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.
2018 NCAA Zone Diving
- Zones A, B, D, E: Monday, March 5 – Wednesday, March 7
- Zone C: Thursday, March 8 – Saturday, March 10
- Host schools:
- Zone A: Rutgers University
- Zone B: University of Tennessee
- Zone C: Ohio State University
- Zone D: University of Minnesota
- Zone E: Northern Arizona University
- NCAA selection primer
Virginia booked a pair of divers into NCAAs on day 1 of the Zone A Championships, with Rutgers and Penn State winning events.
Penn State’s Hector Garcia won on men’s 3-meter, earning both eligibility and NCAA reimbursement. Same goes for Rutgers’ Addison Walkowiak on the women’s side.
Virginia, meanwhile, added a male and female diver to its NCAA roster after strong ACC meets in the pool. Sydney Dusel was third on 1-meter and Ian Shelton fourth on 3-meter.
Here’s a look at the current qualifying chart:
Qualifying Chart
Athletes in bold have earned NCAA reimbursement.
Priority | Finisher | Women | Men |
1 | 3-meter Champ | Hector Garcia, PSU | |
2 | 1-meter Champ | Addison Walkowiak, RUTG | |
3 | Platform Champ | ||
4 | 3-meter 2nd |
Jonathan Suckrow, CUD
|
|
5 | 1-meter 2nd | Ashlynn Peters, VT | |
6 | Platform 2nd | ||
7 | 3-meter 3rd | Bradley Buchter, NAVY | |
8 | 1-meter 3rd | Sydney Dusel, UVA | |
9 | Platform 3rd | ||
10 | 3-meter 4th | Ian Shelton, UVA | |
11 | 1-meter 4th | Maja Boric, MASS | |
12 | Platform 4th | ||
13 | 3-meter 5th | Benjamin Schiesl, VT | |
14 | 1-meter 5th | Meme Sharp, PITT | |
15 | Platform 5th | ||
16 | 3-meter 6th | — | |
17 | 1-meter 6th | Lydia Rosenthall, PITT |
NCAA Diving QUALIFYING PROCEDURES
There are five zone meets spread across the country that allow divers to qualify for the NCAA Championships. Based on performances at the previous NCAAs each zone earns a set number of qualifying spots.
Take a look at the qualifying spots for each zone and each event:
WOMEN
WOMEN | ELIGIBILITY | ||
1m | 3m | Platform | |
Zone A | 6 | 6 | 5 |
Zone B | 7 | 7 | 9 |
Zone C | 8 | 10 | 10 |
Zone D | 11 | 9 | 9 |
Zone E | 9 | 9 | 8 |
MEN
MEN | ELIGIBILITY | ||
1m | 3m | Platform | |
Zone A | 6 | 5 | 5 |
Zone B | 6 | 6 | 7 |
Zone C | 10 | 10 | 11 |
Zone D | 9 | 8 | 6 |
Zone E | 5 | 7 | 7 |
A priority chart determines who gets the reimbursement spots. The first priority spot is taken by the winner of each event beginning with the 3-meter champ, followed by the 1-meter champ and then the platform champ. If an athlete wins two events, they will still only take up one slot which means the NCAA will keep adding rows to this chart until the zone meet reimbursement quota is met.
According to the rules set in 2015 that allowed more divers into the meet, any diver who lands in the qualifying spots for their zone earns a spot to compete in the NCAA Championships. If the diver earns eligibility in one event, they can automatically compete in any of the other two events at NCAAs as long as they finished in the top 12 in their zone in that event.
The NCAA made a distinction between “eligible” and “reimbursed” athletes. Divers qualifying outside of the reimbursement spots will not have their travel, lodging, or meet expenses covered by the NCAA. Instead the individual school must decide if they’re willing to pay the bill themselves to give that diver an opportunity to participate in the NCAA Championships.
REIMBURSEMENT | ||
Women | Men | |
Zone A | 4 | 4 |
Zone B | 6 | 7 |
Zone C | 10 | 10 |
Zone D | 12 | 9 |
Zone E | 9 | 5 |
It’s becoming evident that UVA is where talent goes to blossom #gohoos
While these divers have done well and they have a wonderful coach, UVA does have a disadvantage when it comes to diving because they don’t have a 10 meter tower. Thomas Jefferson declared that no building on campus shall be taller than the Rotunda so they couldn’t put one in. Overall though, UVA is a wonderful place to excel academically and athletically.
At the risk of sounding snob like, it’s The Grounds. They don’t say campus. I’m not so sure of a declaration like that, but on the central Grounds nothing is built higher than the Rotunda. But adjacent to that main grounds is a 7 story hospital, so…