Florida State Swimmers Excel at Bulldog Invitational Last Chance Meet in Athens
ATHENS, Ga. – The No. 13/NR Florida State swimming and diving team participated in the Bulldog Invitational Last Chance Meet from February 28 to March 1 at Gabrielsen Natatorium in Athens, Georgia. The event saw select Seminole swimmers aiming to improve season-best times and solidify their qualifying marks for the upcoming NCAA Championships in March.
The two-day competition featured strong teams including No. 7/16 Georgia, South Carolina (men), Howard, and Georgia Tech, providing a challenging environment for the Seminoles to showcase their talent.
Key NCAA Qualifying Performances
Several Florida State athletes delivered standout performances, achieving crucial NCAA qualifying times:
- Julia Mansson: The senior highlighted day one with an NCAA-qualifying swim of 1:00.22 in the 100 breaststroke. She later added another NCAA cut in the 200 breaststroke, touching in 2:10.03.
- Ioana Stribu: The freshman secured an NCAA cut in the 200 freestyle with a finals time of 1:45.30.
- Lucy Porter: A fellow freshman, Porter won the 200 breaststroke final in 2:08.77, marking the third-fastest time in program history and an NCAA qualifying mark.
- Tommaso Baravelli: Continuing the breaststroke momentum, the senior placed second in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 52.41 before winning the 200 breaststroke in 1:54.70, earning another NCAA cut.
- Mathias Christensen: The sophomore posted the third-fastest 200 butterfly time in school history during a time trial (1:41.81) to secure an NCAA-qualifying mark. He followed this with a first-place finish in the event on day two, swimming 1:41.99.
- Sarah Evans: The senior contributed on the backstroke side, winning the 100 backstroke with an NCAA-qualifying time of 52.57.
Team Standings
The Florida State men’s team demonstrated strong collective performance, finishing first overall with 146 points. They outpaced South Carolina (112 points) and No. 7 Georgia (86 points). The women’s team secured a commendable second place with 129.5 points.
Looking Ahead to NCAA Championships
With these impressive results, select Seminoles are now set to compete at the NCAA Championships in March. The schedule includes the Zone Diving Championships from March 6-11, followed by the women’s NCAA meet from March 18-21, and the men’s meet from March 25-28.
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Source: https://seminoles.com/news/2026/3/1/mens-swimming-and-diving-florida-state-secures-ncaa-qualifying-times-in-athens
