ATHENS, Ga. – Highlighted by individual championships in the 50 and 500 free, the FGCU swimming and diving team surged from third to second place on day two of the CCSA Championships Thursday evening inside the Gabrielson Natatorium.
 
FGCU has totaled 552 points through two days of competition and used a 362-point performance Thursday evening to sit back just 30 points behind the currently leader Liberty (582) after entering the day in third. The Eagles hold an advantage against Georgia Southern (346), Incarnate Word (306) and Gardner-Webb (259) who round out the top five.

Capping off the evening session, FGCU's 200 free relay quartet of Gracie Redding (Orlando, Fla./The First Academy/FSU), Rebecca Moynihan (Palmerston North, New Zealand/Waiopehu College) , Doris Eichhorn (Berlin, Germany/HTW Berlin) , and Hannah Burdge (Stuart, Fla./Martin County HS) finished in second place with a time of 1:30.02, the third best time in FGCU history.

"Hats off to Liberty, they are competing very well," said head coach Dave Rollins. "It's going to be a battle all weekend but that's what makes this fun! Linda and Gracie both earning their first individual CCSA Championship was incredible. We are in a battle and the team is rising to the occasion. Tomorrow is a great day for us and we'll be ready."

In the 500 free, Linda Shaw (Leeds, United Kingdom/Roundhay HS) put on a stellar performance to collect 32 crucial points for the Green and Blue. Coming in with a mark of 4:48.14, Shaw not only collected her first individual championship of her career, but the time is now etched the in program record book as the second best time in history. Antonia Baerens (Ottobrunn, Germany/Max-Josef-Stift Gymnasium/Nevada) and Elizabeth Zeiger (Cumberland, R.I./Homeschool) placed 4th and 5th in the championship final capturing critical team points.  

In the 200 medley, the Eagles kept putting pressure on the Flames as Christina Kaas Elmgreen (Charlottenlund, Denmark/Ordrup Gymnasium) touched in 2:01.71, while Hannah Wittman (Jupiter, Fla./Pittsburgh/Central Buck East HS) picked up 5th place in the A final.  However, it was a huge swing in momentum for the Eagles when seniors, Hannah Soutar (Edinburgh, Scotland/Broughton HS), Yee Ching Wong (Hong Kong, China/Diocesan Girls' School) and Sommer Harris (Richmond, Va./St. Catherine's School) swept the first three places in the B final totaling a huge 53 points for FGCU.

Transitioning into the 50 free, Redding shaved seven-tenths of a second off her prelim time to touch out in 22.55, earning her first CCSA individual title.Her time is now the fourth fastest in FGCU history, while Moynihan and Burdge finished fourth and sixth, respectively, in the championship final heat. 

In total, the Green and Blue produced seven new lifetime bests on day two with two more days remaining.

THURSDAY RESULTS
500 Free
1. Linda Shaw – 4:48.14
4. Antonia Baerens – 4:51.11
5. Elizabeth Zeiger – 4:51.25
 
200 IM
2. Christina Kaas Elmgreen – 2:01.71
5. Hannah Wittman – 2:03.18
9. Hannah Soutar – 2:02.55
10. Yee Ching Wong – 2:03.32
11. Sommer Harris – 2:03.58
 
50 Free
1. Gracie Redding – 22.55 (NCAA 'B')
4. Rebecca Moynihan – 22.91 (NCAA 'B')
6. Hannah Burdge – 23.25
9. Doris Eichhorn – 23.17
12. Kiley Eble – 23.37

200 Free Relay
2. Redding, Moynihan, Eichhorn, Burdge – 1:30.72

WOMEN'S TEAM STANDINGS
1. Liberty – 582
2. FGCU – 552
3. Georgia Southern – 346
4. Incarnate Word – 306
5. Gardner-Webb – 259
6. Campbell – 241
7. UNC Asheville – 224
8. Howard – 103
9. UNF – 92

UP NEXT
Day two of the CCSA Championships will take place on Friday, beginning with preliminary races commencing at 10 a.m. followed by final events at 6 p.m.
 
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
Second-year head coach Dave Rollins became the program's second head coach in program history on Sept. 1, 2016. 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.