Rutgers Posts Two Relay Season Bests On Day 2 of Nebraska Dual

RUTGERS vs NEBRASKA

• January 31st-February 1st
• Piscataway, NJ
• Short Course Yards
• Complete Results

TEAM SCORES

1. Rutgers – 181
2. Nebraska – 172

DAY 2 RECAP:

Rutgers kicked off day 2 of the meet with a new season best in the 400 medley relay. The Rutgers A squad was led off by Terka Grusova in a new 100 backstroke season best of 52.95, with Aleksa Ignatova following with a 1:03.44 breast split. Kasja Dymek then dove in for a 55.12 fly split, and Giulia Ghidini anchored in 50.31, touching the wall in a final time of 3:41.82. Grusova and Ghidini later teamed up with Elinah Phillip and Sofia Chichaikina to clock another relay season best – 3:21.66 in the 400 free relay. Grusova (50.26), Ghidini (50.81), Phillip (50.20), and Chichaikina (50.39) were able to best Nebraska’s squad by well over 2 seconds. Nebraska’s Autumn Haebig led off with a field-leading 49.86.

Nebraska’s Audrey Coffey was dominant in the 1650 free, swimming a 16:28.89 to finish first by almost 20 seconds. She kept all of her 50 splits, outside the first and last within 29.69 and 30.36 seconds.

Sofia Chichaikina also won the 50 free with a 23.36, with Elinah Phillips coming in 2nd with a 23.64. Chichaikina also came in 2nd in the 200 free, where she finished in 1:49.79. Autumn Haebig won that race considerably, clocking a 1:47.14, splitting a very quick 53.93 on the 2nd 100 of the race.

Terka Grusova went on to win the 100 back in 54.72, nearly 2 seconds off what she swam to lead off the 400 medley relay. Despite that, Grusova still won the race by over 2 seconds. Gwen Worlton of Nebraska won the 100 breast with a 1:03.36, coming in as the only swimmer in the field to break 1:04. Worlton also had the fastest breaststroke split in the field in the 400 medley relay, where she split 1:02.80. Nebraska teammate Madison Coughlen won the 100 fly with a 54.80. She then turned around and won the 400 IM with a 4:19.66, touching as the only swimmer in the field to break 4:20. Unsurprisingly, Coughlen took the race put quickly, splitting 57.10 on the fly leg of the race.

PRESS RELEASE – RUTGERS:

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Rutgers women’s swimming and diving team ended regular season competition and sent its eight seniors out on a high note with a 181-172 victory over Nebraska at the Rutgers Aquatics Center.

• 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 swimming 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.
• The sophomore Scarlet Knights’ leadoff with the back in the 400 medley relay also reset the 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.

• In the 200 IM, Grusova posted not only a career best, but the second fastest time in Rutgers history with her 2:00.85 performance. Her swim was 1.03 seconds shy of the pool record and 2.39 seconds short of the school record.
• Chichaikina was the runner-up in the 200 IM and also recorded a career top time in the event with the fifth fastest Rutgers time of 2:01.77.
• Grusova also posted her ninth backstroke wins of the year with top times in the 100 and 200 back. She led the pack in the 200 back in 1:59.87 with classmate Simone Lusby in second in 2:02.54.  The 100 back saw her reach first in 54.72 with senior Alexandra Fabugais-Inaba following in 56.81.
• The Scarlet Knights dominated 50 free with the top three times all going freshmen. Chichaikina won the event in 23.36, followed by fellow rookie Phillp in 23.64 with redshirt freshman Eleanora Trentin coming in third with a season-best 23.70.
• Chichiakina had two additional runner-up swims clocking in at 50.31 with fellow first-year Phillip following in third in 50.85 in the 100 free, while taking second in the 200 free in 1:49.79.
• Francesca Bertotto also competed in the 200 breast with a career best finish of 2:18.55 in a second place finish.
• Freshman Aleksandra Ignatova recorded a runner-up placement in the 100 breast with a time of 1:04.05.
• Sophomore Kasja Dymek registered a second-place finish in the 100 fly in 55.82 and a third-place finish in the 200 fly hitting the wall in 2:03.91.

