FSU sports information:
The Florida State swimming and diving team began the 2024-25 season with victories in the All Florida Invite on Friday afternoon at the Morcom Aquatics Center.
The Seminole women downed North Florida 239-54 and bested West Florida 226-73. West Florida beat North Florida 214-79. The FSU men did not compete, and will make their season debut when the men and women host ACC foe Georgia Tech on Saturday beginning at 11 a.m. ET.
On a warm and sun-soaked Friday afternoon, Florida State won 15 of 16 events. The Seminoles posted four 1-2-3-4 finishes, one additional 1-2-3 finish and five more 1-2 finishes. Four of the team’s wins were recorded by freshmen.
Senior Maddy Huggins led the team with two individual victories, in the 200-yard freestyle and the 400-yard individual medley. Juniors Mabry Bishop and Julia Mansson both picked up individual and relay wins, while freshmen Maryn McDade and Alice Velden swam on both of Florida State’s winning relay teams.
“Today was a good start to the season for our women’s team,” FSU head coach Neal Studd said. “This is a nice meet to start off, as our freshmen got their first taste of collegiate competition and our returners got their seasons off to nice starts. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone compete tomorrow and build on today’s performance.”
In the third event of the day, Huggins won the 200 freestyle in 1:49.17. She was victorious by more than 3.50 seconds to begin her senior season and lead a 1-2-3-4 finish for the Seminoles. Huggins also won the penultimate race of the afternoon, the 400 individual medley. Her time of 4:16.94 helped FSU place first, second and third in the event, and Huggins won by almost 10 seconds.
The day started and ended with Florida State wins in relay events. First up was the 200 medley relay, where Velden, Mansson, Bishop and McDade won in 1:42.25 to edge out their Seminole teammates in second place. The day ended like it began, with an FSU victory in the 200 freestyle relay to fuel a 1-2 Florida State finish. Senior Gloria Muzito, McDade, graduate student Jenny Halden and Velden touched the wall first in 1:34.34.
Bishop and Mansson opened their seasons with relay wins and also were victorious as individuals. Mansson won the 200 breaststroke by almost five seconds, with a time of 2;18.79, as FSU went 1-2. Two events later, Bishop won the 100 butterfly in 55.91. She bested West Florida’s runner-up finisher by just under a second.
As Mansson and Bishop were posting their wins, junior Kayleigh Clark won the 3-meter diving event to cap a strong day for Florida State’s divers. Bishop’s 3-meter score of 298.88 helped the Seminoles sweep the top four spots in the event.
Earlier in the afternoon, freshman diver Evelyn Hall made her collegiate debut and won the 1-meter. Her score of 277.65 fueled a 1-2 FSU finish, as Clark was the runner-up.
Two more 1-2-3-4 finishes took place in the pool as the 1-meter diving competition was being held. First was the 50 freestyle, where junior Sarah Evans won in 23.73. That race was a tight finish at the top, as all four Seminoles finished within 0.48 seconds of each other.
The next event saw senior Edith Jernstedt open her final season with a 100 freestyle win. Her time of 51.13 helped Florida State sweep the top four places, all coming in within less than 1.50 seconds. Jernstedt also was part of the FSU 200 freestyle relay that was second to wrap up the day.
Freshman Isabelle Barger opened her career with a win in the 100 backstroke in the fourth event of the afternoon. Her time of 57.60 was part of a 1-2 finish for FSU and was victorious by 0.54 seconds.
The very next event saw another freshman win, this time by Evlin Riederer in the 100 breaststroke. Riederer won in 1:05.36 and touched the wall just 0.06 seconds ahead of the second-place swimmer from UNF.
Senior Jenny Bird won the next race, the 200 butterfly. She finished in 2:06.82 and won by more than a second. Bird began her day by helping her team to a second-place finish in the 200 medley relay.
Another freshman victory was earned by Karlee Marusik in the 200 backstroke. A time of 2:05.30 gave her the win by 1.60 seconds.
The 500 freestyle was decided by just 0.66 seconds, and it was junior Julia Brzozowski who came away with the win. She finished in 5:03.08.
The season continues tomorrow, when Florida State welcomes ACC foe Georgia Tech to the Morcom Aquatics Center. The men’s and women’s teams from the Seminoles and Yellow Jackets will square off at 11 a.m. ET. Admission is free for all fans. Saturday is the team’s annual Paint it Pink Meet. There will be a pink ribbon and koozie giveaway for early arriving fans.
