MIAMI (Dec. 31, 2019) - Another year has come and gone, but 2019 was not short of excitement and thrills for FIU Athletics.
Below is a collection of the best moments from the year that was, in no particular order.
FIU's win over Miami (Football)
FIU defeated Miami (Fla.) on Nov. 23 at Marlins Park, as the Panthers took a 30-24 decision over the Hurricanes at the historic former site of the Orange Bowl Stadium. FIU led UM from start-to-finish, as the Panthers picked off the Hurricanes three times and
Anthony Jones earned 112 yards on the ground while scoring a game-sealing touchdown late in the game. The win also secured FIU's third-straight bowl berth, which was a school record.
Maha Gouda's entire 2019 (Swim & Dive)
Maha Gouda had a stellar first year at FIU, with the Panther qualifying for the Olympics, earning All-American laurels and being named C-USA Diver of the Year. The Olympic qualification was her most recent honor, as she punched her ticket for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo after winning gold at the African Games in the 10-meter platform event. The trip to the Olympics will mark Gouda's second appearance, as she represented her home country of Egypt at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. In addition to her success abroad, Gouda also became FIU's youngest All-American in program history after her run at the 2019 NCAA Swim and Dive Championships, while earning the honor of C-USA Diver of the Year after winning all three diving events.
FIU's win over Texas State (Men's Basketball)
The Panthers earned a come-from-behind, 87-81 win on the road against Texas State in the opening round of the Collegeinsider.com Tournament, as
Jeremy Ballard's squad posted the program's first-ever postseason victory.
Brian Beard, Jr. and
Devon Andrews paced the Panthers with 29 points apiece to earn the squad's 20th win of the season, which was tied for the second-most in program history.
FIU's win at the Jupiter Invitational (Women's Golf)
Led by individual medalist
Agueda Cortilla, the Panthers shot a 296 at the Jupiter Women's Invitational to take home the team title over a field of 11 by eight shots. Cortilla shot a 1-under 212 at the mid-October event to earn the first collegiate win of her career, while the individual victory was the first for FIU in over three years.
FIU's win over No. 16 Kentucky (Men's Soccer)
Mohamed Conde scored the go-ahead goal in the 88th minute as the Panthers downed 16th-ranked Kentucky on the road, 2-1 on Oct. 13. The win kept FIU undefeated at the time, while the Panthers handed UK its first regular-season loss at home since Oct. 21, 2017 versus Lipscomb.
Cutliff and Rains earns All-American honors (Track & Field)
Clarissa Cutliff earned her third-straight All-American honor, while
Gabrielle Rains earned her first as a Panther to highlight the year for FIU track and field. Cutliff reached a height of 5'9.25" (1.76m) in the high jump event at the NCAA Indoor Championships, with fellow Panther Rains claiming her laurels in the NCAA Outdoor Championships after she threw a 54.43m in the discus event.
Student-athletes in the classroom (All Sports)
FIU had plenty of on-field success in 2019, but the Panthers also excelled in the classroom. FIU earned the C-USA Institutional Excellence Award for the 2018-19 school year, marking the first time in school history. The Panthers led all conference foes with a 3.29 annual grade-point average to claim the award that is given to the C-USA institution with the highest GPA during each academic year for all students-athletes in conference-sponsored sports. In addition to the Institutional Excellence Award, FIU also won the C-USA SAAC Cup which is awarded to the institution with the highest overall point total among member schools. The areas of emphasis for the SAAC Cup include academic excellence, career development, financial literacy and community service.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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