LYNCHBURG, VA – The FGCU swimming and diving team put up the second-most championship points in program history (1,668) Saturday evening but ended the night placing second overall behind Liberty (1,859.5).

The second-place finish for the Eagles halts a dominant streak of four-straight CCSA Championships.

"You would've never known that we were in second place this evening, the ladies battled every single race," head coach Dave Rollins said. " Congrats to Petra on her new school and conference record! Along with Gracie winning the 100 free, and our 400 free relay team ending the meet with a statement win. It's been a pleasure working with these young women this year, and while this senior class has meant the world to this program, they've developed some incredible young women who are ready to take over."

At the conclusion of the meet, senior Gracie Redding (Orlando, FL./The First Academy) was named the Most Outstanding Female Swimmer of the Meet for a second-straight year. Sophomore Megan Wakefield (Guelph, Ontario, Canada/Centennial CVI) was named the Most Outstanding Female Diver of the Meet after taking both the 1-meter and 3-meter crowns this week. In addition, head diving coach David Boyko earned his third overall Diving Coach of the Year award. 

It was a pair of seniors swimming in their last 1650 free event at the CCSA Championships that started off the finals night as Linda Shaw (Leeds, United Kingdom/Roundhay HS) (16:54.78) and Antonia Baerens (Ottobrunn, Germany/Nevada) (17:04.51) placed second and fifth, respectively, to score 59 points for the Eagles.

In the A Final of the 200 back, senior Doris Eichhorn (Berlin, Germany/HTW Berlin) added 30 more points for the Eagles finishing third overall with a mark of 1:59.18*. Meanwhile, FGCU saw more points come its way as junior Elizabeth Zeiger (Cumberland, RI./Homeschool) placed third (2:04.27*) in the B Final.

The Eagles closed out the first half portion of the evening finals in dominating fashion, going 1-2-3 in the 100 free A Final. Redding captured her third overall individual event of the week with an NCAA 'B' time of 49.10*. Behind her Senior Hannah Burdge (Stuart, FL./Martin County HS) finished second (49.67*) as sophomore Rebecca Moynihan (Palmerston North, New Zealand/Waiopehu College) rounded out the top-3 (49.40). Freshman Wiktoria Czarnecka (Lublin, Poland/Liceum nr 10 w Lublinie) went on to place fifth (50.31).

Petra Halmai (Dombovar, Hungary/Lanczos Kornel Secondari Grammar School) glided to a new meet and FGCU record with a time of 2:11.21, also an NCAA 'B' time. She broke a three-year record that was set by former Eagle Katie Armitage back in 2016 (2:11.51). Friday night, Halmai also took the 100 breast title (1:00.62).

Transitioning into the 200 fly finals, Christina Kaas Elmgreen (Charlottenlund, Denmark/Ordrup Gymnasium) racked up another NCAA 'B' time for the Green and Blue as she finished second overall with a swim of 1:58.99*.

Elmgreen becomes the first swimmer in FGCU history to have medaled in every single race she has competed at the CCSA Championships.  

The relays have been a strong suit all season for FGCU and it ended that way as the quartet of Moynihan, Burdge, Czarnecka, and Redding claimed first overall with a combined swim of 3:18.34.
 
*Denotes season-best time
Final Standings
1. Liberty-1,859.5
2. FGCU-1,668
3. Incarnate Word-1,049
4. Georgia Southern-990
5. Campbell-970.5
6. UNC Asheville-820
7. UNF-722
8. Gardner-Webb-711
9. Howard-416

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 third season, head coach, Dave Rollins is only the second head coach in program history, taking over on Sept. 1, 2016. Rollins has 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 native of Brockton, Mass., he was a standout collegiate swimmer in his own right and 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.