Divers Compete at the NCAA Zone B Championships This Weekend
3/1/2007 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
ATHENS, Ga. -- For five University of Alabama divers, the chance to advance to the NCAA Championships comes down to this weekend in Athens, Ga. as they participate in the NCAA Zone B Championships in Gabrielsen Natatorium on the Georgia campus.
While swimmers have all season to meet pre-determined time standards, divers all advance to the national meet through the Zone meets. There are five Zone meets this weekend and 35 men and 41 women will advance to the NCAA Championships through them with eight men and 11 women coming from the Athens-based Zone B meet.
For the Crimson Tide contingent, it will be their second trip to Athens in three weeks after competing in a last chance meet there late last month. Freshman Aaron Fleshner will be the Tide’s top contender for a Zone title after finishing in the top-10 in all three diving events at the SEC Championships in mid-February, including a third place three-meter finish. On the women’s side of the slate, freshman Elizabeth Hughes finished seventh off the platform at SECs.
Joining the Tide and the home-standing Bulldogs will be athletes from Auburn, Clemson, Duke, East Carolina, Florida, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, Miami (Fla.), North Carolina, North Carolina State, North Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia Tech.
The meet starts Friday with men on the one-meter board and the women competing off the three-meter. On Saturday the men move to the three-meter and the women will go off the one-meter board. Sunday will see both the men and women compete off the platform.
The other Zone sites include Rutgers, Michigan, Texas and Oklahoma City Community College. The NCAA Championships will be held in Minnesota March 8-10 for the women and March 15-17 for the men.
