The #26 FGCU swimming & diving team continues its dual season with a weekend of competition on the West Coast. The Eagles square off with #4 USC at the Uytengsu Aquatics Center Friday at 5 p.m. ET before traveling to #19 UCLA for a multi-dual meet that includes San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, UC Davis and Oregon State at the Spieker Aquatics Center Saturday at 3 p.m. ET.
Having already competed against #9 Florida at the All-Florida Invitational as well #18 Ohio State and #20 LSU at the FGCU Classic, the Trojans and Bruins represent the Eagles’ fourth and fifth ranked opponents this season. Additionally, appearing at #4 in the latest College Swimming Coaches Association of American (CSCAA) poll, USC represents FGCU‘s highest-ranked opponent in program history.
“Traveling to the West Coast is going to be a great challenge and experience for our team,” said FGCU head coach Dave Rollins. “It’s an excellent opportunity for them to see more elite teams and learn from them. Facing three Pac-12 programs in two days will be a great test. The team is very excited to compete, and I’m looking forward to seeing how they respond to the new environments and racing opportunities.”
Be sure to check the Meet Mobile app for live results of both Friday and Saturday’s meets.
SEASON OVERVIEW
With a win against CCSA opponent UNF in its first dual meet of the season, the Eagles improved its all-time record against conference opponents to 33-1 (.971). FGCU won 10 of 12 events before counting the final two of the meet as exhibitions and defeated the Ospreys, 159-95. Individually, Gracie Redding (Orlando, Fla./FSU/The Final Academy) and Melissa Marinheiro (Davie, Fla./West Broward HS) turned in a pair of wins for the first time this season. For Redding, her first-place finishes in the 100 and 200 free marked the first of her FGCU career.
Prior to its dual season, the Green and Blue finished third at the All-Florida Invitational and fourth at the high-profile FGCU Classic, which included three women’s teams – Ohio State, Virginia Tech and LSU – that finished in the top-27 at the 2016 NCAA Championships. Thanks to their performances through three meets this season, FGCU is currently ranked #26 in the country by CollegeSwimming.com.
Sophomores Christina Kaas Elmgreen (Charlottenlund, Denmark/Ordrup Gymnasium), who clocked the Eagles’ lone NCAA ‘B’ cut with a time of 1:59.22 in the 200 fly at the FGCU Classic, and Katie Latham (Deal, Kent, UK/Sir Roger Manwood’s School) have each earned CCSA Swimmer of the Week honors this season, while Ashley Wright (Port St. Lucie, Fla./Indian River CC/Lincoln Park Academy) received the seventh CCSA Diver of the Week award of her two-year career.
Kaas Elmgreen’s time in the 200 fly currently ranks as the 10th-fastest in the country, while the Eagles also hold the fifth-fastest 400 free relay (3:23.28) and seventh-best 200 free relay (1:32.17) in the NCAA this season.
THE OPPONENTS
USC, who returns five of its eight All-Americans from 2015-16, is 1-0 on the early season after a September road win at Washington State and a third-place finish at last weekend’s SMU Classic. The Trojans, who claimed its first Pac-12 Championship and finished sixth at the NCAA Championship a season ago, have posted almost 20 NCAA ‘B’ cuts and one NCAA ‘A’ cut this season.
Fellow Pac-12 member UCLA kicked off its 2016-17 campaign with a fourth-place finish at the SMU Classic. The Bruins recorded 11 top-five individual finishes, including a first-place finish from Emma Schanz in the 400 IM, and placed behind Michigan, Louisville and USC in the meet. The Bruins finished fifth at the 2016 Pac-12 Championship and 17th at the NCAA Championship.
The remainder of Saturday’s field includes Oregon State, who finished 9th in the Pac-12 a season ago, and a trio of Mountain Pacific Sports Federation programs including defending conference champion UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara and San Diego.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Friday at USC, 5 p.m.
| Events | FGCU Season-Best Times |
| 200 medley relay | Teijonsalo, Leter, Wong, Latham – 1:42.64 |
| 1000 free | Melissa Marinheiro – 10:32.05 |
| 200 free | Hannah Burdge – 1:51.21 |
| 100 back | Sandra Wilk – 56.77 |
| 100 breast | Evita Leter – 1:05.16 |
| 200 fly | Christina Kaas Elmgreen – 1:59.22 (NCAA ‘B’) |
| 50 free | Katie Latham – 23.22 |
| 1m diving | Ashley Wright – 254.85 |
| 100 free | Katie Latham – 50.79 |
| 200 back | Barbara Caraballo – 2:01.43 |
| 200 breast | Elizabeth White – 2:24.09 |
| 500 free | Elizabeth Zeiger – 4:57.16 |
| 100 fly | Christina Kaas Elmgreen – 55.65 |
| 3m diving | Ashley Wright – 247.80 |
| 200 IM | Barbara Caraballo – 2:03.63 |
| 400 free relay | Burdge, Teijonsalo, Latham, Redding – 3:23.28 |
Saturday at UCLA, 3 p.m.
| Events | FGCU Season-Best Times |
| 400 medley relay | Teijonsalo, Leter, Kaas Elmgreen, Latham – 3:48.07 |
| 1000 free | Melissa Marinheiro – 10:32.05 |
| 200 free | Hannah Burdge – 1:51.21 |
| 50 free | Katie Latham – 23.22 |
| 200 IM | Barbara Caraballo – 2:03.63 |
| 1m diving | Ashley Wright – 254.85 |
| 200 fly | Christina Kaas Elmgreen – 1:59.22 (NCAA ‘B’) |
| 100 free | Katie Latham – 50.79 |
| 200 back | Barbara Caraballo – 2:01.43 |
| 500 free | Elizabeth Zeiger – 4:57.16 |
| 3m diving | Ashley Wright – 247.80 |
| 200 breast | Elizabeth White – 2:24.09 |
| 200 free relay | Latham, Teijonsalo, Redding, Burdge – 1:32.17 |
FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-date coverage of FGCU women’s swimming and diving, follow us on Twitter @FGCU_WSWIM and visit www.FGCUAthletics.com where full recaps and results will be available.
HEAD COACH DAVE ROLLINS
First-year head coach Dave Rollins became the program’s second head coach in program history on Sept. 1, replacing former head coach Neal Studd, who accepted the same position at FSU in July. Most recently the associate head men’s swimming coach at The Ohio State University, Rollins brings 10 years of coaching experience at the club, high school and collegiate levels. A standout collegiate athlete in his own right, Rollins was a nine-time NCAA All-American and national champion as a member of the University of Arizona swimming & diving team from 2002-06.
SUPPORT THE CAUSE
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics’ charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.Read More