March 16, 2009

Dreyer Takes 1m Championship in NCAA Zone `B' Finals
University of Miami senior diver Jenna Dreyer took the top spot Saturday in the finals of the women's 1-meter springboard event at the NCAA Zone `B' Diving Championships in Knoxville, Tenn. The three-day event is being hosted by the University of Tennessee at the Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatics Center.

Dreyer, a two-time All-American for the Hurricanes, finished her final round with a score of 599.15 to claim first place on the day. She entered the championship round leading after the preliminary round of diving with a total score of 309.60.

UM junior Brittany Viola, the ACC Most Valuable Diver at the 2009 Swimming & Diving Championships, participated in the 1-meter event today after sitting out yesterday's 3-meter springboard finals with an injury.

Frebel's Second-Place Finish On Platform Clinches Berth To NCAA Championships
Senior Dan Frebel will join junior Terry Horner at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships thanks to his second-place performance on the platform on the final day of the NCAA Zone B Championships in Knoxville, Tenn.

Frebel entered the final two rounds in fourth position, but used two of the best dives of his career to move up the leader board. His final dive earned a score of 83.30 which is the highest of his career for that dive. The Indianapolis, Ind., native had a 12-dive total of 680.90. Senior Scott Derner made his third final of the meet and finished in 10th position (564.00). Horner placed 23rd on the platform, but made the NCAA Championships on the strength of his third-place showing on the one-meter.

Junior Katie Sirounis was the highest finisher for the FSU women on the platform placing ninth with a 10-dive total of 445.00. Junior Aleia placed 11th (440.30) and sophomore Katherine Adham turned in an 18th-place performance (365.50). Freshman Lisi Rowland did not make the finals, but placed 19th. 

Duke Finishes At NCAA Zones, Johnston Bound For NCAA Championships
The Blue Devil men's and women's divers concluded competition Sunday afternoon at the 2009 NCAA Zone B Championships, with freshman Shawn Hoffman and junior Julie Brummond representing Duke today on the platform at the University of Tennessee.

Hoffman took 20th in today's prelims with his six-dive score of 233.90, while Brummond finished 23rd in prelims with her 173.95.

Entering today's event, Duke freshmen Jessica Lyden had been on the bubble as a qualifier for the NCAA Championships next week, but because today's top three finishers in the women's platform had not yet qualified and earned automatic bids, Lyden remains the first alternate for the national meet. 

David Solarz Earns Spot In NCAA Championships
Junior David Solarz became the fourth Tar Heel diver in the past three years to qualify for the NCAA Championships as he earned the 11th an final spot after the NCAA Zone B Diving Championships in Knoxville, Tenn. In 2006, both Ryan Funderburk and Jon Fox qualified for the NCAA Championships, the first time UNC had two divers qualify in the same year since 1947, and in 2008, Ryan Funderburk became the first Tar Heel All-America in diving in 51 years.

Solarz, a junior from Westlake, Ohio (Westlake High School), is a first-time NCAA qualifier. He earned the 11th and the final spot in the formula that qualifies divers from the zone diving championships for NCAAs. The NCAA Championships will be held at Texas A&M University in College Station Texas on March 26-28.

Solarz will be the fifth Tar Heel at the NCAA Men's Swimming & Diving Championships, joining sophomores Chip Peterson, Joe Kinderwater, Tommy Wyher and Tyler Harris. 

Davies Qualifies for NCAA's in Platform Dive
NC State women's diver Kristin Davies is heading back to the NCAA Championships in the platform dive following a first-place finish at the NCAA Diving Zones on Sunday, March 15. Austin Hampton is also assured a spot at the NCAA Championships as an alternate.

Davies took first overall with a total score of 576.80. Her 304.05 in the prelims had her pegged for first heading into the finals.

Last year Davies took 13th overall in the platform dive at the NCAA Championships and was named honorable mention All-America. More recently, Davies picked up All-ACC hardware in the platform dive for the second year in a row at the ACC Championships last month. 

Tigers Divers Wrap Up 2008-09 Season at NCAA Zone Championships
The Clemson divers wrapped up competition at the NCAA Zone B Championships at the University of Tennessee. Freshman Cassie Self led the Tigers in the platform events, as she earned a spot in the finals and finished 15th overall. David Giambra placed 21st in the six-dive men's event.

Self picked up her best career finish, placing 15th on the platform. She posted a 200.95 to place 15th in the prelims, earning a spot in the finals, where she notched a 188.25, earning her the highest finish of any Tiger in a the NCAA Zone Meet this season.

David Giambra picked up 21st in the platform event, giving him three top-22 finishes in as many events. Giambra is the school record-holder in the one-meter, three-meter, and platform diving events. 

Hannah Krimm And Michele Bertolino Compete On Day 2 Of NCAA Zone B Diving Meet
Junior Hannah Krimm finished 11th, while Michele Bertolino was 30th in the one-meter diving event Saturday during the second day of the NCAA Zone B Diving Championships at the Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center on the campus of the University of Tennessee.

11 male and 10 female divers will advance from this zone to the national meet, which will be held over the next two weeks in College Station, Texas.

The top four placers on the three-meter and one-meter boards, as well as the top two finishers on the platform all automatically qualify to the national meet.

H2Okie divers close out competition at the NCAA Zone B qualifier
The Virginia Tech H2Okies competed in the final day of the NCAA Zone B Qualifier with the men and women competing in the platform event. Junior Mikey McDonald was the only Hokie diver to qualify for the NCAA Championships for Tech.

McDonald, who last year was an honorable mention All-American, placed 16th in the platform event. The junior solidified a position in the NCAA Championships after claiming fifth place in the 3-meter dive on Saturday.

After qualifying for the NCAA Championships, McDonald will compete in all three diving events.