Swimming and Diving Closes Big Tens with Podium End, College File, Seven Extra Finalists

MINNEAPOLIS – Rutgers swimming and diving wrapped up 4 full days of competitors on the Big Ten Championships on Saturday. The motion on Saturday noticed essentially the most opponents advance to finals, as 5 swimmers and two divers moved onto the finals at night time. Rutgers had one other podium end, with diver Sephora Ford putting sixth within the platform dive, with swimmer Anna Vlachou set a faculty document along with her B Final end within the 100 Freestyle. Rutgers set one other college document (Anna Vlachou within the 100 Free, who additionally had an NCAA Qualifying time) and had two extra top-10 instances in program historical past.

Overall all through the occasion, Rutgers had six podium finishes, 5 in diving and one swimmer. As a group, Rutgers scored 379.5 group factors. RU positioned 11^th out of 14 groups, ending forward of Iowa, Penn State and Illinois.

Rutgers six podium finishes have been essentially the most since 2023. Not together with relays, RU’s six particular person podium spots have been essentially the most since 2019. Rutgers’ 5 podium spots in diving alone marked essentially the most top-8 finishes in a single Big Tens for the diving program since becoming a member of the league.

On Saturday, Sephora Ford was RU’s high qualifier, reaching the finals on platform diving with a 289.30 in prelims. In the finals, she scored a 256.90 and completed sixth.

Fellow diver Katerina Hoffman reached the comfort finals in platform diving. She scored a 229.25 in finals after a 241.15 in prelims, and completed 13^th.

On the swimming aspect, RU had two B finals and three C finals. Anna Vlachou excelled within the 100 Free. She swam a faculty document time of 48.73 within the morning prelims, ending 15^th in prelims to achieve the B closing. She then bettered her time at night time to interrupt her personal college document, touching the wall in 48.53 for a NCAA Qualifying time and a 12^th place end general.

The different B finalist on Saturday was Angelica Bath within the 200 Backstroke. She swam a 1:55.95 in prelims, the sixth time at school historical past, reaching the B Finals with a 13^th place end within the preliminary. At night time she raced a 1:57.61 to complete 15^th general.

In the 200 IM, Ana Hazlehurst swam the prelim in 1:59.81. That time was the second quickest time at school historical past and good for 18^th within the prelims, putting her within the C closing, the place she bettered her second quickest in RU historical past time with a 1:59.33 to complete 18^th general.

Rutgers additionally had two swimmers within the 200 Butterfly attain the C closing. Blanka Berecz completed in 22^nd, whereas Ana Hazlehurst completed in 24^th.

Also at night time, distance swimmer Megan Fox positioned 22^nd within the 1650 free with a time of 16:52.21.

Rutgers Podium Finishes within the 2026 Big Ten Championships

sixth: Sephora Ford, Platform

7^th: Katerina Hoffman, 3M Dive

7^th: Bailee Sturgill: 1M Dive

8^th: Sephora Ford, 3M Dive

8^th: Katerina Hoffman: 1M Dive

8^th: Anna Vlachou: 100 Butterfly