Rutgers University’s women’s diving team has been ranked sixth in the nation in the inaugural PDCA “Top 25” rankings, which recognize leading NCAA Division I diving programs. According to these new rankings, Rutgers is also the third highest-ranked program within its conference.
Rutgers head coach Jon Maccoll discussed the team’s national standing on a Preseason Preview Podcast with Dom Savino. Maccoll stated, “That’s a testament to (Rutgers diving coach) Natasha Chikina and all the hard work the divers are doing. That’s pretty amazing to think about, because we are also so young, we should be a top-10 program for a while, which is amazing for myself and the program. We probably have four of the top-100 divers in the world and that’s really exciting. We are better positioned to do well that we ever have before. The diving program is healthy and strong and we want to continue to support that, and we are receiving a great return on our investment.”
Sophomore Bailee Sturgill appears on the Big Ten’s Preseason Watch List this year after being named Big Ten All-Freshman last season and qualifying for NCAA competition in three events: 1-meter, 3-meter, and platform. Sturgill was an NCAA Zone A platform champion and led Rutgers at the Big Ten Championships by qualifying for finals in both 1-meter and platform events. At the USA Diving Championships in May, she won gold as co-champion in women’s synchronized 3-meter and earned bronze with teammate Katerina Hoffman in synchronized platform; she also placed fifth as a finalist on senior women’s 3-meter.
Katerina Hoffman, another sophomore diver, made Rutgers’ Top Ten lists for her performances in three events during her freshman year: third on 3-meter, sixth on 1-meter, and eighth on platform. She qualified for NCAA competition on all three boards, won the NCAA Zone A title on 3-meter, and reached consolation finals at Big Tens.
Sephora Ford was named Rutgers’ Diver of the Year last season after earning second-team All-American honors on platform at the NCAA Championship. Ford finished seventh in consolation finals and fifteenth overall with a score of 270.00 points. She was runner-up on platform and third place on 3-meter at NCAA Zones.
Other notable team members include sophomore Madilyn Varnum—a USA National Diving Championships qualifier—and junior Amelia Scott, who is seventh all-time at Rutgers in 3-meter dives and was an NCAA Zone A finalist last season. Freshman Giana Lawrence joins from Flemington, New Jersey as a four-time NISCA Diving All-American.
The PDCA Top 25 ranking system aims to measure sustained excellence among collegiate divers by considering consistency, execution, and competitive performance throughout each season.
Rutgers will open its diving season this weekend by hosting St. Bonaventure and Fordham at home.
