CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Highlighted by a new school-record and nine season-best times, the FGCU swimming and diving team dominated Miami Saturday afternoon, the program's seventh-straight victory over the Hurricanes. The Eagles (6-2) used 11 event wins to defeat Miami (0-2) 180-120.

"I am very happy with how the team performed today," said head coach Dave Rollins. "From the pool to the boards, everyone competed very well. We have one more chance to compete before we head to CCSA's and we will be honoring our seniors. It will be a special day."

In her first season in Fort Myers, Megan Wakefield (Guelph, Ontario, Canada/Centennial CVI) had previously posted the third-best platform performance in program history back in November. However, she bested both her mark and the program-record Saturday as the freshman's score of 242.55 surpassed Cayla Collins' score of 196.40 (2015) and qualified her for the NCAA Zone Diving Championships later this season.

"Huge congratulations to Megan for not only qualifying for Zones on both the 3-meter and platform but to break the school record by almost 50 points is amazing," Rollins added.

Wakefield's performance was just one of 11 event victories on the day, eight of which witnessed Eagles finishing both first and second and three event sweeps. The first of those finishes came in the first event of the day when the A and B 200 Yard Medley Relay teams finished within .3 seconds of each other. The A relay of Doris Eichhorn (Berlin, Germany/HTW Berlin), Sommer Harris (Richmond, Va./St. Catherine's School), Yee Ching Wong (Hong Kong, China/Diocesan Girls' School), and Hannah Burdge (Stuart, Fla./Martin County HS) claimed the opening event with a time of 1:44.21, while Courtney Chapin (Brandenton, Fla./Lakewood Ranch HS), Petra Halmai (Dombovar, Hungary/Lanczos Kornel Secondari Grammar School), Madison Jean (Parrish, Fla./Lakewood Ranch HS), and Rebecca Moynihan (Palmerston North, New Zealand/Waiopehu College) finished in 1:44.52.

Linda Shaw (Leeds, United Kingdom/Roundhay HS) and Antonia Baerens (Ottobrunn, Germany/Max-Josef-Stift Gymnasium/Nevada) then finished the 1000 Yard Freestyle first and second. Shaw finished the event in a season-best time of 10:22.39 while Baerens touched out in 10:34.30.

Following a pair of event wins for Miami, Halmai posted the first of two event victories in the breaststroke, claiming the 100 yard breaststroke in 1:05.04, just in front of Harris at 1:05.62. Halmai later won the 200 with a time of 2:20.80 with Harris again finishing second in 2:23.64.

Christina Kaas Elmgreen (Charlottenlund, Denmark/Ordrup Gymnasium) then provided a pair of wins at the 100 (56.43) and 200 butterfly (2:02.72) before Gracie Redding (Orlando, Fla./The First Academy/FSU) and Burdge finished first and second in the 50 yard freestyle (23.66, 24.32). Moynihan later won the 100 free, touching out in 51.31 seconds.

With the lead secure, Elizabeth Zeiger (Cumberland, R.I./Homeschool) continued to assert FGCU's dominance in the pool, posting season-best time in the 200 individual medley (2:02.59) and the 500 free (4:59.71). The 200 IM featured one of the sweeps for FGCU, as Kaas Elmgreen (2:05.52) and Halmai (2:05.72) finished second and third, respectively.

FGCU also won the final event of the day, the 400 free relay as Wong, Moynihan, Redding, and Burdge finished in 3:26.37.

In total, FGCU posted nine season-best times and seven season-best diving scores.

UP NEXT
FGCU's final tune-up for the CCSA Championships is also its final home meet. The Eagles welcome FIU Saturday at 12 p.m. with a Senior Day ceremony planned for before the meet.

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
In his first year with the program in 2016-17, head coach Dave Rollins led FGCU 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 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.
 
#FEEDFGCU
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.