Swimming & Diving make a big splash


The 2011-12 swimming season turned out to be a record-breaking year for the FIU swimming and diving team. The Panthers broke 10 program records, four Sun Belt Conference records, claimed five Sun Belt championships and swept the conference swimmer, diver and coaches of the year awards. In addition, FIU had nine medalists and 13 finalists at the SBC Championships.

Freshman Johanna Gustafsdottir won three individual Sun Belt titles. Photo courtesy of FIUSports.com

“The team performed over the top the entire week at the championships,” FIU swimming and diving Head Coach Randy Horner said. “A culmination of all the hard work and sacrifice well worth it. We still have a ways to go as a program but, as long as our swimmers and divers keep performing like this, our ultimate goal of a SBC Championship isn’t far away.”

Leading the Panthers were swimmer Johanna Gustafsdottir and diver Sabrina Beaupre with multiple championships. Gustafsdottir won three individual titles. Beaupre continued her mastery off the diving board with two more individual titles.

Gustafsdottir, who earned the Sun Belt Swimmer of the Year, won the 200 IM, 200 freestyle and 200 backstroke at the SBC Championships. Gustafsdottir set Sun Belt and FIU records in the 200 IM (1:59.14) and 200 backstroke (1:54.40). The freshman from Iceland set an FIU record in the 200 freestyle (1:48.09). Gustafsdottir recorded an NCAA B Standard in all three events. Gustafsdottir’s time in the 200 backstroke gives her a No. 13 ranking in the NCAA.

“We will be watching eagerly as the official selection takes place tomorrow for the NCAA Championships,” Horner said. “Johanna has positioned herself well and we expect her to go into NCAA Championships seeded 13th in the 200 backstroke. That’s a pretty good accomplishment for a freshman.”

Beaupre earned the Sun Belt Diver of the Year award for the second consecutive year after taking home both diving titles. Beaupre captured the 1-meter and 3-meter dives setting Sun Belt records in the process. Beaupre posted 307.70 points in the 1-meter and 328.85 points in the 3-meter. Beaupre qualified for the NCAA Regionals in both events.

Along with Gustafsdottir and Beaupre collecting hardware at the SBC Championships, Horner earned the Sun Belt Swimming Coach of the Year. Chris Mantilla won the Sun Belt Diving Coach of the Year.

FIU had more medalists besides Gustafsdottir and Beaupre. Sonia Perez Arau won two medals for her work in the 400 IM and 200 backstroke. Perez Arau finished second in the 400 IM, set an FIU record with a time of 4:13.99 and achieved an NCAA B Standard. Perez Arau also got a B Standard with a third place finish in the 200 backstroke.

The Panthers 400 and 800 free relay teams each broke FIU records. The 400 team of Klara Andersson, Kayla Derr, Kelly Grace and Gustafsdottir finished third with a time of 3:24.78. The 800 team of Derr, Perez Arau, Vicnan Torres and Gustafsdottir was third as well with a time of 7:18.62.

FIU broke three other program records at the SBC Championships. Andersson was fifth in the 100 breaststroke but broke the program record with a time of 1:03.52. The 200 medley relay team (fifth place) of Gustafsdottir, Andersson, Kariann Stevens and Grace swam a 1:43.38 for an FIU record. The 400 medley relay team (fifth place) of Perez Arau, Andersson, Gustafsdottir and Derr broke an FIU record with a time of 3:46.96.