• The meet started off on Friday with the 200 medley relay squad racing to its best time thus far of the 2019-20 season. The quartet of Grusova, Ignatova, Dymek and Phillip captured a time of 1:50.57.
• The Rutgers “B” 200 medley relay team of sophomores Simone Lusby and Nora Woods and seniors Alexis Brewer and Meghan Moses clocked in at 1:44.37 to take third.
• Friday’s action ended with a 1-2 finish for the Scarlet Knight 200 free relay teams. Chichiakina, Ghidini, Phillip and senior Clare Lawlor put together a top time of 1:32.48. Immediately behind the Scarlet Knight “A” group was the team of Trentin, Moses, Lizzy Zeller and Fabugais-Inaba combining to go 1:34.67 for second.
• Saturday kicked off with the 400 medley relay squad swimming to its best time of the season with Grusova, Ignatova, Dymek and Phillip registering 3:41.82.
• The group of Lusby, Wood, Brewer and Phillip, meanwhile, collected a time of 3:49.62 in the 400 medley relay to place third.
• The meet wrapped up the 400 free relay squad of Grusova, Ghidini, Phillip and Chichaikina swimming to a new pool best of 3:21.66 followed by Trentin, Lawlor, Moses and Zeller in third in a time of 3:28.21.

• Senior Francesca Bertotto logged her top time of the season to date in the 500 free hitting the wall in 4:49.38 for second.
• Bertotto also finished second in the 1650 free with a time of 16:47.10.

• Freshman Sam Blanc took second on both the 1-meter and 3-meter. On Friday on the 3-meter, she scored 289.88, while on Saturday she notched 261.89 on the 1-meter.
• Junior Lauren Boone came in third on the 1-meter with a score of 245.85.

“They swam great and I’m really excited. We had a few best times and broke another pool record. It’s really a testament to how much work they put in over training camp. They are in incredible shape. I think they are in the best shape they’ve been since I’ve been here. I think it gives them a lot of confidence going into Big Ten’s.” – Head swimming coach Jon Maccoll

“I’m real excited with how they looked. I’m seeing some things that I’ve been looking for all season. This is a perfect time to be seeing it. It’s fantastic. They outdid results wise what we were preparing to have today and certainly helped the team to win today.” – Head diving coach Frederick Woodruff

PRESS RELEASE – NEBRASKA:

The Nebraska swimming and diving team just came up short in a tight dual against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights this weekend. The Huskers finished Friday’s events down by a score of 88-79. Saturday morning, the meet came down to the final relay, but the Huskers fell by a mere nine points, 181-172.

On Friday, on the diving boards, Sara Troyer had a successful outing in the three meter dive. She captured first place (316.50), adding to her already impressive resume on the season. Hallie Roman also impressed, splashing to a third place finish (268.28).

In the 200 fly, Madison Coughlen set an impressive new standard for the University of Nebraska. Along with winning first place with a time of (1:56.39), she also eclipsed the school record previously set by current junior, Izzie Murray. Coughlen also established an NCAA B-cut qualifier with her time. Maggie Berning finished behind Coughlin, picking up second place (2:01.84) and Izzie Murray finished in fourth (2:07.52).

The Huskers picked up solid victories in both the 100 and 500 freestyle events, thanks to Autumn Haebig. In the 500 free, Haebig picked up first place with an NCAA B-cut qualifying time (4:45.35). Audrey Coffey swam to a third place finish (4:54.40), while Rachel Powers captured fourth (4:58.98). In the 100 free, Haebig again was victorious with a season best time (50.09). Carla Gonzalez also swam to a solid fifth place finish (51.59) in the tight race.

In the 200 breast, it was Gwen Worlton who finished before everyone else, picking up another Husker victory (2:15.78). She was followed closely behind by Tori Beeler, who grabbed third place (2:19.06).

