AUBURN, Ala. — Three of LSU’s divers qualified for the NCAA Championships later this month by virtue of their outstanding performances in the NCAA Zone B Diving Regionals this weekend here in the James E. Martin Aquatics Center.
Sophomore Jamie Watkins and juniors Ashley Culpepper, and Corey Fox will each compete at the NCAA Swimming and Diving National Championships. Watkins and Culpepper will dive at the women’s championships, on March 16-18 in Indianapolis, Ind., while Fox qualified for the men’s championships on March 23-25 in Minneapolis, Minn.
Culpepper finished second in the women’s 3-meter springboard competition Saturday. Culpepper’s score of 529.10 in the event qualified her for the NCAA Championships.
“We had an outstanding weekend here in Auburn,” said LSU diving coach Scott Reich. “Ashley did an awesome job in the 3-meter event, and I am extremely proud of the way that all of our divers competed in this regional.”
The Lady Tigers’ Watkins also fared well in the final day of the regional competition by finishing sixth in 3-meter springboard event. Watkins ended with a score of 502.00 in the sixth-place finish. Jenny Keim from the University of Miami won the competition with 566.65 points.
Three other LSU divers placed in the 3-meter diving competition. Sophomore Holly Winters finished 25th (233.05), freshman Michelle Coryelle finished 26th (225.95), and senior Gretchen Mury finished 29th (221.30).
“Jamie has done a great job for us this season,” Reich said. “It’s good to see her get a chance to advance to the championships, and I think that she will do well.”
On the men’s side of the regional, LSU’s duo of junior divers Petursson and Fox finished among the top contenders in both the platform competition and the 1-meter event. Petursson took seventh-place in the platform competition (472.55), as well as 12th-place in the 1-meter springboard event (480.75).
LSU’s Fox continued his solid performance with an 11th-place finish in the platform (400.05) and a 15th-place finish in the 1-meter springboard event (469.30). In yesterday’s diving, Fox qualified for the NCAA Championships by taking the fifth spot in the 3-meter competition.
“Both Erik and Corey did well this weekend,” said Reich. “It is good to see them perform this way, because they are both really hard workers.”
A complete list of NCAA qualifiers follows.
WOMEN’S NCAA QUALIFIERS:
Jenny Keim, Miami; Robyn Grimes, Florida; Emily Spychala, Miami; Ashley Culpepper, LSU; Katie Beth Bryant, Miami; Carrie Knoeber, Kentucky; Jamie Watkins, LSU; Lizzy Flynt, Tennessee; Lane Basham, Alabama.
MEN’S NCAA QUALIFIERS:
Stepan Ahrens, Miami; Kyle Prandi, Miami; Tyce Routson, Miami; Imre Lengyel, Miami; Corey Fox, LSU; Jud Campbell, Georgia; Clayton Moss, Kentucky; Gabi Chereches, Tennessee; Shannon Roy, Tennessee; Henry Richardson, Florida.
FINAL RESULTS, WOMEN’S 3-METER, TOP 10 FINISHERS
1. Jenny Keim, UM (566.65), 2. Ashley Culpepper, LSU (529.10), 3. Katie Beth Bryant, UM (519.10), 4. Carrie Knoeber, UK (510.05), 5. Lane Basham, UA (503.75), 6. Jamie Watkins, LSU (502.00), 7. Robyn Grimes, UF (488.30), 8. Emily
Spychala, UM (487.55), 9. Lizzy Flynt, UT (486.85), 10. Olyvia York, AU (475.85).
FINAL RESULTS, MEN’S 1-METER, TOP 10 FINISHERS
1. Tyce Routson, UM (560.00), 2. Jud Campbell, UGA (545.85), 3. Imre Lengyel, UM (543.20), 4. Kyle Prandi, UM (524.05), 5. Clayton Moss, UK (509.90), 6. Shannon Roy, UT (509.30), 7. Stepan Ahrens, UM (501.70), 8. Gabi Chereches, UT (497.45), 9. Brandon Hulko, USC (491.35), 10. Brent Burkman, FSU (483.30).
FINAL RESULTS, WOMEN’S PLATFORM, TOP 10 FINISHERS
1. Lizzy Flint, UT (458.50), 2. Jenny Keim, UM (446.10), 3. Robyn Grimes, UF (410.70), 4. Casey Cochran, AU (408.45), 5. Carrie Knoeber, UK (389.80), 6. Sarah Fields, UK (381.65), 7. Olivia York, AU (374.55), 8. Michelle Coryelle, LSU (365.35), 9. Holly Winters, LSU (358.75), 10. Gretchen Mury, LSU (358.00).
FINAL RESULTS, MEN’S PLATFORM, TOP 10 FINISHERS
1. Kyle Prandi, UM (602.45), 2. Imre Lengyel, UM (566.05), 3. Gabi Chereches, UT (559.55), 4. Tyce Routson, UM (547.40), 5. Henry Richardson, UF (517.20), 6. Trey Hart, UGA (497.15), 7. Erik Petursson, LSU (472.55), 8. Alan Rose, UA (446.25), 9. Jud Campbell, UGA (432.10), 10. Clayton Moss, UK (428.60).