FORT MYERS, Fla. – After day one of the opening meet of the season, the FGCU swimming and diving team leads Big Ten member Rutgers, 101-66, entering the final day of action Saturday morning at the FGCU Aquatics Center.
 
In the nine events held on Friday, the Eagles were victorious in six of them, including the 200-yard medley relay and the 400-yard freestyle relay. Also, in her first meet with the Eagles, freshman Petra Halmai (Dombovar, Hungary/Lanczos Kornel Secondari Grammar School) won both the 200-yard IM and the 200-yard breaststroke to pick up 18 of FGCU's points.
 
Individually, Gracie Redding (Orlando, Fla./The First Academy) and Doris Eichhorn (Berlin,Germany/ HTW Berlin) were winners in the 50-yard freestyle (23.62) and the 100-yard backstroke (56.63), respectively, with Redding coming within a second of her top time she set at the 2017 CCSA Championship.
 
"It was definitely a good first day of racing for us," said FGCU head coach Dave Rollins. "It's been a while since we swam actual events. There are some things we need to clean up details-wise coming into tomorrow, but we got some really good swims up and down the lineup. Winning both relays is awesome for us; it was a great way to start the meet and we were able to continue that momentum throughout the day."
 
In the first event of the day – the 200-yard medley relay – Eichhorn, Halmai, Redding, and Hannah Burdge (Stuart, Fla./Martin County HS) finished with a time of 1:44.98 for the win – nearly two seconds ahead of the 2nd-place Rutgers group. The Eagles also finished 3rd in the race to pick up two additional points behind the team of Madison Jean (Parrish, Fla./Lakewood Ranch HS), Sommer Harris (Richmond, Va./St. Catherine's School), Cassidy Fry (Oakwood, Ohio/Oakwood HS) and Rebecca Moynihan (Palmerston North, New Zealand/Waiopehu College).
 
After both teams traded wins through the next five events, FGCU's lead was cut to 10 points, but the Green and Blue won the final three races, beginning with Halmai in the 200-yard IM. She placed 1st with a time of 2:05.76, and FGCU got points from both Yee Ching Wong (Hong Kong, China/ Diocesan Girls' School) in 2nd (2:06.04) and Christina Kaas Elmgreen (Charlottenlund, Denmark/Ordrup Gymnasium) in 4th (2:09.38).
 
Halmai then won the next event – the 200-yard breaststroke in 2:19.76 – and the Eagles got top-5 finishes from Vanessa Rivas (White Rock, Canada/Earl Marriott Secondary School) (4th, 2:24.46) and Elizabeth White (Fort Myers, Fla./Riverdale HS) (2:24.99) to open up a 26-point lead.
 
Finishing the day, FGCU took two more of the top-3 spots in the 400-yard freestyle relay with Wong, Redding, Moynihan and Burdge coming in 1st with a time a time of 3:26.67. Eichhorn, Hannah Wittman (Jupiter, Fla./Central Bucks East HS/Pittsburgh), Madeleine Clarke (Treasure Island, Fla./Northside HS) and Karin Schienvar (Holmdel, N.J./Holmdel HS) posting a 3rd-place showing in 3:33.28 to secure two points.
 
Starting at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, the meet will continue with eight more events as the Eagles look to build upon a very successful opening day.
 
Event Schedule – Day 2
400 Medley Relay
500 Free
100 Fly
200 Back
100 Free
100 Breast
400 IM
200 Free Relay
 
IRMA RELIEF DONATIONS
In the wake of Hurricane Irma, many individuals and families throughout Southwest Florida are still in desperate need of assistance. To aid in those relief efforts, FGCU Athletics will be collecting donations at all Eagle home games for the immediate future. Donation items most needed include: non-perishable food, clothing, household items and first-aid supplies. Additionally, those unable to attend upcoming home games can drop off donations in canisters located in the Alico Arena lobby. All donations will be given to those hardest hit in Lee and Collier counties.
 
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
Entering his second season at the helm of the Green and Blue, Dave Rollins became the FGCU head coach on Sept. 1, 2016. In his first year with the program, Rollins led the Eagles to its eighth CCSA Championship in a span of nine years and guided the Eagles 200 free relay team to All-American honors. FGCU registered points at the NCAA Championships for the fourth straight season and ultimately turned in its third-best finish all-time (T-41st). Prior to FGCU, Rollins was the associate head men's swimming coach at The Ohio State University and brought 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.