Naples Standard

Florida Gulf Coast University Athletics issued the following announcement on Sept. 23.

Eagles return 22-of-24 swimmers from last season's CCSA Championship team.

The FGCU Swim team is set to kick off the 2021-22 season at the UNF Invitational on Saturday. The Eagles will go up against the host Ospreys, as well as Georgia Southern, Florida Tech, Florida Southern, and Rollins College in the six-team event.

The day will begin at 12 p.m. from UNF's brand new Aquatic Center with the 50-yard backstroke, the first of 16 swimming events throughout the day. There will be no diving this weekend.

 

"We are excited to help North Florida open its new facility!" said head coach Dave Rollins. "They have been great partners with us in terms of competition; to be able to help celebrate having a facility on their campus is exciting.  However, we are more excited to be able to race.  Something we missed out a lot on last year early in the season was having the ability to compete and be in a meet setting.  The ladies are looking forward to competing, and competing a lot this weekend.  We get to do some non-traditional events which is a nice way to enter the year, while still gaining that competition experience. It should definitely be a great weekend for the Eagles!"

 

FGCU is the reigning CCSA Champions after winning its 10th title last February and will look for number 11 as they return 22-of-24 swimmers from last year's squad along with two freshmen and two transfers.

 

Senior Petra Halmai (Dombovar, Hungary/Lanczos Kornel Secondari Grammar School) leads the way for FGCU as she returns to the pool for her fifth year in Fort Myers after being named the 2020-21 CCSA Swimmer of the Year and swimming in the Tokyo Olympics for her home country of Hungary.

 

Halmai is the defending CCSA Champion in the 100-yard breast, 200 breast, and the 200 IM, but she is not the only returning gold medalist from last season as senior Wiktoria Czarnecka (Lublin, Poland/Liceum NR 10 W Lublinie) also returns for the Eagles after claiming the 50 free and 100 free titles in 2021. She also picked up a silver medal in the 100 fly.

 

Other returners with CCSA medals from last year include junior Michaela Sizemore (Fredericksburg, Va./Stafford Senior HS), sophomore Zuzanna Rabiniak (Radom, Poland/X Liceum Ogolnoksztalcace Mitsrzostwa Sportowego W Lublinie), and junior Claire McAtee (Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart Academy). Sizemore took home silver in both the 500-yard free and 1650 free while Rabiniak and McAtee won silver in the 100 free and 100 back, respectively.

 

Rollins, who is in his sixth season leading the Eagles, is joined by a new coaching staff as assistant swimming coach Taylor Loewen and diving coach Matt Ventura each begin their first season with the Green and Blue.

 

This weekend will be the opening meet for all five teams participating. Georgia Southern finished fifth at last season's CCSA Championships while North Florida did not compete in the CCSAs due to COVID. Florida Tech went 2-0 in a condensed season in 2020-21 while Florida Southern went 4-2. Rollins College did not compete last year.

 

For complete coverage of FGCU swimming & diving, follow the Eagles on Twitter (@FGCU_WSwimDive), Instagram (@FGCU_WSwimDive) and online at www.FGCUAthletics.com. You can also sign up to have news on FGCU swimming & diving or other programs delivered directly to your inbox by visiting www.fgcuathletics.com/email.

Original source can be found here.