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Georgia Diver Zach Allen, an NCAA Qualifier, Returning to Bulldogs for 5th Year

University of Georgia diver Zach Allen will take advantage of the NCAA waiver that awards all athletes who competed in the 2020-2021 collegiate season an extra year of eligibility because of the complications of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Allen has steadily improved over his first 4 years at Georgia. He started out with an 11th-place finish at the 2018 SEC Championships in men’s 1-meter. Allen then improved all the way up to qualifying for Men’s NCAAs the past two seasons. At the 2021 NCAAs, he finished 29th in 1-meter.

Allen adds depth to a small diving squad at Georgia. The Bulldogs only have one other returning diver: Hudson Coldren. Georgia also adds freshmen Rhett Hopkins and Nolan Lewis to the diving squad. Both freshmen have placed at USA Diving Junior Nationals.

In October 2020, the NCAA granted all winter sport athletes the option to use an extra year of eligibility following complications from the COVID-19 pandemic. Under normal circumstances, Division I student-athletes have a 5-year window during which they can use up their four seasons of eligibility. However, given the current situation with COVID-19, student-athletes of all class years have been offered an additional season of eligibility, regardless of where they are in their 5-year window. For a detailed breakdown on what the stakes are surrounding a 5th-year decision in 2021, click here.

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Go Dawgs
3 years ago

go dawg

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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