Ute Divers Set for NCAA Zone E Championships
SALT LAKE CITY- The Utah dive team is back in action after their strong showing at the Pac-12 Championships a week ago, this time in Flagstaff, Ariz., at the NCAA Zone E Diving Championships. Competition will take place March 7-9, at the Wall Aquatic Center and is hosted by Northern Arizona University.
Fans can stream all sessions of the Zone Championships on the NAU Facebook page and live results will also be available on Divemeets.com.
Schedule
Monday, March 7
11:30am - Women's 1m & Men's 3m
Tuesday March 8
11:30am - Women's 3m & Men's Platform
Wednesday, March 9
11:30am - Women's Platform & Men's 1m
Last time on the Boards
Utah dive is coming off another strong performance at the conference championships, highlighted by freshman Smyth taking home the runner-up finish on the platform to close out competition in Tucson, Ariz. Smyth earned the podium finish totaling 345.40.
The women kicked off the Pac-12 Championships with the 1m dive and Waxman and DeCecco both advanced to compete in the A final. In the finals, Waxman took home a sixth-place finish (271.75) as DeCecco captured eighth.
In the women's 3m, Waxman and DeCecco led the Utes earning top-15 finishes with score of 261.25 and 219.65, respectively. Chen placed fourth on the 1m as Chen finished seventh on the second day of Pac-12's.
On the third day, Mills advanced to the finals in the platform and placed eighth as Waxman won the consolation final with a personal-best score of 233.85. Pennock totaled a new personal-best in the 3m final, shattering his previous with a score of 367.15.
Last time at Zones
At the 2021 NCAA Zones Championships, the Utes opened up competition with three divers earning a berth to the NCAA Championships, two who will be competing early this week in Chen and DeCecco.
Chen finished in fourth place in the 3m finals to secure his berth at the 2021 NCAA Championships after recording a score of 718.80 and marked the second consecutive year qualifying for the event. For DeCecco in the 1m, she earned her berth finishing ninth with a score of 530.55.
Luke McDivitt became just the fourth Utah diver to qualify for the platform, placing second overall (689.65) and also marked the second consecutive year earning a bid to the NCAA Championships. The runner-up finish also qualified him for the 3m and allowed him to compete alongside teammate Chen.
On the final day of Zones, Chen and McDivitt both qualified for the 1m earning their second and third bids, respectively, to the NCAA Championships. The Utes sent a total of four divers to the championships, the most in a single season in program history.
Pac-12 Women's Diver of the Month
Junior diver Lexi Mills was named Pac-12 Diver of the Month for December after a stellar performance at the Big Al Invitational. Hosted by Princeton, Mills never placed outside the top-seven in the events she competed in. Starting with the 3M dive on the opening day, Mills posted a score of 293.20 in the preliminary round to advance to the finals and followed that up with a 303.25 (NCAA Zones qualifying score) to lead the Utes placing second.
On day two, Mills posted a score of 271.50 in the 1M dive prelims and scored a 250.85 in the finals to finish seventh. The 271.50 she showcased in the prelims was also an NCAA Zones qualifying mark. The platform was the final event on the third day at the invitational and Mills posted a personal-best of 216.30, which was good for seventh.
Pac-12 Women's Diver of the Week
Freshman Holly Waxman was named the women's conference diver of the week after her performances at the Air Force Diving Invitational. Waxman had a stellar meet competing in a field of 40 divers. In all three of her individual events, Waxman finished in the top-five.
On the opening day, Waxman lead the Utes in the 3M final posting a season-best score of 300.85. The following day, Waxman was the lone Ute in the 1M final and earned another season best score of 280.70 to capture fifth.
Waxman saved her best for last competing in the platform on the final day. In the prelims, Waxman set a new personal-best of 252.30 to advance to the finals. Waxman fed off that momentum and topped the previous record she just set with a 253.10, finishing in second-place behind teammate Lexi Mills who also set a new personal-best to win the event. Waxman's score moved her from ninth to fifth all-time at Utah in the platform.
Pac-12 Men's Diver of the Week
Tony Chen was named conference diver of the week earlier this month after his performance on the road against rival BYU.
Chen swept the diving events last weekend down in Provo against rival BYU. On opening night, Chen showcased a dive that tallied 337.50 points in the 1M, his second highest score of the season.
Following that performance, Chen captured the victory in the 3M with a score of 356.10 on the second and final day of the dual meet.
Waxman's All-Time Performances
In her first year at Utah, freshman Holly Waxman has already added her name in the all-time record book. Hailing from Leeds, England, Waxman currently sits in fifth all-time in the Platform scoring a 277.15 at the Air Force Diving Invite and is seventh in the 1M after her performance on senior day posting a score of 298.85.
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