PISCATAWAY, N.J. – In an exciting showdown at the Rutgers Aquatics Center, Princeton maintained its hold on the prestigious Cannon Trophy, triumphing over Rutgers women’s swimming and diving with a score of 176.00 to 124.00 on Saturday. Despite the loss, the Scarlet Knights distinguished themselves by achieving five impressive top-ten school performances.
RU secured an impressive total of 19 top-three finishes throughout the competition, clinching second and third positions in the grueling 1000 free, as well as the 100 and 200 breaststroke events. Additionally, they excelled in the 100 backstroke and delivered standout scores in both the 1M and 3M diving events, marking significant achievements for the program.
- Sofia Bartoloni shone brightly, not only winning the 100 breast with a commendable time of 1:02.29 but also dominating the 200 breast at 2:14.84. Graduate student Molly Urkiel showcased her skills by finishing as the runner-up in both of these events with times of 1:02.82 in the 100 and 2:16.71 in the 200.
- The Scarlet Knights excelled in the 100 backstroke, with Martyna Piesko emerging victorious with a time of 55.09, while senior Natalie Schick followed closely behind, securing second place at 56.58.
- Shannon Meadway showcased her versatility by finishing second in three different events — the 200 free with a time of 1:51.54, the 200 back at 1:59.53, and the 200 IM in 2:03.78.
- Junior Cameron Kuriger contributed a strong performance for RU, earning a second-place finish in the 100 fly with a time of 54.94.
- Sophomore Blanka Berecz demonstrated her prowess as well, clinching third-place finishes in both the 100 fly at 55.74 and the 200 fly with a time of 2:00.74.
- In the 1000 free, Isabela Valle not only won the event but also set a new personal record with a remarkable time of 10:14.76. Teammate Orian Gablan finished right on her heels with a time of 10:18.31, taking second place.
- Blanka Berecz added to her accolades by securing third in the 500 free, clocking in at 5:00.81.
- Rutgers made an impressive showing in diving, claiming 2-3 positions on both the 1M and 3M boards and achieving three new top-10 performances. Holly Prasanto finished as the runner-up in the 1M dive with a score of 297.53, narrowly missing her personal record of 299.20, previously set at the NCAA Championships.
- Freshman Bailee Sturgill finished third, achieving a new personal best score of 297.30, surpassing her previous best of 291.45 set against Purdue, ranking as the eighth-highest score in Rutgers history. In addition, freshman Katerina Hoffman also set a personal record with a score of 296.10, improving upon her previous score of 293.70 from the Purdue meet, and finished fourth.
- On the 3M board, Prasanto elevated her status to fifth all-time with a score of 388.03, surpassing her prior best of 324.80 from last year’s Hawkeye Invitational. Hoffman joined this elite list with a remarkable score of 327.38, achieving the eighth-highest score at RU and improving upon her previous personal record of 300.75 posted during the season opener at No. 24 Miami.
200 Free
2. Shannon Meadway – 1:51.54
500 Free
3. Blanka Berecz – 5:00.81
1000 Free
1. Isabela Valle – 10:14.76
2. Orian Gablan – 10:18.31
100 Back
1. Martyna Piesko – 55.09
2. Natalie Schick – 56.48
200 Back
2. Shannon Meadway – 1:59.53
100 Breast
1. Sofia Bartoloni – 1:02.29
2. Molly Urkiel – 1:02.82
200 Breast
1. Sofia Bartoloni – 2:14.84
2. Molly Urkiel – 2:16.71
100 Fly
2. Cameron Kuriger – 54.95
3. Blanka Berecz – 55.74
200 Fly
3. Blanka Berecz – 2:00.74
200 IM
2. Shannon Meadway – 2:03.78
200 Free Relay
3. Rutgers (Jade Smits, Brooke Thompson, Cameron Kuriger, Ellie Schinsky) – 1:36.38
200 Medley Relay
2. Rutgers A (Martyna Piesko, Sofia Bartoloni, Ellie Schinsky, Brooke Thompson) – 1:42.77
3. Rutgers B (Natalie Schick, Molly Urkiel, Cameron Kuriger, Jade Smits) – 1:43.71
1M Dive
2. Holly Prasanto – 297.53
3. Bailee Sturgill – 297.30
3M Dive
2. Holly Prasanto – 338.03
3. Katerina Hoffman – 327.38
- The Rutgers diving squad will be back in action at the Buckeye Invitational on Nov. 21-23. The Scarlet Knight swimmers return to the water at the Minnesota Invitational on Dec. 4-7.
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– RU –
How does Coach Amanda Johnson plan to address the areas for improvement identified after the meet?
**Interview with Coach Amanda Johnson Following the Rutgers vs. Princeton Swimming Showdown**
**Editor:** Good afternoon, Coach Johnson. Thanks for joining us today after an exciting yet challenging meet against Princeton. How are you feeling about your team’s performance overall?
**Coach Johnson:** Good afternoon! I’m really proud of the girls. Although we didn’t come out on top in terms of points, our athletes put in some incredible performances. Achieving five top-ten school performances is no small feat, and it shows the depth and talent of this team.
**Editor:** Absolutely, the stats are impressive. Can you highlight a few standout performances that caught your eye?
**Coach Johnson:** Certainly! Sofia Bartoloni’s victories in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke were phenomenal. Her times were not only fast but demonstrated her hard work and dedication. Also, Martyna Piesko’s victory in the 100 backstroke along with her teammate Natalie Schick securing second shows the strength we have in our backstrokes.
**Editor:** It seems like your divers also had a successful day, with some new personal records set. Can you speak on that?
**Coach Johnson:** Yes, our diving team truly shined! Holly Prasanto came so close to her personal record on the 1M board. Additionally, both Bailee Sturgill and Katerina Hoffman set personal bests, which is such a boost in confidence for them. Their performances solidified our scoring in a crucial area and demonstrate how hard they’re training.
**Editor:** Looking ahead, what are the key takeaways from this meet that you plan to focus on in practice?
**Coach Johnson:** We definitely need to capitalize on our momentum and assess the things we can improve on, particularly in our endurance techniques for long-distance events. Each race is a learning opportunity, and we’ll work on tightening up our transitions and starts.
**Editor:** Sounds like a solid plan. As you start focusing on future meets, what’s your outlook for the rest of the season?
**Coach Johnson:** I’m excited for what’s to come. I believe this team has incredible potential, and if we continue to build on this success, we’ll be in a great position as we approach the championship meets later in the season.
**Editor:** Thank you, Coach Johnson, for sharing your insights. Best of luck to the team as you move forward!
**Coach Johnson:** Thank you! We appreciate the support!
