PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers swimming and diving is set to start competition this weekend, with the season opening meet. The Scarlet Knights roster has rounded into form, with RU welcoming 11 newcomers to the squad, with four transfers and seven freshmen.

The newest Scarlet Knight freshmen are Goksu Dogan, Emilianna Gonzalez, Giana Lawrence, Elayna Ling, Tayla Smith, Emily Volchansky and Casey Zentz. RU also welcomes transfers Chiara Alberti (Georgia Southern), Angelica Bath (University of Toronto), Ana Hazlehurst (Indiana) and Anna Vlachou (Nebraska). Rutgers brings in one diver (Lawrence) and 10 swimmers.
 
RUTGERS SWIMMING AND DIVING NEWCOMERS

TRANSFERS

Chiara Alberti
Freestyle
Bassano del Grappa, Italy / Georgia Southern
 

2024-25 (at Georgia Southern):

• Third Team All-Sun Belt
• Took home bronze in 50 and 100 free at the Sun Belt Championships
• Hit the wall in the 50 free (22.93) just 0.05 seconds under the Georgia Southern record
• Captured the second-best 100 free time (50.30) in Georgia Southern history
• Also reached the podium with the 200 free relay at the Sun Belt Championships

2023-24 (at Georgia Southern): 

• Set school record in the 800 Free Relay
• Team-best 1:52.32 in the 200 Free
• Helped set the top time of 1:34.22 in the 200 Free Relay
• Member of the group that set the top time of 3:27.99 in the 400 Free Relay

PRIOR TO COLLEGE

• Swam for CN Uisp Bologna
• Italian Junior and Senior National Championship qualifier

PERSONAL: 

• Daughter of Maria and Pietro Alberti
• Has three brothers, Marco, Luca, and Francesco, all of whom are swimmers

On Choosing Rutgers: "I chose Rutgers because of its welcoming environment and the good balance between academics and athletics. I was looking for a school with a strong physics program that was also close to a big city and Rutgers provides both. Most importantly, the team feels like a family, which makes the swimming and diving program really special."

Angelica Bath
Backstroke
North Vancouver, B.C., Canada / University of Toronto
 

Newsworthy: Bath in Toronto Observer

2025 (at Toronto):

• U-Sports Canadian All-Star Team
• Represented Canada at the inaugural Canada-Great Britain Dual Meet
• OUA Champion in 100 back and 200 free relay
• Runner-Up at OUA Championships in 100 back
• Bronze at OUA Championships in 50 back
• Also placed fourth at OUA Championships with 200 medley relay
• Runner-up at the U Sports Championship in the 200 back
• Bronze with the 400 medley relay at the U Sports Championship
• Also placed fourth in the 100 back at the U Sports Championship

2024 (at Toronto):

• OUA Champion with 200 free relay
• Runner-Up at OUA Championships in 200 back
• Also placed fourth at OUA Championships in 100 back
• Bronze with the 400 medley relay at the U Sports Championship
• Also placed fourth in the 100 back at the U Sports Championship

2023 (at Toronto):

• OUA Champion with 200 medley relay
• Bronze at OUA Championships in 50 back, 100 back and 200 free relays
• Also placed fourth in 200 back and sixth in 50 free at OUA Championships
• Placed fourth in the 200 back, sixth in the 100 back and seventh in the 50 back at the U Sports Championship

 
2022 (at Toronto):

• Placed fourth in the 50 back and 200 back and fifth in the 100 back at the OUA Championships

PERSONAL:

• Daughter of David and Susan
• Has one brother, Nathan
• Working on a Master's of communication and media

 
On Choosing Rutgers: "I chose Rutgers for its exceptional athletics and academics. I'm confident it's a place where I can grow, excel and challenge myself both in the pool and the classroom."

