The NCAA Diving Zones feature five meets in five regions of the United States. The Cougars will compete in Zone D, which one of the toughest zones that feature divers from LSU, Arkansas, Texas, Texas A&M and Missouri. Reigning American platform champion and freshman of the year Katie Deininger, Lauren Burrell and Makayla Wallar will represent the Cougars at the meet. Competition is slated to begin on March 11 at 11 a.m. with the 3-Meter.
_ _ WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
* Deininger qualified for all three diving events after posting qualifying marks earlier this season. The freshman posted a score of 293.75 at the Phill Hansel Invitational for her best mark in the event of the season. In the 3-Meter, her best point total came at the Phill Hansel Invitational where she posted 302.35 points. In the platform, she posted a season-best 268.25 for the highest mark in The American this year. * Lauren Burrell returns to the zones for the third consecutive year. She posted a season-best 276.75 in the 1-Meter, and 314.80 in the 3-Meter to qualify for each of the events at the upcoming zones. * Makayla Wallar will compete in the 1-Meter and 3-Meter at the meet after posting 265.80 in the 1-Meter earlier this season. Wallar posted a final point total of 298.05 to qualify for the 3-Meter.
* In one of the toughest zone diving qualifiers in the country, Houston opened the meet with the 3-Meter. All three Cougar divers qualified for the event. Lauren Burrell closed out the prelims of the event with a score of 296.20, and in 19th-place. Burrell’s best dive came on her fifth attempt. The junior posted 52.65 points after completed an inward 2 ½ Somersault tuck, closing out the round in 11th-place. * Katie Deininger turned in a 25th-place finish in the prelims of the 3-Meter with 285.35 points. Deininger’s best dive came in the third round when the freshman notched 54.60 points, closing out the round in 13th-place after completing a Reverse 2 ½ Somersault Tuck. * Makayla Wallar closed out the event in 38th-place with 253.30 points. Wallar’s best dive came on her third attempt when the freshman posted 49.00 points after performing a Back 2 ½ Somersault tuck. * In the 1-Meter, Burrell and Wallar represented the Cougars. Burrell finished the event in 26th-place with 237.70 points in the prelims. Burrell posted 44.40 points in the opening round for her highest score of the day after completing an Inward 1 ½ Somersault Pike. Wallar closed out the prelims in 42nd-place with 217.70 points, earning her highest score in the fifth round. Wallar successfully completed an Inward 1 ½ Somersault Pike, racking up 42.00 points. * In the final event of the meet, Katie Deininger would represent the Cougars in the Platform. Deininger advanced to the final of the event after posting a score of 252.70 in the prelims for a 11th-place finish. In the final, Deininger came within seven points of qualifying for the NCAA Championships, posting 504.45 points. Deininger’s best dive of the season came on her fifth and final attempt when she posted 69.60 points after completing a Back 2 ½ Somersault Pike off the 10-Meter platform.