Panthers sweep Sun Belt swimming, diving awards


The awards keep pouring in for the FIU swimming and diving team. Sophomores Sonia Perez Arau and Sabrina Beaupre were the Sun Belt Conference Swimmer and Diver of the Week for the week ending Jan. 29. This marks Perez Arau’s second award of the season. Beaupre has now won diver of the week an impressive seven times in 2012 and nine times in her short career.

Sonia Perez Arau came in first in the 200 backstroke. Photo courtesy of Alex J. Hernandez

Perez Arau, who is from Barcelona, Spain, won her 14th and 15th events of the season on Saturday against Florida Gulf Coast. She took home first in the 200 backstroke (2:03.62) and 200 individual medley (2:05.88). In the 200 individual medley, she took first by a whopping seven seconds over teammate Danielle Meara. FIU’s Jean Madison took third to complete the Panthers sweep of the event.

Beaupre, from Longueuil, Quebec, Canada, continued her tear on the spring board by taking the 1 meter (304.38) and 3-meter (306.30) dives. She was the only diver to score in the 300s as she recorded her 15th and 16th wins of the season.

The Panthers will compete in their final event before the Sun Belt Conference tournament on Saturday Feb. 4, when they take on FAU and Daytona State in Boca Raton, Fla. at 11 a.m.

 — FIUSports.com