In the 200 IM, three Huskers finished one after another consecutively to pick up third, fourth and fifth place. In third, it was Tori Beeler who swam a solid time (2:02.13). She was followed directly by Madison Coughlen in fourth (2:03.69) and Berkeley Livingston in fifth (2:05.91).

Rachel Powers finished off the evening’s single events with a nice outing in the 200 backstroke, where she garnered a third place finish (2:04.17).

In relay action, the Huskers finished behind Rutgers in both the 200 medley and 200 freestyle. The 200 medley started off the night, where the Nebraska A relay featuring Gonzalez, Worlton, Coughlen and Beeler grabbed second place (1:44.15). The Nebraska B relay with Stalheim, Savitt, Murray and Barth swam right behind their teammates and picked up third (1:46.67). In the 200 free, the Nebraska A relay finished in third place (1:35.74) with Haebig, Gonzalez, Barth and Savitt, while the Nebraska B relay featuring Pentlarge, Marvin, Worlton and Stalheim finished in fourth (1:38.40).

This morning, the Huskers began the day at 10 AM and had 10 more events ahead of them to finish the 19 event meet.

Starting with diving again, Sara Troyer captured her second victory of the weekend and set a career-best time in the one meter dive (293.55). Hallie Roman secured another top five finish, grabbing fourth (222.67) while Grace Tiernon was right behind her in fifth (218.24).

The Huskers were again successful in the freestyle events this morning, getting two first place titles in three different events. In the longest freestyle event of the weekend, Audrey Coffey swam to a dominant victory in the 1650 free. Not only did she finish first, but she also qualified for an NCAA B-cut with a time of (16:28.89), which was also her career best in the category. Katelyn Kilpatrick swam to strong finish, picking up third (16:47.10) and Rachel Powers was able to snag fourth (16:49.87).

In the 200 free, Autumn Haebig took her third victory of the weekend. She swam to first place with another season best time of (1:47.14). Savannah Savitt swam close behind, finishing in third place (1:52.70), while Jessica Pentlarge snagged fourth (1:54.36). In the shortest freestyle event of the weekend, it was Kaitlyn Barth who was the first Husker to cross, as she picked up fourth place (24.16), while Gwen Worlton captured fifth (24.26) in the tight race.

Madison Coughlen continued her impressive performance from the night before, as she was victorious in the 400 IM. She secured first place with another great time (4:19.66), while Berkeley Livingston swam to another top-five finish, this time taking third place (4:25.31).

In the 100 fly, it was Coughlen who again took first place (54.80), good for her third event title of the weekend. Freshman swimmer Kimberly Lanaghen captured third place (55.85) for the Huskers, while fellow freshman Kaitlyn Barth swam to a fourth place finish (56.71).

Gwen Worlton swam to her second victory of the weekend, this time in the 100 breast (1:03.36). Tori Beeler swam to another solid finish, picking up third place (1:04.51) in the event.

Lindsey Stalheim finished off the solo events for the Huskers this weekend, swimming to a good third place finish (57.95) in the 100 backstroke.

The meet came down to the relays deciding who would finish with the most points. For the Huskers, they came up short in both the 400 medley relay and the 400 freestyle relay. In the 400 medley featuring Haebig, Worlton, Coughlen and Beeler in the Nebraska A, they swam to a solid second place finish (3:43.74) in the effort. The Nebraska B relay with Pentlarge, Baratta, Stalheim and Barth picked up fourth (3:53.41). In the 400 free relay, the Nebraska A relay with Haebig, Beeler, Gonzalez and Savitt grabbed second place (3:24.15), while the Nebraska B relay featuring Pentlarge, Marvin, Coffey and Stalheim finished in fourth (3:36.35).

The Huskers drop to 5-2 in duals on the year, with both losses coming on the road. The Huskers will meet the Scarlet Knights again along with the rest of the Big Ten in their next matchup in Iowa City for the Big Ten Championships. The Big Ten meet begins on Wednesday, February 19 at 6:30 PM and continues through Saturday, February 22. Preliminary races will begin at 10 AM, while the final qualifiers with continue each day beginning at 6:30.