FEDERAL WAY, Wash. — LSU senior diver Ashley Culpepper earned a spot as an alternate on the 2000 Olympic team by finishing third in the 10-meter platform competition at the U.S. Olympic Trials Sunday just outside Seattle.
Culpepper, the 2000 NCAA Champion on the 3-meter springboard, qualified for the 11-diver platform final with the fourth-highest semifinal score. Third-place Kathy Pesek withdrew from the competition after the semifinal round, giving the “dark horse” Culpepper a great shot at qualifying for the Olympic team.
However, she fell short of automatically qualifying by less then 12 points, as Sara Reiling edged Culpepper for second place, 830.85-819.09.
Laura Wilkinson won the event with a score of 869.79.
Culpepper also competed in the 3-meter springboard competition and finished 14th with a semifinal score of 459.84, less than five points from making the final.
LSU junior diver Jamie Watkins, the 2000 NCAA Champion on the 1-meter springboard, qualified for the final and finished 11th in the 3-meter with a score of 748.71. Jenny Keim won the event (860.31) while Michelle Davison (844.59) held off Michelle Rojohn (840.03) to claim the second spot on the 2000 Olympic Team.