Svensson Prepares for the 2013 NCAA Championship

Emma Svensson

For the second-straight year, sophomore Emma Svensson (Upsala, Sweden/Celsiusskolan)will represent the Green and Blue at the 2013 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships held Thursday through Saturday, Mar. 21-23, at the IU Natatorium and the IUPUI Sports Complex.

Svensson will compete in the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle and 100-yard backstroke events. The Upsala, Sweden native became the first swimmer from FGCU to qualify to the NCAA Championship in their first year of post-season eligibility. Since the start of the program in 2007, FGCU has gone on to claim five consecutive Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association (CCSA) Championships.

Svensson qualified for the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 22.37 at the 2013 CCSA Championships. The time was a new program and meet record. She qualified for the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 49.55 at the 2013 CCSA Championship. The sophomore qualified for the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 53.11 which she also set at the CCSA Championship. She competed last year in the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle as well as the 100-yard backstroke events.

Svensson garnered Most Outstanding Female Performer of the Meet at the CCSA Championship, winning the 50-free, 100-free and 100-back events.  Her times in the 50-free and 100-free qualified for NCAA “B” cuts.  She was a member of the 200-medley relay that set a meet and Conference record and qualified for NCAA “B” cuts, and anchored the 400-medley relay that finished first.

She set multiple records in the 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard backstroke, and was a member of the 200-yard freestyle relay, 200-yard medley relay and 400-yard medley relay that also set program records.

ESPN3.com will stream finals sessions on Friday and Saturday live.

Four-time CCSA Coach of the Year Neal Studd recently was profiled in the Coaches’ Corner section on Florida Swim Network and can be found at www.FLORIDASWIMNETWORK.com.

Fans can get updates and information on FGCU swimming and diving by visiting www.FGCUATHLETICS.com or by following the team on twitter @FGCU_WSwim.