Swimming and Diving Approaches 2026-27 Season
Oct 07 | Women's Swimming & Diving
Scarlet Knights' First Competition is at Home This Friday-Saturday
PISCATAWAY, N.J. ā Rutgers swimming and diving is set to begin a highly anticipated season this weekend, as the Scarlet Knights will host an Invitational this Friday and Saturday. The Scarlet Knights bring a mix of talented returners and an exciting group of newcomers that are poised to make a big impact this season.
"This team has the greatest amount of talent that we've ever been able to collect," head coach Jon Maccol said. "The level of focus, things are just a bit different this year. It's the youngest team we've ever had since I've been here, but at the same time, it's also the most mature. And that is a credit to the recruiting and the high level of selectiveness we have when going through that process. These are women that have swam in a lot of high-level meets and medaled and finaled there. And the vast majority of them are under 20 years old. It's a talent level and mixed with maturity and focus and understanding of what we're trying to do here, that's an exciting thing for the program."
Anna Vlachou was named a Big Ten Preseason Swimmer to Watch. She set school records in the 100 Freestyle and 100 Butterfly, making the A Final at Big Ten Championships in the 100 Butterfly.
Katerina Hoffman was named a Big Ten Preseason Diver to Watch. Hoffman was one of three divers RU sent to NCAA Championships and was named a Second Team All-American on the 3-Meter. She was joined at NCAAs by fellow returnee and Team USA participant Bailee Sturgill. The diving squad was nationally ranked last season among the nation's top diving programs.
"I'm really looking forward to continuing to work with this group of divers," said diving coach Natasha Chikina. "I'm excited to see how much they can improve this season, what they can contribute to the team and how much progress they can make this season."
Hoffman is one of four captains for the Scarlet Knights. She will be joined by Chiara Alberti, Ana Hazlehurst and Ellie Schinsky. Ana Hazlehurst made three finals at the Big Ten Championships and saw her 200 and 400 IM times both be among the top-3 fastest in school history.
"This is the most excited I've been for a season for the team as a whole," Schinsky said. "We have a lot of very talented freshmen starting their careers. We're looking forward to showing up and showing out and showing everyone that we're here and we're going to make it known."
Last season, Rutgers improved its Big Ten point total over 70 points more than the year prior and had its best Big Ten score since the West Coast expansion of the Big Ten. Rutgers had nine new entries into its all-time top-10 list, with five of them among the top-three all-time in program history. Rutgers had a total of 14 finalists at Big Tens.
The team continued to build this summer, which included Emilianna Gonzalez earning a bronze medal at the USA Swimming Speedo Junior National Championships and Anna Vlachou setting a pair of U-23 Greek National records. This weekend will showcase the debut of a large and talented group of incoming freshmen, who bring high-level experience and excitement to The Banks. With the roster that RU has assembled, the team is ready to make a mark and prove its mettle this season.
The action starts this weekend at the Rutgers Aquatic Center. The Scarlet Knights host Army, St. Bonaventure, Northeastern, Boston College and Fordham. There will be three sessions - Friday at 5 pm, Saturday at 10 am and Saturday at 4 pm.
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"This team has the greatest amount of talent that we've ever been able to collect," head coach Jon Maccol said. "The level of focus, things are just a bit different this year. It's the youngest team we've ever had since I've been here, but at the same time, it's also the most mature. And that is a credit to the recruiting and the high level of selectiveness we have when going through that process. These are women that have swam in a lot of high-level meets and medaled and finaled there. And the vast majority of them are under 20 years old. It's a talent level and mixed with maturity and focus and understanding of what we're trying to do here, that's an exciting thing for the program."
Anna Vlachou was named a Big Ten Preseason Swimmer to Watch. She set school records in the 100 Freestyle and 100 Butterfly, making the A Final at Big Ten Championships in the 100 Butterfly.
Katerina Hoffman was named a Big Ten Preseason Diver to Watch. Hoffman was one of three divers RU sent to NCAA Championships and was named a Second Team All-American on the 3-Meter. She was joined at NCAAs by fellow returnee and Team USA participant Bailee Sturgill. The diving squad was nationally ranked last season among the nation's top diving programs.
"I'm really looking forward to continuing to work with this group of divers," said diving coach Natasha Chikina. "I'm excited to see how much they can improve this season, what they can contribute to the team and how much progress they can make this season."
Hoffman is one of four captains for the Scarlet Knights. She will be joined by Chiara Alberti, Ana Hazlehurst and Ellie Schinsky. Ana Hazlehurst made three finals at the Big Ten Championships and saw her 200 and 400 IM times both be among the top-3 fastest in school history.
"This is the most excited I've been for a season for the team as a whole," Schinsky said. "We have a lot of very talented freshmen starting their careers. We're looking forward to showing up and showing out and showing everyone that we're here and we're going to make it known."
Last season, Rutgers improved its Big Ten point total over 70 points more than the year prior and had its best Big Ten score since the West Coast expansion of the Big Ten. Rutgers had nine new entries into its all-time top-10 list, with five of them among the top-three all-time in program history. Rutgers had a total of 14 finalists at Big Tens.
The team continued to build this summer, which included Emilianna Gonzalez earning a bronze medal at the USA Swimming Speedo Junior National Championships and Anna Vlachou setting a pair of U-23 Greek National records. This weekend will showcase the debut of a large and talented group of incoming freshmen, who bring high-level experience and excitement to The Banks. With the roster that RU has assembled, the team is ready to make a mark and prove its mettle this season.
The action starts this weekend at the Rutgers Aquatic Center. The Scarlet Knights host Army, St. Bonaventure, Northeastern, Boston College and Fordham. There will be three sessions - Friday at 5 pm, Saturday at 10 am and Saturday at 4 pm.
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