Ana Hazlehurst
Fly/IM
Lutherville Timonium, Md. / Indiana
 

2025 (Rutgers): 

• Named to Big Ten Preseason Swimmer to Watch List 

PRIOR TO RUTGERS

• Spent 2024-25 at Indiana University
• Top female recruit from class of 2024 from Maryland
• USA Swimming Nationals qualifier
• Seven-time individual state senior champion
• Won five Maryland Swimming LSC Championships, finishing second in the 1000 free and third in the 200 back
• Broke 31-year-old 100 breast record set by Olympic gold medalist Anita Nall
• Two-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American

PERSONAL

• Daughter of Matthew and Jelena
• Has one brother, Aidan
• Plans to major in psychology

On Choosing Rutgers: "Rutgers stood out to me due to its fantastic and welcoming team culture, fostered both by the coaches and girls on the team. I knew Rutgers was the place I could become the fastest in the pool and the best person I can be."
 
Anna Vlachou (Nebraska)
Free/Fly
Athens, Greece / University of Nebraska
 

2024-25 (Sophomore – at Nebraska)

• Academic All-Big Ten
• Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar
• Set a school record 52.63 in the 100 butterfly prelims on her way to a 19th-place individual finish in the finals
• Contributed to three school relay records for the Big Red at the conference meet, swimming legs in the 200 free relay (1:29.97), 200 medley relay (1:38.50) and 400 medley relay (3:36.12)
• Helped set two school record times at the Big Ten Championships (need which relays)
• Collected first place finishes in the 100 fly, 100 free, 200 and 400 free relay and 400 medley relay in meet with Rutgers and Iowa

2023-24 (Freshman – at Nebraska)

• Podium finish with eight-place performance with 400 medley relay at Big Ten Championships for third-fastest time in Nebraska history
• Placed 21^st overall in the C final of the 100 fly at the Big Ten Championships
• Qualified for 100 free final at the Hawkeye Invitational
• Finished eighth in the 200 free and 100 fly at the Hawkeye Invitational
• Runner-up in 100 butterfly and placed third in the 100 freestyle versus Rutgers
• Vlachou was a consistent contributor to NU's relay success and was a part of four winning relays this season. She helped the 400 medley relay to an eighth-place finish at the Big Ten Championships. The group finished in 3:37.60 for the third-fastest time in NU history

PRIOR TO COLLEGE

• 2o GEL Argyroupolis
• Competed for Olympiacos club team  
• 2023 Greek Junior Swimming Championship Best Female Athlete
• European Junior Swimming Championships semifinalist in 100 fly in 2022 and 50 fly in 2023
• 2021 European Junior Swimming Championship qualifier   
• Multiple medalist at Greek Open Championships

PERSONAL

• Daughter of Dimitrios Vlachos and Christina Rizou
• Has one brother, Stefanos
• Plans to major in labor and industrial relations

 
On Choosing Rutgers: "I chose Rutgers because of the team, the coaches, the facilities, and the school's location."
 
FRESHMEN

Goksu Dogan
Free/Back
Istanbul, Turkey
 

PRIOR TO COLLEGE

• Turkish National team swimmer
• Turkish record holder
• European Junior Semi-finalist

PERSONAL

• Parents are Fatih Dogan and Cigdem Atmaca Dogan         
• Has one brother, Gokhan Dogan

On Choosing Rutgers: "I chose Rutgers University because it was the most established and academically successful school in line with my research and because it was in the Big Ten Conference."

Emilianna Gonzalez
Free
New York, N.Y.
 

PRIOR TO COLLEGE

• 2024 USA Swimming Futures Champion in 50 free
• Three-time Futures medalist
• Four-time Senior Metropolitan Champion in 50 free
• Three-time Junior Nationals Finalist
• Sixth place in 50 free at 2025 Speedo Sectionals
• Seventh place in 50 free at 2024 Speedo Sectionals
• 2023 Metro Age Group Champion in 50 and 100 free
• 2018 Metropolitan Swimming Long Course Junior Olympic Champion in 50 breast and runner-up in 100 breast
• GCHSAA 50 and 100 free record holder
• Two-time Dominican Academy MVP
• Two-time Scholastic All-America

PERSONAL

• Daughter of Rafael and Arsida
• Has one brother, James, and on sister, Mirna
• Plans to major in computer science

On Choosing Rutgers: "I chose Rutgers because of its athletics and it's top-tier computer science program."

