JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Gardner-Webb men's and women's swimming programs opened the 2018-19 season earlier today, taking on Florida Atlantic and North Florida at The Bolles School in Jacksonville, Fla.
 
The men's team tied Florida Atlantic at 131 points each, while the women's squad fell to FAU by a 181-81 score and to North Florida by a 162-99 score.
 
Overall, Gardner-Webb had 49 top-five times, including eight first-place finishes.
 
Whitney Peters and Anna Banick led the way in the women's 200-yard breaststroke, as Peters placed first at 2:26.74 and Banick placed second at 2:28.74.
 
In the men's 200-yard medley relay, GWU took the top two spots as the team of Brady Fields, Jordan Mintz, Tim Bennett, and Zach Dingfield timed in at 1:33.94, followed by the team of Joshua Clarke, Jonathan Frye, Brendan Teeters, and Kevin Plewniak, who finished at 1:36. 45.
 
In the men's 400-yard freestyle relay, Gardner-Webb took home the top spot as the foursome of Seggio Bernardina, Kevin Plewniak, Tim Bennett, and Zach Dingfield timed in at 3:08.96.
 
GWU also had the top-two times in the men's 100-yard breaststroke, as Jordan Mintz finished first at 58.11, followed by Jonathan Frye at 58.97.
 
Gardner-Webb had the top two finishers in the men's 200-yard breaststroke as Jordan Mintz posted the first-place time of 2:08.58, followed by Christian Jann at 2:14.24
 
GWU had two of the top-three times in the women's 100-yard breaststroke, as Whitney Peters placed second with a time of 1:07.35, followed by Anna Banick at 1:08.97
 
The 'Dogs had three of the top-five finishers in the men's 50-yard freestyle, led by Zach Dingfield who placed first with a time of 21.36.  Kevin Plewniak placed third at 21.69, followed closely by Seggio Bernardina at 21.71.
 
GWU also had three top-five times in the men's 100-yard butterfly as Brady Fields led all swimmers with a time of 51.20.  Cullen Fields placed third, clocking in at 52.07, while Brendan Teeters came home in fifth with a time of 53.33.
 
Brady Fields placed first in the men's 100-yard backstroke, timing in at 52.00.
 
Tim Bennett earned a second-place finish in the men's 200-yard freestyle, clocking in at 1:43.62.
 
In the men's 200-yard butterfly, Cullen Fields placed second with a time of 1:55.70.
 
Zach Dingfield placed second in the men's 100-yard freestyle, timing in at 48.09.
 
Jordan Mintz earned a second-place finish in the men's 200-yard IM, timing in at 1:57.22, followed by Christian Jann in third at 1:57.79.
 
The grouping of Spencer Lucas, Blake Broullire, Audrey Robinson, and Tessa Walsh placed third in the women's 400-yard freestyle relay, timing in at 3:42.34.
 
In the women's 50-yard freestyle, Audrey Robinson placed third, touching the wall at 24.84, while Jennifer Jackson placed fifth with a time of 25.18.
 
Tessa Walsh took home a third-place finish in the women's 100-yard butterfly, clocking in at 58.99, while Mary Traylor finished in sixth at 1:00.31.
 
Morgan VanderSchaaf earned a third-place finish in the women's 500-yard freestyle, clocking in at 5:13.95.
 
Kelli Croft placed third in the women's 1,000-yard freestyle, timing in at 10:54.77
 
Mary Traylor clocked in at 2:08.57 in the women's 200-yard butterfly to earn a third-place finish.  Tessa Walsh finished in sixth with a time of 2:10.16
 
In the women's 200-yard medley relay, the foursome of Cary Pou, Whitney Peters, Tessa Walsh, and Audrey Robinson timed in at 1:51.20 to take home a fourth-place finish.
 
Jennifer Jackson finished in fourth-place in the women's 100-yard freestyle, clocking in at 52.79, followed by Audrey Robinson at 54.94 to finish in fifth.
 
Morgan VanderSchaaf placed fourth in the women's 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:58.63, while Carol Zangla placed sixth at 1:58.97.
 
Carol Zangla finished in fourth in the women's 200-yard IM, timing in at 2:13.15.  Spencer Lucas placed sixth at 2:15.09.
 
Mary Traylor finished in sixth in the women's 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:10.96.
 
Gardner-Webb returns to action on Friday, October 5 as the men's team faces Catawba and the women's team takes on Campbell in the first home meet of the season.