2020-21 Women's Swimming & Diving Roster
Biography
As a junior (2019-20)
• Competed in all nine meets for the Big Red during junior campaign, including the Ivy League Championships.
• Scored points for Cornell in the 200-freestyle, 500-freestyle, and 400-IM at Ivies, making the B Final of the 400-IM and placing 16th in a season-best 4:22.99.
• Her 500-freestyle (4:53.78) and 200-freestyle (1:50.62) times at the conference meet are personal-bests and rank fourth and eighth, respectively, in Cornell history.
• Also swam a leg on the Cornell school-record breaking 800-freestyle relay at the Ivy League Championships, helping the team post a time of 7:20.96.
• Including Cornell all-time top-10 marks in the 200-IM (No. 6, 2:04.01) at the Zippy Invitational and 100-IM (No. 7, 1:01.01) at the preseason scrimmage at Buffalo, notched five
Big Red top-10 times over the course of the season.
• Made the A Final of the 400-IM at the Zippy Invitational, finishing second among 26 swimmers in 4:23.15.
• Tallied nine individual victories throughout the 2019-20 season.
• Posted victories in the 200-IM and 500-freestyle and added a second place finish in the 200-freestyle to help Cornell to a win over Brown.
• Swept her events in the Big Red’s victory over Binghamton, winning the 500-freestyle and 400-IM.
• Won the 200-IM at an Ivy League tri-meet against Dartmouth and Harvard.
As a sophomore (2018-19)
• Swam the first leg of the school-record 800 free relay, with the team finishing in 7:23.42.
• Placed 18th in the 1,000 free finals at the Ivy League Championship with a time of 10:16.36.
• Also scored in the 400 IM, finishing 21st at the Ivy meet.
• Her time of 1:51.37 in the 200 free at the Ivy meet ranks No. 8 all-time at Cornell.
• Won the 1000 free vs. Bryant and Brown.
As a freshman (2017-18)
• Swam the anchor leg of the school-record 800 free relay team, touching in 7:25.27.
• Posted the fifth-fastest time in school history in the 1,000 free (10:08.23) to place 17th at the Ivy League Championship.
• Ranks No. 6 at Cornell in the 400 IM (4:22.56), good for 11th overall at the Ivy meet.
• Her 1,000 free and 400 IM times were lifetime bests.
• Competed in all seven dual meets during the season, posting nine top three swims.
• Won the 500 and 1,000 free races against MIT to open her career.
• Took first in the 500 free and 400 IM and second in the mile and third in the 200 free at the Ithaca Bomber Invitational.
• Won the 200 free race against Brown.
Prior to Cornell
• Was a two-time team MVP while swimming at Saint Stephens HS.
• Part of four league championship teams.
• Captained the team as a senior.
• Was a member of the 2016 women’s long course YMCA National Champions.
• Two-time member of the U.S.A. Swimming Scholastic All-America team.
• Member of the 2014 North Carolina Zone team.
Personal
• Sophia Katherine Cherkez is the daughter of Michael and Olga Cherkez and has an older sister and younger brother.
• She is enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Historical Player Information
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2017-18Freshman
Free/IM
5'7"
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2018-19Sophomore
Free/IM
5'7"
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2019-20Junior
Free/IM
5'7"
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2020-21Senior
Free/IM
5'7"
