Photo Credit: Griffin Scott<\/p>\n
GAINESVILLE, Florida, September 27. THE University of Florida women’s swimming and diving team defeated the University of Arkansas, 189.5-110.5, today to open the 2014-2015 season. Natalie Hinds led the way for the Gators with three individual victories.<\/p>\n
Florida Press Release<\/strong><\/p>\n The University of Florida Women\u2019s Swimming and Diving team (1-0, 1-0 SEC) won 12 of 16 events, as the Gators defeated Southeastern Conference-rival Arkansas (0-1, 0-1 SEC), 189.5-110.5, on Saturday in the Stephen O\u2019Connell Center Natatorium. This was each team\u2019s season-opening meet.<\/p>\n The Gators were led by junior Natalie Hinds as she won three individual events and was a member of the first place 200-yard medley relay team. On the boards, UF was led by junior Kahlia Warner as she placed first in both the one-meter (290.55) and the three-meter (336.38) dives.<\/p>\n With the win, the Gators improved to 42-2 all-time in season-opening dual meets and 14-1 in SEC season-opening duals. The women\u2019s team will look to take today\u2019s momentum into next weekend as the Gators host the Pinch A Penny All Florida Invitational from, Oct. 3-5, in the O\u2019Dome Natatorium. Both the men’s and women’s teams will be looking to win their fifth consecutive title at this meet. The Invite will be the first competition of the season for the men’s squad.<\/p>\n TROY\u2019S TALKING<\/strong><\/p>\n On the win\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a great way to open the season. It\u2019s a conference opponent and we were able to give a lot of people some good experience, so that they can find out what it\u2019s like in the SEC. It was a good performance, which is what we, as coaches like to see. We have a lot of work to do, but it\u2019s about getting better every week as we have a long time between now and February.\u201d<\/p>\n On Coach Schultz\u2019s first meet as a Gator and how the divers performed\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cCoach Schultz and I had a great day today. This was a great start for him as a Gator. We won the boards and scored very well, especially against a team that he spent some time with, Arkansas. It was a great opportunity for him to get his feet wet and for our divers to get off on the right foot.\u201d<\/p>\n SCHULTZ\u2019S SPEAKING<\/strong><\/p>\n On his first meet as a Gator against his former team\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cIt was tough because I kept watching the Arkansas divers in the water during warmups and thinking, \u2018oh I missed their dive\u2019, but it was good. It\u2019s good to get the first one out of the way with the transition that has happened.\u201d<\/p>\n On Kahlia Warner\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cI was really excited for her. She\u2019s really buying into what we\u2019re doing. We are going to go back to practice and do a lot of board work. She\u2019s still a little out of balance in her front approach. But like I said, she\u2019s doing a great job and we are just trying to get her ready for the season.<\/p>\n SERIES HISTORY<\/strong><\/p>\n Following today\u2019s 189.5-110.5 victory, UF improved to 6-0 all-time all time against Arkansas.<\/p>\n OPENING DAY SUCCESS<\/strong><\/p>\n The Florida women\u2019s squad improved to 42-2 all-time in season opening dual meets, and 14-1 SEC season-openers.<\/p>\n ALL ABOARD<\/strong><\/p>\n In his first meet as the University of Florida head diving coach, Dale Schultz tutored Warner to victories in both the one-meter and three-meter boards with scores of 290.55 and 336.38, respectively.<\/p>\n RELAY MAGIC<\/strong><\/p>\n The Gator women notched victories in both relay events, as juniors Sinead Russell, Lindsey McKnight, Sierra Kuhn and Hinds won the 200-yard medley relay (1:40.22) and juniors Jessica Thielmann, Ashlee Linn, McKnight and Russell placed first in the 400-yard freestyle relay (3:24.14).<\/p>\n GOING THE DISTANCE<\/strong><\/p>\n Junior Megan Rankin captured her first win of the 2014-15 season, as she won the 1,000-yard freestyle in a time of 10:01.89.<\/p>\n BACK IT UP<\/strong><\/p>\n UF swept the backstroke races as redshirt freshman Georgia Hohmann captured a victory in the 200-yard back (2:00.15), while Russell placed first in the 100-yard back with a time of 54.65 seconds. This was Hohmann\u2019s first race as a Gator.<\/p>\n I BELIEVE I CAN FLY<\/strong><\/p>\n The Gators swept the butterfly events as Hinds won the 100-yard fly (54.75) and sophomore Alyssa Yambor-Maul captured the 200-yard fly in 2:03.95.<\/p>\n SET HER FREE<\/strong><\/p>\n Hinds won both of the sprint events, as she placed first in the 50-yard (22.49) and 100-yard (49.08) freestyle races.<\/p>\n THIELMANN ROUNDS IT OUT<\/strong><\/p>\n Thielmann placed first in the final individual event of the day, as she won the 400-yard individual medley with a time 4:21.22.<\/p>\n