podium Finish

Take a look back at the 2019-20 season celebrating the many accomplishments and milestones set by R Scarlet Knights.

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights take on the Princeton Tigers during a swim meet at Werblin Recreation Center no November 15, 2019.(Ben Solomon/Rutgers Athletics)

Oct. 12, 2019 - The Scarlet Knights win all 19 events to dominate the Rutgers Preseason Tune-Up meet. Nineteen different Scarlet Knights captured first place victories.(Above: Francesca Bertotto)

Oct. 14, 2019 - Federica Greco takes an Olympic redshirt ahead of her senior year. The butterfly specialist from Rome won a bronze medal at the 2019 Italian National Championships in the 100-meter event in a time that sent her to her first World University Games last summer. Greco is the second fastest 200 butterflier and 200 IMer in Rutgers history.

Sophia Chichaikina Big Ten Freshman Swimmer of the Week

Nov. 13, 2019 - Sofia Chichaikina was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week after capturing first, second or third place in seven events in meets with Iowa & Iowa State. She was the first Rutgers Freshman Swimmer of the Week since 2015.

Nov. 15, 2019 - The first of six Rutgers Aquatic Center records fell when Rutgers defeated Princeton in the first-ever "Battle for the Cannon Trophy".

Nov. 20, 2019 - Terka Grusova was named the Big Ten Swimmer of the Week and teammate Sofia Chichaikina was the Big Ten Freshman of the Week for the second-straight week. Grusova won a trio of events in the victory over the Tigers, while Chichaikina won two individual events and two relays, including a Rutgers Aquatics Center record in the 200 free relay.

Dec. 7, 2019 - Over the three days of the Rutgers Invitational, the Scarlet Knights set three Rutgers Aquatic Center records, came in first in nine events, collected five runner-up performances and registered seven third place finishes. (Above: Francesca Bertotto, Elinah Phillip, Sofia Chichaikina, Elenora Trentin)

Dec. 8, 2019 - A trio of Scarlet Knights qualified for Olympic trials or captured national cuts for their respective countries as Rutgers hosted Long Course Trials for an opportunity to capture times in a metered pool and measure results for potential Olympic invites.

Dec. 8, 2019 - Sophomore Terka Grusova made her mark in international waters at the 2019 European Short Course Swimming Championships representing her home country of the Czech Republic in three backstroke events.

#RUSD's own @lboone16 takes you behind the scenes of the 2??0??2??0?? Diving Training Trip in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico ???? #GoRU ?? pic.twitter.com/loHv2zHR0C
— RU Swimming & Diving (@RUSwimDive) January 10, 2020

Feb. 1, 2020 - The eight Scarlet Knights seniors celebrated their final home meet with a Big Ten victory over Nebraska, including the 400 freestyle relay team resetting the Rutgers pool record for a second time. (Pictured: Front Row - Clare Lawlor, Lexy Brewer; Back Row - Alex Fabugais-Inaba, Sarah Davis, Francesca Bertotto, Nadia Nabhan, Meg Moses, Katherine Scott)

A cool night in the pool for Senior night for @RUSwimDive! pic.twitter.com/23uPxqkBBh
— Rutgers On BTN (@RutgersOnBTN) February 1, 2020

?? R B1G PREVIEW ??#RUSD readies for the 2??0??2??0?? Big Ten Women's Swimming & Diving Championships hosted by Iowa#RUSD ?????| #GoRU ?? pic.twitter.com/LMYwwaGccE
— RU Swimming & Diving (@RUSwimDive) February 18, 2020

Feb. 19, 2020 - B1G Championships Day One: On the lead off leg of the 800 freestyle relay Sofia Chichaikina reset the school 200 freestyle record.

?? Watch freshman Elinah Phillip advance to the 50 Free A Finals at the Big Ten Championships

Phillip's time of 22.48 is the second fastest time in Rutgers history!#RUSD ????? | #GoRU ?? pic.twitter.com/eutHx4fgWw
— RU Swimming & Diving (@RUSwimDive) February 20, 2020

Feb. 20, 2020 - B1G Championships Day Two: Elinah Phillip captured the fastest 50 freestyle time in school history in a sixth place podium finish.

