Two divers compete at Zones D Diving Championship
AUSTIN, Texas – After having a successful Big 12 Championship (Feb. 27 – March 2), junior Peri Charapich and senior Vicky Xu make the trip back to Austin, Texas to compete in the NCAA Zone Diving Championship March 11-13 inside the Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center.
Depending on where they are located, division I diving teams from across the nation are split up into five zones (A-E). The University of Kansas is in Zone D, shared with 11 other states in the region.
Zones stands as a qualifying opportunity for divers to earn a place to the NCAA Championships (March 20 -23) in the one-meter, three-meter and platform events. Championships will also be hosted in the Lee & Joe Jamail Swimming Center in Austin, Texas.
Head diving coach Gabe Downey is feeling good heading into the competition after seeing success at the Big 12 Championship at the same pool and even a individual championship by Xu in the three-meter diving event.
“It’s a nice advantage for us,” Downey said. “We got here and immediately the girls were comfortable. It’s a good facility and we have already had success here, this month no less.”
The number of qualifying spots per zone varies on what zone an athlete is in and what event the athlete is competing in. Women divers in Zone D have three events to qualify for the NCAA Championships and must get into the top-qualifying spots in one of the three events to go. Top-nine places for both the one-meter and platform and top-12 for three-meter.
Charapich will be competing in all three events throughout the next couple of days and Xu in both the one-meter and three-meter event.
“I am feeling very optimistic,” Downey said. “They’ve (Charapich and Xu) been training and competing well. Through two days of training they are looking well prepared and confident. I am hopeful that this will be a great competition for our team.”
Event times are as follows: Monday, March 11 women’s three-meter prelim/final events begin at 5 p.m.; Tuesday, March 6, women’s one-meter prelim/final events at 5 p.m.; and Wednesday women’s platform prelim/final events will begin at 2:20 p.m.
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