Courtesy: Florida Gulf Coast Athletics
FORT MYERS, Fla. – For the final time this season, the FGCU swimming & diving team (1-2, 1-0 CCSA) is preparing to compete at The Nest. The Eagles will host conference foe UNF (0-3, 0-2 CCSA) this Saturday, Jan. 30 at 11 a.m., a change from the two-day competition that was originally scheduled. The event, which will be streamed on Facebook Live, will be open to 50 spectators. All attendees are required to wear masks at all times and must adhere to CDC guidelines, which include social distancing.
Prior to the start of Saturday’s events, head coach Dave Rollins and the rest of his team will hold a senior day ceremony for Petra Halmai (Dombovar, Hungary/Lanczos Kornel Secondari Grammar School). Though the COVID-19 pandemic has granted her an additional year of eligibility, she is an academic senior and has been on the team for four years.
The Eagles are coming off a loss to FIU, despite improving upon their performance from last season’s meet against the Panthers. Halmai led the team with three individual wins, as she took home both breaststroke events and the 200 IM. Sophomore Hannah VanDress (Cape Coral, Fla./Bishop Verot) accounted for the team’s fourth event victory of the day, claiming the 1000 Free with a season-best time.
With the result, the Panthers were able to avenge their loss to FGCU from earlier in the season. Upon completion of the three-day FGCU Invitational, which was held in Nov. 2020, the Eagles’ 1,420 team points bested both second-place FIU (994) and third-place Georgia Southern (712).
Like FIU, UNF is also a program that the Eagles take on twice during their 2020-21 slate. FGCU made the trip up to Jacksonville earlier this month to face off against the Ospreys in their home pool, claiming a 201-61 victory. The Green & Blue won each of that meet’s 14 events and earned the sweep in four.
Before heading down to Fort Myers, the Ospreys will take on both Florida State and Tampa in Tallahassee on Wednesday afternoon. The team will look for its first dual win of the season, having dropped results to FGCU, No. 7 Florida and Georgia Southern.
Following this weekend’s dual, the Eagles will begin to prepare for the 2021 CCSA Conference Championships. The meet, which will take place from Feb. 15-17 at the Liberty Natatorium in Lynchburg, Va., will have FGCU’s 10th conference title on the line.
For complete coverage of FGCU swimming & diving, follow the Eagles on Twitter (@FGCU_WSwimDive), Instagram (@FGCU_WSwimDive) and online at www.FGCUAthletics.com. You can also sign up to have news on FGCU swimming & diving or other programs delivered directly to your inbox by visiting www.fgcuathletics.com/email.