Florida Gulf Coast continues to beef up their lineup with the addition of yet another impressive European backstroker: Kira Toussaint.
She was 3rd at this year’s Eindhoven Swim Cup, the Netherlands’ major National Championship meet, and the 2nd-best local swimmer. In long course, she’s been 1:01.2, but she’s even better in short course. In a 25-meter pool, she’s the fastest Dutch backstroker in history, with a best of 57.16 over 100 meters, done last November in Chartres.
That time converts to a 51-mid in yards, and gives her immediate NCAA scoring potential individually.
Toussaint just turned 19 in May, and will bring even more to this team: she also goes 26.9 in the 50 long course free, 57.3 in the 100 long course free, and 2:04 in the 200 long course free.
This Florida Gulf Coast program now has a glut of young talent, including NCAA qualifier and also a backstroker Emma Svensson from Sweden and another newly-signed freshman Nina Schiffer from Germany.
Svensson was the program’s first-ever NCAA Championship qualifier last year, and if Toussaint lives up to expectations, this team has the potential to get their full medleys qualified. Svensson split a 47-second 100 yard freestyle on a relay last year. They have to replace the two middle legs of their medley, but with incoming Leter having gone 32.5 in the 50 long course breaststroke (and the Auburn transfer Centeno more proven in yards if Leter doesn’t work out), if Schiffer can get back to her previous level of swimming, this team could put a full medley relay at the NCAA Championships in 2014.
The full FGCU class is below:
And yet only two comments on the story…If this guy were at a “big-time” school this would be national news. I guess it will be sweeter when he beats said schools.
Yes!! Dutch Women in the US!!! I love it!! FGCU really is an amazing story – they have quietly built the third best program in the state of Florida and have done with less than 14 scholarships. They’re gaining on FSU…If they had more scholarship dollars my guess is they would quietly become the 2nd best program in the state of Florida.
That run by their basketball team has to have been good for business…maybe we’ll see that scholarship number tick up in the next few years.
One would think the FGCU AD would see the value they have in Neal Studd…Incredible what he has done with so few scholarships. FGCU has everything needed to be a top 25 program…just need the scholarship dollars. The facility is beautiful, the location is prime, the coaching is top notch. Shouldn’t the AD be rewarding that and nurturing it with more scholarships whenever possible?