Feb. 20, 2020 - B1G Championships Day Two: The 400 medley relay squad of Terka Grusova, Aleksandra Ignatova, Kasja Dymek and Sofia Chichaikina put together a season best and was .13 seconds off the school record. (Above: Kasja Dymek)

?? Terka Grusova take ?? in the 100 back at the Big Ten Championships?#RUSD ????? | #GoRU ?? pic.twitter.com/aNTwqirErF
— RU Swimming & Diving (@RUSwimDive) February 22, 2020

Feb. 21, 2020 - B1G Championships Day Three: Terka Grusova erased .62 seconds off her prelim time to become the Big Ten runner-up in the 100 backstroke.

Big Ten Championships 100 back cheering Francesca Bertotto

Feb. 21, 2020 - B1G Championships Day Three: The 200 freestyle relay team of Elinah Phillip, Terka Grusova, Giulia Ghidini and Sofia Chichaikina set the third Rutgers school record of the championships. (Above: Guila Ghidini)

Feb. 23, 2020 - B1G Ten Championships Day Four: Sofia Chichaikina broke her third school record in the prelims of the 100 freestyle and advanced to B finals.

Feb. 23, 2020 - B1G Championships Day Four: The 400 freestyle relay team of Guila Ghidini, Sofia Chichaikina, Terka Grusova and Elinah Phillip reset the Rutgers record with a sixth place podium finish.

Francesca Bertotto Big Ten Sportsmanship Honoree

Feb. 22, 2020 - Senior Francesca Bertotto receives her Big Ten Sportsmanship honoree certificate from Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren.

Feb. 23, 2020 - Terka Grusova was named Second Team All-Big Ten after a silver medal in the 100 backstroke, the highest finish for a Scarlet Knight since joining the Big Ten, and school record setting podium finishes with the 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams, in addition to a B finals appearance in the 200 backstroke.

Mar. 4, 2020 - Terka Grusova qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 100 & 200 backstroke for the second-straight season.

Lauren Boone dives in the Platform Diving Preliminaries during the Big Ten Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships at the Campus Welfare and Recreation Center in Iowa City, IA on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020. (David Harmantas/Freelance)

Marina Wilkins dives in the Platform Diving Preliminaries during the Big Ten Women?s Swimming and Diving Championships at the Campus Welfare and Recreation Center in Iowa City, IA on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020. (David Harmantas/Freelance)

Samantha Blanc dives in the preliminary three meter diving board completion during the Big Ten Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships at the Campus Welfare and Recreation Center in Iowa City, IA on Friday, Feb. 21, 2020. (David Harmantas/Freelance)

Jenna Douglas dives in the One Meter Diving Preliminaries during the Big Ten Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships at the Campus Welfare and Recreation Center in Iowa City, IA on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020. (David Harmantas/Freelance)

Mar. 12, 2020 - Two Scarlet Knights reached finals diving at the Zone A Championships. Sam Blanc finished 14th overall on the 3-meter and Jenna Douglass placed 18th on the platform.

While the season was cut short of the NCAA Championships, the 2019-20 Scarlet Knights built a strong foundation upon in which to build upon in continuing to makes strides both at the Big Ten level and national scene.

Rutgers School Records established included:

50 Freestyle - Elinah Phillip
100 Freestyle - Sofia Chichiakina
200 Freestyle - Sofia Chichaikina
200 Freestyle Relay - Elinah Phillip, Terka Grusova, Guila Ghidini, Sofia Chichaikina
400 Freestyle Relay - Sofia Chichaikina, Elinah Phillip, Terka Grusova, Guila Ghidini

Rutgers Aquatics Center Pool Records established included:

100 Freestyle - Sofia Chichaikina
100 Backstroke - Terka Grusova
200 Freestyle Relay - Elinah Phillip, Guila Ghidini, Sofia Chichaikina, Clare Lawlor
400 Freestyle Relay - Terka Grusova, Giulia Ghidini, Elinah Phillip, Sofia Chichaikina
800 Freestyle Relay - Sofia Chichaikina, Giula Ghidini, Francesca Bertotto, Alex Fabugais-Inaba

Rutgers Top 10 Times Established included: