In Minneapolis, Rutgers swimming and diving wrapped up an intense four-day showdown at the Big Ten Championships. Saturday's action was particularly thrilling, with five swimmers and two divers advancing to the finals, showcasing Rutgers' growing prowess in the pool.
Diver Sephora Ford made waves with a sixth-place finish in the platform dive, while swimmer Anna Vlachou shattered a school record in the 100 Freestyle, clocking in with an NCAA Qualifying time. Rutgers not only set new records but also posted two additional top-10 times in the program's history.
Throughout the event, Rutgers celebrated six podium finishes-five in diving and one in swimming. The team amassed 379.5 points, securing 11th place out of 14, finishing ahead of Iowa, Penn State, and Illinois.
This marked Rutgers' most podium finishes since 2023, with the individual achievements being the highest since 2019. Impressively, the diving team alone recorded the most top-8 finishes since joining the Big Ten.
On Saturday, Sephora Ford led the charge with a stellar preliminary score of 289.30 in platform diving, advancing to the finals where she scored 256.90 to secure sixth place. Fellow diver Katerina Hoffman also impressed, reaching the consolation finals with a preliminary score of 241.15 and finishing 13th with a 229.25.
In swimming, Rutgers excelled with two B finals and three C finals. Anna Vlachou was a standout, setting a school record in the 100 Free with a time of 48.73 in the prelims. She outdid herself in the finals, hitting 48.53 for a 12th place finish and an NCAA Qualifying time.
Angelica Bath made her mark in the 200 Backstroke, reaching the B Finals with a preliminary time of 1:55.95, the sixth-fastest in school history. She finished 15th overall with a 1:57.61 in the finals.
In the 200 IM, Ana Hazlehurst swam a 1:59.81 in the prelims, the second-fastest time in Rutgers history, and improved to 1:59.33 in the C final, maintaining her 18th place.
Rutgers also saw two swimmers in the 200 Butterfly C final, with Blanka Berecz and Ana Hazlehurst finishing 22nd and 24th, respectively. Megan Fox added to the evening's highlights by placing 22nd in the 1650 Free with a time of 16:52.21.
Rutgers Podium Finishes at the 2026 Big Ten Championships:
- 6th: Sephora Ford, Platform
- 7th: Katerina Hoffman, 3M Dive
- 7th: Bailee Sturgill, 1M Dive
- 8th: Sephora Ford, 3M Dive
- 8th: Katerina Hoffman, 1M Dive
- 8th: Anna Vlachou, 100 Butterfly
With these accomplishments, Rutgers has set the stage for an exciting future, demonstrating impressive growth and potential in both swimming and diving.