Though we’re not DiveDove, we do dabble in diving coverage, and as diving can have a major impact on the NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships, we cover NCAA Zone Diving – mainly through the lens of how national diving qualifiers could impact the team points battles later this month.
2022 NCAA ZONE DIVING
- Zone A: US Naval Academy / Annapolis, Md.
- Monday, March 7 – Wednesday, March 9
- Live Results
- Zone B: Georgia Tech Aquatic Center / Atlanta, Ga.
- Sunday, March 6 – Wednesday, March 9
- Live Results
- Zone C: Canham Natatorium / Ann Arbor, Mich.
- Monday, March 7 – Wednesday, March 9
- Live Results
- Zone D: Soderholm Aquatic Center / Madison, Wisc.
- Monday, March 7 – Wednesday, March 9
- Live Results
- Zone E: Wall Aquatic Center / Flagstaff, Ariz.
- Monday, March 7 – Wednesday, March 9
- Live Results
WOMEN’S PLATFORM
Six women earned NCAA qualification in the women’s platform event with nine spots available, as the other three inside the top-nine had already punched their tickets earlier in the competition.
Indiana’s Tarrin Gilliland, the reigning NCAA champion in the event, picked up a decisive victory with a score of 632.25 and ensures that she’ll be able to compete in all three events (and defend her national title on platform) next week.
Among the new qualifiers, leading the way was Louisville’s Else Praasterink, who was the clear runner-up with a score of 592.05. Joining her in earning qualification for the first time this season was the Purdue duo of Maggie Merriman and Maycey Vieta, Northwestern’s Markie Hopkins, Michigan’s Lucy Hogan and Ohio State’s Ciara Mcging.
MEN’S PLATFORM
The men’s event had a whopping 11 qualifying spots up for grabs and four of them went to first-time qualifiers, though it was the usual suspects finishing atop the heap.
Purdue’s Tyler Downs and Indiana’s Carson Tyler, who earned wins in the 1-meter and 3-meter events earlier, went 1-2, while Purdue’s Jordan Rzepka, who already qualified as well, took third.
Leading the new qualifiers was Michigan’s Ross Todd, an Australian native who narrowly missed scoring (17th) in the event at the 2021 NCAAs.
Also earning NCAA qualification was Purdue’s Benjamin Bramley, Kentucky’s Rodrigo Romero and Ohio State’s Hunter Grannum. Grannum gives the Buckeyes five divers qualified for NCAAs.
QUALIFIERS LIST
Reimbursed divers are in bold and designated with a star*, with invited-but-not-reimbursed divers in non-bold. You can read more about the distinction below.
A total of 17 women and 16 men qualified for NCAAs by virtue of their performances at the Zone C Championships, with 10 female and 11 male divers earning reimbursement.
Women |
|
| Diver | Event(s) |
| Kristen Hayden, Indiana* | 1m, 3m, Pl |
| Anne Fowler, Indiana* | 1m, 3m |
| Kelly Straub, Notre Dame* | 1m, 3m |
| Mackenzie Crawford, Ohio State* | 1m, 3m |
| Allie Klein, Michigan* | 1m, 3m |
| Sophia McAfee, Purdue | 1m, 3m, Pl |
| Kyndal Knight, Kentucky | 1m, 3m, Pl |
| Tarrin Gilliland, Indiana* | 1m, 3m, Pl |
| Caroline Brady, Notre Dame | 1m |
| Jenna Sonnenberg, Notre Dame* | 3m |
| Morgan Southall, Kentucky | 1m, 3m |
| Else Praasterink, Louisville* | 3m, Pl |
| Maggie Merriman, Purdue* | Pl |
| Markie Hopkins, Northwestern* | Pl |
| Maycey Vieta, Purdue | Pl |
| Lucy Hogan, Michigan | Pl |
| Ciara Mcging, Ohio State | Pl |
Men |
|
| Diver | Event(s) |
| Carson Tyler, Indiana* | 1m, 3m, Pl |
| Quentin Henninger, Indiana* | 1m, 3m, Pl |
| Tyler Downs, Purdue* | 1m, 3m, Pl |
| Andrew Capobianco, Indiana* | 1m, 3m, Pl |
| Lyle Yost, Ohio State* | 1m, 3m, Pl |
| Clayton Chaplin, Ohio State* | 1m, 3m, Pl |
| Sam Bennett, Purdue* | 3m |
| Jacob Siler, Ohio State | 3m |
| Jacob Fielding, Ohio State* | 1m, 3m, Pl |
| Jordan Rzepka, Purdue* | 1m, 3m, Pl |
| Gregory Duncan, Purdue | 1m, 3m |
| Samuel Duncan, Kentucky | 1m |
| Ross Todd, Michigan* | 1m, Pl |
| Benjamin Bramley, Purdue* | Pl |
| Rodrigo Romero, Kentucky | Pl |
| Hunter Grannum, Ohio State | Pl |
SIMPLIFIED INVITE PROCEDURES
You can read a more in-depth look at the selection process here.
Effectively, each zone earns a specific number of qualifying spots in each event, based on how that Zone performed at NCAAs last year. Divers who place inside the qualifying places earn an NCAA invite. A diver invited in one event can compete at NCAAs in any other diving event where they were top 12 in their Zone meet.
The highest-placing divers earn NCAA reimbursement, while lower-placing qualifiers can compete at NCAAs, but their school must pay for their travel and lodging at the meet.