NCAA Zone Diving Begins Thursday

PROVO -- The last stumbling block along the road to the NCAA National Championships for the BYU diving team will be the Zone E Diving Championships March 11-13 in Austin, Texas.

“It’s just the type of competition that our divers need to prove that they’re able to do great things,” said BYU diving coach Keith Russell. “Our zone is loaded with the very best divers in the country and it will be a tough meet.”

Five men and six women will be competing for the Cougars, the most that have ever been able to compete at Zone Championships. Dayna Christensen, Mikenna Cloward and Nic Suder will represent the BYU freshman; Syrena Miskin , Travis Day, Sam Hatch and Brandon Watson will represent the sophomores; and Ava Jackman, Tawni Jones, Emily Woods and Ron Morris will do their best to perform well for the last Zone Diving Championships of their Cougar careers.

All-Americans Watson and Jones, who both won the 1-meter and 3-meter springboard events at the Mountain West Conference Championships, will lead the Cougars.

After tallying four MWC Diver of the Week awards, sophomore All-American diver Watson was named MWC Diver of the Year at the MWC Championships. In the 2009-10 season he tallied 11 dual meet wins, finished first on the 3-meter against PAC-10 schools at the Wildcat Invitational and won both the 1-meter and 3-meter titles at the MWC Championships.

Taking the 1-meter and 3-meter springboard titles at MWC Championships was Jones, also named MWC Diver of the Year. After a stellar season with 14 first-place finishes and six MWC Diver of the Week honors, Jones led her Cougars to the fourth MWC title in four years.

The Zone E Diving Championships will start at noon on March 11 and go through the 13th. It will be held in Austin, Texas at the Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swim Center. Check back to www.byucougars.com/swimming_diving/ for scores and updates.

Schedule of Events

Thursday, March 11

Women’s 1m Prelims – 12-2:30 pm (CT)

Women’s 1m Finals – 2:45-3:45 pm

Men’s 3m Prelims – 12-1:30 pm

Men’s 3m Finals – 1:45-2:45 pm

Friday, March 12

Men’s 1m Prelims – 12-1:30 pm

Men’s 1m Finals – 1:45-2:45 pm

Women’s 3m Prelims – 12-2:30 pm

Women’s 3m Finals – 2:45-3:45 pm

Saturday, March 13

Women’s Platform – 11:30 am-1:05 pm

Men’s Platform – 2:35-4:20 pm