Swimming & Diving End Of Year Award Winners
May 16 | Women's Swimming & Diving
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – As the spring semester comes to a close, the Rutgers swimming and diving team announced its annual team award winners.
The 2021-22 Scarlet Knights captured their highest Big Ten Championship finish since joining the Big Ten eight years ago and altogether produced 10 podium finishes at the championships.
Seven new Rutgers school records were established and 28 times/scores were recorded among the all-time top 10. Nine NCAA "B" cuts were collected, while six divers were sent to NCAA Zones. On the boards, Rutgers sent two divers to the NCAA Championships.
The Galthbraith Award was named in honor of Rutgers swimming & diving's first All-American – Robert Galbraith a 1924 NCAA Champion on 1M. It is presented to outstanding Scarlet Knight divers who have excelled on the national level.
Abigail Knapton dove her way to her fifth NCAA All-American distinction on platform and was a Second Team All-American honoree on 3M. The Omaha, Nebraska native placed seventh on platform, 11th on 3M and 28th on 1M at the 2022 NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships in March. Additionally, Knapton was crowned the NCAA Zone A Champion on both platform and 3m while placing fourth on 1M. At the Big Ten Championships, the graduate student was a podium finisher taking fourth place on 3M, sixth place on 1M and seventh place on platform with a new school record. In addition to holding the Rutgers school record on platform (332.25), Knapton also holds the Scarlet Knights' second-best all-time score in 3M (359.10) and third-best total on 1M (313.13).
Savana Trueb qualified for the NCAA Championships on 1M, 3M and platform after a runner-up finish on platform and two finals performances on 1M and 3M at the NCAA Zone A Championships. The junior was also a Big Ten podium finishes on 3M on 3M and placed seventh in the consolation final on platform. Trueb is featured among the all-time Rutgers top ten having received scores placing her second all-time on platform (295.60), fifth on 1M (298.95) and sixth on 3M (326.10).
The Swimmer of the Year award is presented annually to the Scarlet Knight who had the biggest impact on the team.
Sofia Chichaikina continued to establish new Rutgers school records in her third year "On The Banks", contributing mightily to the Scarlet Knights' highest Big Ten point total with four podium finishes, two B finals swims and a C final appearance along. She also totaled three NCAA "B" cuts during the Big Ten Championships. Three of her four trips to the podium at Big Tens resulted in new Rutgers records including swimming leadoff on the seventh-place 400 free relay (3:16.60) and 800 free relay (7:10.24) teams and anchor on the 400 medley relay squad (3:36.37). She was also a member of the eighth-place 200 free relay team and won the 200 fly B Final along with swimming in the B Final of the 200 free and C Final of the 50 free. Chichaikina was a member of the relay teams that reset nearly 40-year-old Devaney Pool records with the 200 medley relay squad topping a time set by NCAA champion Stanford in 1983 and with the 400 medley relay team passing the previous record set by NCAA relay champion Texas in 1982.
The Rookie of the Year award is presented annually to a first-year Scarlet Knight who had the biggest impact on the team.
Alice Scarabelli set five Rutgers school records and captured five Big Ten podium finishes in her first season "On The Banks". She finished seventh with the 400 and 800 free relays and 400 medley relay and captured eighth in the 200 free and 200 medley along with a C Finals appearance in the 100 free and 100 back. All five of her podium finishes resulted in new Scarlet Knight benchmarks. In addition to her school records in the 200 free (1:45.67), 400 free relay (3:16.60), 800 free relay (7:10.24), 200 medley relay (1:39.38) and 400 medley relay (3:36.37), Scarabelli also placed her name fourth all-time in the 100 free (49.40), fifth in the 100 back (53.29) and seventh in the 200 back (1:59.08). She was also a part of two Devaney Pool record-setting relay teams - the 200 medley relay squad that reset the mark captured by NCAA relay and team champion Stanford in 1983 and the 400 medley relay team that bested the previous top time set by NCAA relay champion Texas in 1982.
The Alumni Spirit Award is presented annually to a team member who through her leadership, loyalty and ability has best demonstrated outstanding competitive spirit and sportsmanship.
Katie Dougherty, one of this year's co-captains, was looked upon as the team's leader both in and out of the pool. The senior was Rutgers' Sportsmanship honoree at the Big Ten Championships, an award presented annually to student-athletes who distinguished themselves through good sportsmanship and ethical behavior. In the pool, Dougherty helped the Scarlet Knights to its highest Big Ten finish in history reaching the C Finals of the 400 IM. She also posted the ninth fastest time in the 200 fly (2:01.44) at the Big Ten dual meet at Nebraska. Outside of the pool, the public health major is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and also a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar.
The Recruiter of the Year is presented annually to the member of the team who through her communication, effort and initiative was instrumental in conveying the Rutgers' swimming and diving mission and vision.
Yael Weber was an embodiment of leadership, service and a source of positivity and enthusiasm for all her Scarlet Knight teammates. A dedicated swimmer in the water, on the deck, Weber was the most vocal supporter and loudest cheerleader in supporting the Scarlet Knights during competition. One of this year's co-captains, she worked tirelessly behind the scenes in organizing team activities, keeping the team on track during road competitions and never missed an opportunity to talk about the incredible accomplishments of her teammates.
