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 PLATFORM
Three female divers earned NCAA qualification in the final event of the Zone B Championships on the women’s side, with Duke’s Allyah Watson, Alabama’s Tanesha Lucoe and Georgia Tech’s Anna Bradescu getting the job done by placing second, fifth and seventh on platform, respectively.
There were nine qualifying spots on the line in this event, with six of the top-nine having qualified for NCAAs earlier in the competition. Duke’s Margo O’Meara edged out her teammate Watson by 0.35 points for the victory, with UNC’s Aranza Vazquez Montano a close third.
A total of 15 women qualified for NCAAs at the Zone B Championships.
MEN’S 3-METER
The men’s 3-meter saw UNC’s Anton Down-Jenkins win his second event of the competition and four new divers qualify for NCAAs with a whopping 11 qualifying spots up for grabs in the event.
Fellow Tar Heel Alexander Hart punched his NCAA ticket by placing seventh, which currently has him in position for reimbursement, while South Carolina’s Emanuel Vazquez, NC State’s Bayne Bennett and Florida’s Anton Svirskyi also earned qualification.
Two teams expected to be in the race for a top finish at NCAAs, Svirskyi now gives the Gators two divers qualified for the meet, joining Leonardo Garcia (who was second in this event), and Bennett gives the Wolfpack one.
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) |
| Aranza Vazquez Montano, UNC* | 1m, 3m, Pl |
| Mia Vallee, Miami (FL)* | 1m, 3m |
| Brooke Schultz, South Carolina* | 1m, 3m |
| Emma Gullstrand, Miami (FL)* | 1m, 3m |
| Margo O’Meara, Duke* | 1m, 3m, Pl |
| Maddison Pullinger, Duke | 1m, 3m |
| Meghan Wenzel, Georgia | 1m |
| Camryn Hidalgo, Georgia Tech* | 1m, 3m, Pl |
| Maha Amer, Florida* | 1m, 3m, Pl |
| Maha Gouda, FIU* | 1m, Pl |
| Grace Cable, Tennessee | 3m, Pl |
| Carina Lumia, Florida | 3m |
| Allyah Watson, Duke* | Pl |
| Tanesha Lucoe, Alabama | Pl |
| Anna Bradescu, Georgia Tech | Pl |
Men |
|
| Diver | Event(s) |
| Anton Down Jenkins, UNC* | 1m, 3m |
| Bryden Hattie, Tennessee* | 1m, 3m |
| Maxwell Flory, Miami (FL)* | 1m, 3m |
| Mohamed Farouk, Alabama* | 1m, 3m |
| Zhenwei Li, Alabama* | 1m |
| Matthew Wade, Tennessee* | 1m, 3m |
| Conner Pruitt, Auburn* | 1m, 3m |
| Leonardo Garcia, Florida* | 1m, 3m |
| Alexander Hart, UNC* | 3m |
| Emanuel Vazquez, South Carolina | 3m |
| Bayne Bennett, NC State | 1m, 3m |
| Anton Svirskyi, Florida | 3m |
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.
I doubt Nc state will drop a swimmer for a non- scoring diver?
What’s the difference between a non-scoring swimmer and non-scoring diver?
Possible relay piece or 3 events to try to make a final vs. One diving diving event?
The 17th or 18th swimmer on NC State’s roster is likely not making finals in any event and will not be on any relays
Bayne is qualified to compete in both springboard events.
Good to see State making progress in diving. That said, wouldn’t Bennett put them at 19 qualifiers and hence having to make a decision? I doubt 9th place in zones lends itself toward top 16 at NCAA. Regardless, an important step for the program.
I was going to comment something similar. Will State choose diving development by even just attending NCAAs for the experience. Or will they keep a lower ranked swimmer who might not score for swimming development?
Congrats to them getting into rare air with the likes of Cal and Texas having to make the choices of which qualifier(s) to leave home due to roster limits.
Cal doesn’t have any divers
I think they will “drop” Bartosz Piszczorowicz from his individual events but he will still swim relays.
Can you even do this?
Nope
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