ATHENS, Ga. – The FGCU swimming and diving team continued its dominant run of conference championships in all collegiate athletics as the Eagles claimed its ninth CCSA Championship in a span of a decade Saturday night at the University of Georgia's Gabrielson Natatorium.
 
In four days of competition, FGCU registered 1,612 points (second most in championship history) en route to winning the championship by more than 110 points over runner-up Liberty (1,501.5) It not only mark's FGCU's ninth conference title in ten years and its fourth straight, but it is also the tenth consecutive year the Eagles and the Flames have occupied the top-two spots in the conference meet. Gardner-Webb (904.50) took home third, while Georgia Southern (832) and Incarnate Word (767.50) rounded out the top-five

Additionally, Gracie Redding (Orlando, Fla./The First Academy/FSU) took home the Eagles' sixth straight Most Outstanding Female Swimmer of the meet, and head coach Dave Rollins earned his consecutive Coach of the Year award, the program's eighth overall.

"I am so proud of these young women," said head coach Dave Rollins. "It has been an incredible journey that we've been on in the past 365 days. For our seniors to go out as four-time conference champions is incredibly special. This moment is something we will cherish for a very long time."

FGCU displayed its dominance in the pool especially when it came to the 100 free as the Green and Blue swept all three spots on the podium. Redding touched the pads in 48.92 for the win, as she was joined alongside her teammates Rebecca Moynihan (Palmerston North, New Zealand/Waiopehu College) and Hannah Burdge (Stuart, Fla./Martin County HS), who touched in times of 49.71 and 49.86, respectively.

Adding onto the sweep, the Eagles continued their torrid-run in the 200 breast with Hannah Soutar (Edinburgh, Scotland/Broughton HS) taking the top crown touching out in 2:13.26 while Petra Halmai (Dombovar, Hungary/Lanczos Kornel Secondari Grammar School)  finished 37-tenths of a second behind Soutar with a final mark of 2:13.63. Sommer Harris (Richmond, Va./St. Catherine's School), who took the 100 breast title in last night's event, placed fourth in 2:15.96 as Elizabeth White (Fort Myers, Fla./Riverdale HS) touched out in 2:19.59 for an eighth-place finish.

In the 200 backstroke, Doris Eichhorn (Berlin, Germany/HTW Berlin) placed third with a time of 1:59.70 as Courtney Chapin (Bradenton, Fla./Lakewood Ranch HS) clocked in a time of 2:00.83 (10th fastest in school history) and Hannah Wittman (Jupiter, Fla./Pittsburgh/Central Buck East HS) touched out in 2:03.37 for seventh.

With one individual title already this week, Christina Kaas Elmgreen (Charlottenlund, Denmark/Ordrup Gymnasium) went on to finish runner-up in the 200 fly. She clocked a time of 1:57.18, while teammate Cassidy Fry (Oakwood, Ohio/Oakwood HS) placed fourth in 1:59.04

Also, during the final day of action, the Eagles placed three swimmers in the top-five of the 1650 free. Sophomore Elizabeth Zeiger (Cumberland, R.I./Homeschool), who finished third last year in the same event, placed second with a mark of 16:43:.06. Not too far behind her were her teammates Antonia Baerens (Ottobrunn, Germany/Max-Josef-Stift Gymnasium/Nevada) and Linda Shaw (Leeds, United Kingdom/Roundhay HS), who clocked in with times of 16:49.54 and 16:51.13 finishing third and fourth, respectively.

To top it all off, the Eagles put the icing on the cake in the final event of the night in the 400 relay. The quartet of Burdge, Redding, Moynihan and Shaw touched the pads in 3:18.80 for an overall second-place finish.

SATURDAY RESULTS
1650 Free
2. Elizabeth Zeiger – 16:43.06
3. Antonia Baerens – 16:49.54
4. Linda Shaw – 16:51.13
 
200 Back
3. Doris Eichhorn – 1:59.70
6. Courtney Chapin – 2:83.00
7. Hannah Wittman – 2:03.37
 
100 Free
1. Gracie Redding – 48.92 (NCAA 'B')
2. Rebecca Moynihan – 49.71 (NCAA 'B')
3. Hannah Burdge – 49.86 (NCAA 'B')
 
200 Breast
1. Hannah Soutar – 2:13.26 (NCAA 'B')
2. Petra Halmai – 2:13.63 (NCAA 'B')
4. Sommer Harris – 2:15.96 (NCAA 'B')
8. Elizabeth White – 2:19.59
 
200 Fly
2. Christina Kaas Elmgreen – 1:57.18 (NCAA 'B')
4. Cassidy Fry – 1:59.04 (NCAA 'B')
 
400 Free Relay
2. Burdge, Redding, Moynihan, Shaw. – 3:18.80
 
WOMEN'S TEAM STANDINGS
1. FGCU – 1,612
2. Liberty – 1,501.5
3. Gardner-Webb – 904.50
4. Georgia Southern – 832
5. Incarnate Word – 767.50
6. Campbell – 759
7. UNC Asheville - 663
8. UNF – 299.50
9. Howard – 235
 
CHAMPIONSHIP HONORS AND AWARDS
Most Outstanding Female Swimmer: Gracie Redding (FGCU)
Women's Swimming Coach of the Year: Dave Rollins (FGCU)

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.