The FGCU women’s swimming and diving team started its 2017-2018 season on the winning side, defeating Rutgers, 199-116.
The Eagles hosted Rutgers for a two day meet at the FGCU Aquatics Complex.
FGCU won 12 out of the 17 events held over the weekend, including all four relays.
“We did a great job today,” FGCU head coach Dave Rollins said in an FGCU Athletics press release. “We tried to see if we could keep the pressure going from the first swims. The biggest thing was the way each teammate supported each other and cheered each other on. It was a great day of racing. Rutgers has a good team, and they challenged us in some spots.”
One of the stars of the meet was Petra Halmai, a freshman from Hungary. The 20-year old freshman won three of her individual events, and was a part of FGCU’s winning 200 and 400-yard medley relays.
Junior Gracie Redding also won multiple events in the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard freestyle.
Through the first five events on the meet, the action was close, with FGCU only leading by 10 points. FGCU pulled away winning the final three events to end day one of the meet.
The Eagles used the momentum they built from Friday and carried it into the final day of the meet. FGCU won six of the eight events that took place on Saturday.
The FGCU women’s swimming and diving team will open conference play when they travel to the University of North Florida for a Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association tri meet on Oct. 21. FGCU will be facing off with UNF and Cambell in Jacksonville, FL.