Big Ten Weekly Awards: Rutgers’ Rachel Kimmel, Ohio State’s Ruslav Gaziev Lead Honorees

Rutgers graduate student Rachel Kimmel was named the Big Ten Swimmer of the Week by the league office on Wednesday afternoon.

Kimmel is the second Scarlet Knight to earn a Big Ten weekly honor this season.

The Fort Loundon, Pennsylvania, native helped set a new school record, collected two NCAA B cuts and moved up the all-time top times list in Rutgers’ annual meet with in-state rival Princeton last week.

Kimmel swam breast for the 200 medley relay team that set a new Rutgers record with a time of 1:39.32 besting the previous record of 1:39.38 set by the Big Ten Championship podium-placing squad last season. Individually, Kimmel logged a time of 1:01.60 in the 100 breast to move up one spot on the all-time list to fifth and clocked in at 2:13.62 in the 200 breast moving up five spots to third on the all-time list after shaving 2.21 seconds off her previous top time of the season. Among her Big Ten peers, her 100 breast time is currently sixth in the Big Ten, while her 200 breast time is fifth in the league. Kimmel also placed third in the 200 IM against the Tigers with a time of 2:04.48.

Kimmel is the sixth Scarlet Knight to be named a Big Ten Swimmer of the Week since joining the league in 2014-15.

Women’s Diver of the Week
Joy Zhu, Minnesota
Gr. – Wuhan, China – Master’s in Sports Management

• Set a program record with a score of 338.62 in winning the 1-meter springboard against Iowa
• Scored a 375.00 in the 3-meter springboard to remain undefeated on the season
• Earns her fifth Big Ten Women’s Diver of the Week award and fourth this season
• Last Minnesota Women’s Diver of the Week: Joy Zhu (Nov. 2, 2022)

Big Ten Women’s Freshman of the Week
Ava Yablonski, Minnesota
Fr. – Sherwood, Mass. – Dover-Sherborn – Major: Undecided

• Scored on individual and two relay event wins in the Golden Gophers’ victory over Iowa
• Posted a time of 55.28 to win the 100 Fly, her third victory in the event this season
• Swam legs in both the 200 Medley Relay and 400 Free Relay, helping both quartets to wins
• Earns her first career Women’s Freshman of the Week award
• Last Minnesota Women’s Freshman of the Week: (Feb. 1, 2021)

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Big Ten Men’s Swimmer of the Week
Ruslav Gaziev, Ohio State
Gr. – Toronto, Ont. – St. Joseph – Major: Economics

• Scored two event and one relay victory in leading the Buckeyes to a win over Denison
• Recorded a time of 49.22 in winning the 100 Back, the 11^th fastest time in the conference this season
• Won the 100 Fly in 47.90, the 10^th fastest time in the Big Ten this season
• Garners his second career Swimmer of the Week award
• Last Ohio State Swimmer of the Week: Charlie Clrak (Nov. 2, 2022)

Big Ten Men’s Diver of the Week
Clayton Chaplin, Ohio State
So. – Highlands Ranch, Colo. – Mountain Vista – Major: Psychology

• Won the 3-meter springboard event in a win over Denison
• Posted a NCAA Zone qualifying score of 377.40
• Scores his first career Diver of the Week award
• Last Ohio State Swimmer of the Week: Jack Matthews (Nov. 2, 2022)

Big Ten Men’s Freshman of the Week 
Alex Axon, Ohio State
Fr. – Markham, Ont. – Bill Crothers Secondary School – Major: Finance

• Posted a winning time of 4:29.71 in the 500 Free in a win over Denison
• Added a second place finish in the 200 Free, reaching the wall in 1:38.81, 11^th fastest in the Big Ten this season
• Earns his first career Freshman of the Week award
• Last Ohio State Freshman of the Week: Tristan Jankovics (Nov. 2, 2022)

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