Though we’re not DiveDove, we do dabble in diving coverage, and as diving can have a major impact on the NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships, we cover NCAA Zone Diving – mainly through the lens of how national diving qualifiers could impact the team points battles later this month.
2022 NCAA ZONE DIVING
- Zone A: US Naval Academy / Annapolis, Md.
- Monday, March 7 – Wednesday, March 9
- Live Results
- Zone B: Georgia Tech Aquatic Center / Atlanta, Ga.
- Sunday, March 6 – Wednesday, March 9
- Live Results
- Zone C: Canham Natatorium / Ann Arbor, Mich.
- Monday, March 7 – Wednesday, March 9
- Live Results
- Zone D: Soderholm Aquatic Center / Madison, Wisc.
- Monday, March 7 – Wednesday, March 9
- Live Results
- Zone E: Wall Aquatic Center / Flagstaff, Ariz.
- Monday, March 7 – Wednesday, March 9
- Live Results
WOMEN’S 3-METER
Minnesota’s Sarah Bacon picked up her second win of the competition in the women’s 3-meter, with the Texas’ Paola Pineda and Hailey Hernandez taking second and third.
The Longhorns had Pineda, Hernandez and Bridget O’Neil qualify on Monday, and then on Tuesday, they added two more for NCAAs with Jordan Skilken placing seventh and Morgan Menninger taking 10th on 3-meter.
The other new qualifier on the day was Texas A&M’s Alyssa Clairmont, who was eighth.
MEN’S 1-METER
Texas A&M’s Kurtis Mathews secured the victory in the men’s 1-meter event, with 3-meter winner Juan Hernandez of LSU finishing in the runner-up position.
There were 10 NCAA spots up for grabs in the event, with four men qualifying for the first time.
Texas A&M’s Victor Povzner punched his ticket to nationals after placing third, while TCU’s David Ekdahl and the Texas duo of Brendan McCourt and Andrew Harness also qualified.
Along with Noah Duperre and Manuel Borowski, the Longhorns now have four divers qualified for NCAAs.
QUALIFIERS LIST
Reimbursed divers are in bold and designated with a star*, with invited-but-not-reimbursed divers in non-bold. You can read more about the distinction below. Note that we’re covering which divers are currently in position to earn reimbursement, and that could change depending on results later in the competition.
Women |
|
| Diver | Event(s) |
| Sarah Bacon, Minnesota* | 1m, 3m |
| Bridget O’Neil, Texas* | 1m, 3m |
| Hailey Hernandez, Texas* | 1m, 3m |
| Chiara Pellacani, LSU* | 1m, 3m |
| Paolo Pineda, Texas* | 1m, 3m |
| Helle Tuxen, LSU* | 1m, 3m |
| Joy Zhu, Minnesota* | 1m, 3m |
| Montserrat Lavenant, LSU* | 1m, 3m |
| Aimee Wilson, Texas A&M* | 1m, 3m |
| Chloe Ceyanes, Texas A&M | 1m |
| Jordan Skilken, Texas* | 1m, 3m |
| Alyssa Clairmont, Texas A&M* | 1m, 3m |
| Morgan Menninger, Texas* | 3m |
Men |
|
| Diver | Event(s) |
| Juan Hernandez, LSU* | 1m, 3m |
| Kurtis Mathews, Texas A&M* | 1m, 3m |
| Adrian Abadia Garcia, LSU* | 1m, 3m |
| Tazman Abramowicz, Wisconsin* | 1m, 3m |
| Jake Butler, Minnesota* | 1m, 3m |
| Noah Duperre, Texas* | 1m, 3m |
| Manuel Borowski, Texas | 3m |
| Takuto Endo, Mizzou | 3m |
| Victor Povzner, Texas A&M* | 1m, 3m |
| David Ekdahl, TCU | 1m, 3m |
| Brendan McCourt, Texas | 1m |
| Andrew Harness, Texas | 1m |
SIMPLIFIED INVITE PROCEDURES
You can read a more in-depth look at the selection process here.
Effectively, each zone earns a specific number of qualifying spots in each event, based on how that Zone performed at NCAAs last year. Divers who place inside the qualifying places earn an NCAA invite. A diver invited in one event can compete at NCAAs in any other diving event where they were top 12 in their Zone meet.
The highest-placing divers earn NCAA reimbursement, while lower-placing qualifiers can compete at NCAAs, but their school must pay for their travel and lodging at the meet.
Does reimbursement happen on the swimming side too?
What will Texas most likely do now when they have 4 divers qualified?
Take 2 or 4 divers?
Most likely 4 divers as the extra two would score more than the one swimmer they would remove
However many they take, it will be that many more divers than Cal is taking!
What is the reason for divers having to finish Top 12 at their zone meet to be able to compete at at Nationals instead of being able to compete in any or all 3 events once they have been invited?
Diving prelims take a LONG time. They have to limit it somehow.