FORT MYERS, Florida (Nov. 20, 2020) - The FIU swimming and diving team concluded the second of three days at the FGCU Invitational on Friday night, as Mandy Song and the Panther divers continued their dominance in the pool, and several swimmers set lifetime-best records.

"Today was a fun day," said Head Coach Randy Horner. "The team settled in and really competed at a high level. Lots of lifetime bests and even more mid-season best times for the team. Mandy did it again, but the diving team as a whole really showed why they are one of the best diving programs in the country."

After breaking an FIU record last night in the 3-meter dive event, Mandy Song broke another school record today with a score of 374.25 in the 1-meter dive A Final, to go along with a first-place finish in the event. 

Song wasn't the only FIU diver to celebrate on Friday night, as Maha Gouda, Rachel Foord, Kaitlyn Fredericks and Alexa Lemus Hernandez — along with Song — all qualified for NCAA Zone Championships in the 1-meter event after their performances.

Foord backed up Song in second place with a mark of 349.25 in the 1-meter A Final, and Gouda slotted at third with a score of 345.20. Fredericks took fifth place with a 295.30 mark, and Lemus Hernandez took seventh with a mark of 276.40.

Song, Gouda, Fredericks, Lemus Hernandez, and freshman diver Haley Bujeda (211.80) all set personal-best scores in the 1-meter on Friday.

Day two consisted of seven swimming finals in addition to the 1-meter.

The Panthers started off with a second place finish in the 200-yard Medley Relay A Final, as the group of Madeleine Anderson, Delaine Goll, Kelsie Campbell, and Julia Miranda combined for a time of 1:40.94. Melannie Vargas, Ryan Flynn, Emily Cordovi, and Helga Fodor clocked in at 1:45.34 to grab fifth place.

Freshman Ellie Maradyn continued an impressing showing on day two of her first collegiate meet, seizing second place in the 400-yard individual medley A Final, while setting a personal-best in the event with a time of 4:25.64.

The Panthers grabbed five of the top-8 spots in the 100-yard butterfly A Final, led by Miranda's second-place finish (54.25) and Campbell's third-place finish (54.64). Cordovi (56.07) grabbed sixth place, followed by Vargas (57.59) in seventh, and Michaela Trnkova (57.68) in eighth.

Campbell, Trnkova, and Delaney Biro (57.27) all set personal-best times in the 100 fly event.

In the 200-yard freestyle, Eriana Temperino swam to fourth place in the A Final with a time of 1:52.55, while Anderson set a personal-best with a time of 1:55.18.

Goll took second place for FIU in the 100-yard breast stroke A Final with a time of 1:02.84.

FIU swept the 100-yard backstroke A Final, as Campbell won the event and set a personal-best time of 55.08. Trnkova came in second place and Miranda followed her at third, with times of 55.14 and 55.29, respectively.

The Panthers capped the night with a second-place finish in the 800-yard freestyle relay A Final, as Temperino, Fodor, Biro, and Maradyn combined for a time of 7:34.92.

FIU wraps up the meet on Saturday, Nov. 21, when they return for day three of the FGCU Invitational, beginning at 10 a.m. for prelims.

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