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Rachael Schaffer

Class: Junior Hometown: Baltimore, Md. High School: McDonogh

Height: 5-8 Event: Breaststroke/IM

2011-12 Gamecock Spotlight Video

2011-12 - One of the Gamecocks' top all-around swimmers...Qualified for the NCAA Championships...Narrowly missed earning first All-America honor, finishing 17th in the 400 IM at the NCAA Championships with a time of 4:10.29...Claimed 38th in the 200 IM with a mark of 1:59.82...Touched 44th in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:14.11...Scored points for a second straight year at the SEC Championships...Finished 10th in the 200 IM with a time of 1:58.64...Placed fifth in the 400 IM with a season best time of 4:09.55...Won 12 individual races on the season...Swam seven events during the year and finished first in each event at least once...Swam the 500 freestyle for first time in career against Clemson and claimed first in 5:04.65...Posted a personal record of 2:01.31 in the 200 butterfly at the Nike Cup Invitational...Qualified for the U.S. Olympic trials...Swam in the 400-meter IM (24th), 200-meter IM (29th), 100-meter breaststroke (97th) and 200-meter breaststroke (48th)...Named to the SEC Winter Academic Honor Roll.

2010-11 - Qualified for NCAA Championships...Barely missed consolation final in 400 IM; finished 17th...Also swam 200 IM and 200 breast...All-SEC Freshman Team selection...Helped rewrite the South Carolina record book as a freshman...Had NCAA `B' cuts in four events...Shattered the school record in the 400 IM with a 4:09.33 at SEC Championships...Also set school record in 200 IM with 1:57.89 at SEC Championships...Advanced to championship finals in both events...Posted NCAA `B' cut in 200 breast in first collegiate swim; later lowered time to 2:12.88 which is second on the team and in school history behind teammate Amanda Rutqvist...Has the eighth-fastest 100 breast time in school history (1:03.68), posting the mark against Arkansas/Missouri...Also leads the team in the 200 freestyle (1:48.05) and is second in 200 butterfly (2:02.65)...Part of top relay squads in 200 FR (1:33.03), 400 FR (3:23.16), 800 FR (7:19.66), and 400 MR (3:40.29)...Time in 400 MR at SEC Championships set another school record...Inspired performance in 400 IM (4:15.55) helped clinch dual-meet victory over Alabama (1/29)...Named SEC Freshman of the Week twice during the season after performances in season-opener vs. Vanderbilt/Western Kentucky (10/16) and record-setting week at Nike Cup (11/20).

PRE-COLLEGE - Graduated from McDonogh School...Was part of the Eagles' run to eight consecutive Division A championships...Was a four-time state champion in the 200 individual medley...Club team is North Baltimore Aquatic Club...Advanced to finals in 200 and 400 IM at 2010 USA Swimming National Championships.

PERSONAL - Full name is Rachael L. Schaffer...Born Nov. 9, 1992...Parents are Andrew and Sheila Schaffer...Has a sister, Sasha...Has not declared a major...Chose South Carolina because she loved the campus feel...Also considered offers from Georgia Tech and Florida State.