SALT LAKE CITY – The No. 23 FGCU swimming & diving team improved its dual-meet record to 4-0 with a pair of wins at the Ute Natatorium on Friday evening. The Green and Blue defeated No. 35 Boise State by a score of 159-140, while taking down host and No. 44 Utah 165-135.

"The girls showed their class tonight," said FGCU head coach Neal Studd. "This was a tough cross-country trip and it was hard to compete at 4,500-feet above sea level. They fought hard and won what can only be described as an ugly, tough road win. I'm very proud of them."

The Eagles earned wins over the Utes and Broncos in eight of 16 events Friday night, while junior diver Ashley Wright (Port Saint Lucie, Fla./Lincoln Park Academy/Indian River) turned in a pair of season-best efforts in the 1-meter and 3-meter dives.

Freshman Elise Haan (Naples, Fla./Gulf Coast HS), who was named the CCSA Women's Swimmer of the Week after her performance against Notre Dame last weekend, continued an undefeated start to her collegiate career as she earned wins in both the 100-yard and 200-yard backstrokes in times of 54.70 seconds and 2:02.39, respectively.

Fellow freshman Katie Latham (Deal, Kent, United Kingdom/Sir Roger Manwood's School) also earned a pair of wins in the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyles. She touched the pads in 23.87 seconds in the short event and 52.00 seconds in the long event. Teammate Sara Hamilton (Stonehaven, Scotland/Mackie Academy) finished just behind Latham in the event in a time of 52.16 seconds.

The Green and Blue also finished first and second in the 200-yard butterfly as Christina Kaas Elmgreen (Charlottenlund, Denmark/Ordrup Gymnasium) and Yee Ching Wong (Hong Kong, China/Diocesan Girls' School) clocked times of 2:04.53 and 2:05.23, respectively.

Additionally, Lani Cabrera (Bridgetown, Barbados/St. Ursala's Secondary School), who recorded a personal best in the 1,000-yard freestyle a week ago, improved her record in the event to a perfect 4-0 on the season as she won the race in a time of 10:16.92, nearly eight seconds clear of the field.

Katie Armitage (Bushey, United Kingdom/Queens School Bushey) also continued her perfect record in the 100-yard breaststroke as she notched her fifth win of the season in the event in a time of 1:03.85. The sophomore standout also finished third in the 200-yard breaststroke after touching the pads in 2:21.44.

Barbara Caraballo (Ponce, Puerto Rico/Newsome HS/Indian River) continued to swim well in the 200-yard IM as she won the race for the second consecutive weekend in a time of 2:05.56.

Lastly, the Eagles' 400-yard freestyle quartet of Latham, Hamilton, Hannah Burdge (Stuart, Fla./Martin County HS) and Haan placed second in the event behind Boise State after touching the pads in 3:29.69.

Wright highlighted the Eagles' diving efforts as she finished second in the 1-meter diving and third in the 3-meter diving with scores of 272.33 and 272.55, respectively.
 
FGCU SEASON-BEST TIMES FRIDAY
1-Meter Diving: 272.33 (Ashley Wright)
3-Meter Diving: 272.55 (Ashley Wright)

UP NEXT
Following their dual meet victories in Salt Lake City, the Green and Blue will remain on the road for a two-day tri-meet against FSU and Florida Southern on Friday, November 6 and Saturday, Nov. 7.
 
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 NEAL STUDD
Neal Studd, who has garnered five CCSA Coach of the Year awards, won six CCSA Championships (2009-13, 2015) and guided the Eagles to a 29-1 (.967) CCSA all-time record since FGCU started its program in 2007. In just four years of postseason eligibility, Studd has coached NCAA Championship Meet qualifiers and competitors each of the four years, with 2015 yielding the best results to date as the Eagles finished a mid-major best 26th and produced four CSCAA All-America honorees.
 
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.