Oct. 4, 2010

Boca Raton, Fla. - After diving into the pool with strong season-opening performance at the All Florida Invitational, swimmers Eszter Bucz and Csaba Pek have been recognized as the Florida Atlantic University’s Student-Athlete of the Week.

Bucz made the biggest splash by winning an event against in-state competition that featured defending NCAA Division I champions University of Florida, Florida State University and the University of Miami. The sophomore from Hungary took the top spot in the 200-yard breaststroke event by nearly two seconds with a lifetime best time of 2:17.11. She also had a runner-up showing in the 400-yard individual medley race (4:22.36 -- two seconds from her school record event time) and had a career-best time to finish fourth in the 500-yard freestyle event (4:55.75). Overall, Bucz contributed 122 of FAU’s 378 points in individual or relay events in the inaugural meet.

Meanwhile, Pek paced a balanced FAU team effort with three top-five efforts to help the Owls finish a strong third in the early-season test. The junior from Hungary had a pair of third-place showings in the 400-yard individual medley (3:59.26) and 200-yard individual medley (1:53.45). He also advanced to the finals of the 500-yard freestyle race -- part of the 84 points he contributed to the team’s cause during the three-day meet.

Another strong contender for the FAU Student-Athlete Award this week was women’s soccer player Jesse Shugg, who scored goals in both matches for the Owls last weekend. She will lead the team when it host a pair of weekend Sun Belt Conference matches against Middle Tennessee at 7 p.m. on Friday, and Western Kentucky, at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

The football team will look for its first Sun Belt Conference victory when it travels to Louisiana-Monroe at 7 p.m. on Saturday, while the men’s soccer will host the USF at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. The Owls will then host rival FIU at 7 p.m. on Saturday from the FAU Soccer Stadium. The men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs get back in the pool on Friday when they host Florida State, FIU and Florida Gulf Coast, starting at 4 p.m.

In other weekend sports action, the volleyball team will battle the FIU Golden Panthers in a conference match at 7 p.m. on Friday in Miami; the men’s tennis team continues its fall schedule by participating in the Miami tournament, beginning on Friday; the cross country teams will compete in the Wide World of Disney Classic in Lake Buena Vista on Saturday; the women’s golf team plays in the Xavier Invitational, starting on Friday, after having its season-opening event on Tuesday in the USF Waterlefe Invitational; and the softball team plays its first games of the fall schedule on Saturday and Sunday at the FAU Softball Stadium.

Keep up to date on the latest news about FAU athletics at www.fausports.com.