FORT MYERS, FL – The FGCU women's swimming and diving team will be tested right from the start as the Eagles host Florida for the first time in program history at the FGCU Aquatics Center, Saturday morning, to kick off the 2018-19 slate.

Saturday's meeting will mark the third time both squads have faced each other as the Gators took last season's dual, 173-125. Despite the loss, the Eagles captured four events to then #15-ranked Florida.

"It's exciting to welcome a team like Florida to The Nest for the first time!" said head coach Dave Rollins. "There is a lot of nervous energy and excitement on the deck for our meet on Saturday, but it will be a lot of fun to challenge ourselves this early in the season. Florida has been the gold standard for swimming in our state for a long time and if we want to be competitive on a national level, we have to challenge ourselves every opportunity we have. Looking forward to seeing the team compete and support one another as we get the season started!"

The Eagles return more than half their roster this year and have their sights set on capturing a fifth consecutive Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) crown and will try to make it 10 overall by year's end, after going 7-2 last year and 2-0 in CCSA action. Christina Kaas Elmgreen represented the Green and Blue at NCAA Championships in March – making it seven times FGCU has sent a team or individual to the Championships – as she looks to build off her junior year.

In the aforementioned CCSA meet, Gracie Redding took home the Eagles' sixth straight Most Outstanding Female Swimmer of the meet, while coach Rollins earned his second consecutive Coach of the Year award, the program's eighth overall.

In late June, the program tied a record with nine honorees on the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) list as Elmgreen garnered First Team honors and returners Hannah Burdge, Doris Eichhorn, Cassidy Fry, Rebecca Moynihan, Redding, Linda Shaw, and Elizabeth Zeiger received honorable mention plaudits.

SCOUTING THE GATORS
After finishing #17 in the polls last season, Florida begins the year with a new head coach as Jeff Poppell was elevated from an associate head coach after two seasons. The Gators commenced their season on Thursday at FAU, defeating the Owls 226-71. Earlier Friday afternoon, UF visited Miami, coming out on top, 184-95 as they are now 2-0 coming into Fort Myers.

The Gators return a pair of All-Americans in Sherridon Dressel (200-yard backstroke) and Brooke Madden (1 and 3-meter dive). Taylor Ault also returns to UF as she was named Second Team All-SEC and All-SEC freshman last season.    

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS vs. FLORIDA
Season-best times from 2017-18*
200 Medley Relay – 1:39.07 (Eichhorn, Sommer Harris, Redding, Moynihan)
1000 Free – 10:06.61 (Zeiger)
200 Free – 1:47.58 (Burdge)
100 Back – 54.00 (Eichhorn)
100 Breast – 1:01.34 (Harris)
200 Fly – 1:55.55 (Elmgreen)
50 Free – 22.55 (Redding)
3m Diving – 335.05 (Novak)
100 Free – 48.92 (Redding)
200 Back – 1:59.70 (Eichhorn)
200 Breast – 2:13.26 (Hannah Soutar)
500 Free – 4:48.14 (Shaw)
100 Fly – 53.27 (Elmgreen)
1m Diving – 316.30 (Novak)
200 IM – 2:01.71 (Elmgreen)
400 Free Relay – 3:18.80 (Burdge, Redding, Moynihan, Shaw)

UP NEXT
FGCU will compete in the TYR Classic hosted by FIU on Oct. 5 at 1 p.m. and will then welcome the Panthers and UNF the next day for a dual meet at 12 p.m. The matchup against the Ospreys will be the first of three CCSA meets this year.

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 into his third season, head coach, Dave Rollins is only the second head coach in program history, taking over on Sept. 1, 2016. In his second season, Rollins guided FGCU to back-to-back CCSA titles, as well as the program's fourth-straight and ninth championship in 10 years. In addition, he has been awarded CCSA Coach of the Year in each of his two seasons at the helm. Previously, Rollins was the associate head men's swimming coach at The Ohio State University. Rollins brings over a decade of coaching experience to The Nest, which includes Olympians, NCAA Champions and All-Americans along with multiple conference champions. A standout collegiate athlete in his own right, Rollins was inducted into the University of Arizona's Hall of Fame in 2017 as a nine-time NCAA All-American, national champion, school record holder and team captain.

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.