Giana Lawrence
Diving
Flemington, N.J.
 

PRIOR TO COLLEGE

• Honorable Mention Top NCAA Diving Recruit Class of 2025 By SwimSwam
• Four-time NISCA Diving All-American
• 2025 NJSIAA Girls State Diving Champion
• Sixth place in synchronized 3M at 2025 USA Diving National Championship
• Fifth place in synchronized 3M at 2024 USA Diving Winter Nationals
• 2024 runner-up NJSIAA Girls State Diving Champion behind Rutgers teammate Katerina Hoffman
• Sixth place group A girls 3M and group A/B synchronized girls 3M at 2024 USA Diving Junior National Championship

Elayna Ling
Free/IM
Pleasanton, Calif.
 

PRIOR TO COLLEGE

• Three-Time North Coast Section Finalist
• Three-Time CIF state qualifier

PERSONAL

• Parents are Michael and Pamela Ling
• Has a younger sister, Arienne

On Choosing Rutgers: "I chose Rutgers for its exceptional academics and the amount of opportunities that are provided for their student athletes."

Tayla Smith
Free
Canton, Mich.
 

PRIOR TO COLLEGE

• Michigan MLA Ultra Championship finalist in 50 breast and 100 IM
• MHSAA Division 1 State Championship finalist in 50 free
• Five-time Michigan Open Short Course Championship finalist in 50 free and breast and 100 free, breast and IM
• Canton High School record holder in 200 free relay, 200 medley relay and 400 free relay
• NISCA Award
• KLAA Scholar Athlete

PERSONAL

• Daughter of Michael and Denise
• Has one sister, Micah

 
On Choosing Rutgers: "I chose Rutgers because of the diverse community of the students who go there. I wanted a big school where there were students of multiple backgrounds, so it made sense to go to a university with similar multiculturalism and diversity I was used to. Also, the girls on the team made my official visit really special. They were so welcoming and supportive of one another. I knew that I wanted to contribute to an environment like that."

Emily Volchansky
Breast
Robbinsville, N.J.
 

PRIOR TO COLLEGE

• Third in the 100 breast at the 2025 NJSIAA Meet of Champions
• Mercer County Swimmer of the Meet after taking gold in 100 breast, 200 IM and 200 medley relay
• Holds Robbinsville High School record in 100 breast, 200 medley relay and 200 free relay
• Holds club records in short course and long course 50, 100 and 200 breast
• 2025 Speedo Sectional finalist in 50 breast
• Runner-up in 100 breast at 2024 Speedo Sectionals
• 2024 USA Swimming Futures 200 breast finalist
• 2023 USA Swimming Futures 100 breast finalist
• Runner-up in 100 breast at 2024 Speedo Sectionals
• NJ Long Course Junior Olympic finalist in 100 breast

PERSONAL

• Daughter of Alexander and Pauline
• Has one brother, Samuel
• Plans to major in psychology

Casey Zentz
Free
Reisterstown, Md.
 

PRIOR TO COLLEGE

• Speedo Winter Junior National qualifier
• 2025 Speedo Sectional finalist in 100 and 200 free
• 2024 Speedo Sectional finalist in 50, 100 and 200 free
• Three-time Maryland state champion
• Bronze in 50 and 100 free at 2024 Maryland State Senior Championship
• Maryland State Senior Championship finalist in 50, 200 and 500 free and 100 back
• 2023 Maryland LSC Senior Championship finalist in 50 back and 100 free
• 2022 Maryland 14&U Champion in 50, 100 and 200 free and finalist in 100 and 200 back
• USA Swimming Scholastic All-American

PERSONAL

• Daughter of Richard and Elizabeth
• Has two sisters, Riley and Caroline
• Plans to major in exercise science

 
On Choosing Rutgers: "Rutgers had a good physical therapy program and I really liked the team culture of the swim team."