Lai Becomes NCAA Championship Bound on the 1-Meter and 3-Meter Dive

Monday, March 9

College Station, Texas

12 p.m. CT

University of Kansas

NCAA Zone Diving Championships

Lai Becomes NCAA Championship Bound on the 1-Meter and 3-Meter Dive

3/10/2026 9:12:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving

Zone Diving Day 2 Results 2026 Zone Diving Day 1 Results 2026

COLLEGE STATION, Tex. - Junior Shiyun Lai earned a ticket from the Zone Diving Championships at the Student Recreational Natatorium to the NCAA Swim and Dive Championships in Atlanta after runner-up finishes on the 1-meter and 3-meter dives.

"I think we did pretty well," head diving coach Allen Feng said. "Divers in Zone D are among the most competitive at the Division I level, and we were able to stand out. Shiyun had a rough start today on the 3-meter but managed to come back strong and claim second place. Beyond Shiyun's qualification on both boards, I also want to recognize Lize Lukas van Leeuwen. They officially finished their college career with us and performed at a very high level this season. I truly appreciate their contribution to elevating the team."

On Day 1 of the Zone Diving Championships, Lai posted a score of 647.15 to finish second on the 1-meter diving board and qualify for the event at the NCAA Championships later this month. Senior Lize Lukas van Leeuwen finished 13th with 551.25 points.

Day 2 saw Lai tally a score of 706.80 on the 3-meter dive to qualify for the NCAA Championships in the event. Lukas van Leeuwen (265.05) placed 27th in the preliminaries on the 3-meter.

This will be Lai's third consecutive appearance at the NCAA Swim and Dive Championships. She previously earned All-American honors at last year's championships, placing sixth and seventh on the 3-meter and 1-meter dives, respectively.

UP NEXT
Lai will travel to Atlanta to compete in the 1-meter and 3-meter dives at the NCAA Swim and Dive Championships, held at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center from March 18–21. Competition times will be announced soon.