TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The LSU women’s diving team once again proved why it is arguably the best squad in the nation on Thursday, as two Lady Tigers finished among the top six in the 1-meter competition here at the Southeastern Conference Championships in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
“The SEC is definitely one of the toughest conferences in the nation,” said LSU head coach Jeff Cavana. “The level of talent here is unbelievable, and I am proud of the way that our team has competed so far in this meet. Our divers are probably the best in the country and today they certainly made a case for the title. Our swimmers are doing well, but we’re just thin in certain events.”
The Lady Tigers’ duo comprised of junior Jaime Watkins and senior Ashley Culpepper each possess 2000 NCAA diving titles. Watkins, the defending 1-meter springboard champion, and Culpepper, the reigning champ in the 3-meter competition, are on a quest to repeat their feats at the 2001 NCAA Diving Championships in Auburn, Ala.
The pair each took a step closer to their final goal on Thursday as they turned in outstanding performances on the 1-meter apparatus at the SEC Championships. At the Alabama Aquatics Center, Watkins earned a third-place finish with a final score of 283.65, while Culpepper ended the competition in the sixth spot by accumulating 262.00 total points.
Tennessee’s Jamie Sanger eclipsed her phenomenal preliminary-round score of 294.25 in the final round of the 1-meter event to win with an unsurpassable mark of 311.70. Auburn’s freshman, Karen Rubenstein, scored 287.00 points to place second in the competition.
In the 200-yard freestyle relays, both the LSU men and women recorded their fastest times of the season. The Tigers’ relay team of Ken “Buzz” Kuhn, Matt Elder, Will Tanner, and Martin Latz finished in a time of 1:21.17, which was good enough for sixth place. The Lady Tigers’ complement of Ashley Marxen, Mandy Leach, Kelli Klein, and Julie Hughes ended the women’s 200-freestyle relay in 1:34.19 with an eighth-place finish.
The LSU women’s swimming and diving team ended the second day of the SEC Championships in sixth place, while the men dropped two spots to seventh place.
The 2001 SEC Championships will resume Friday morning at 9 a.m. here in the Alabama Aquatics Center in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Men’s Results
1. Tennessee 249, 2. Auburn 242, 3. Florida 222.5, 4. Kentucky 148, 5. Georgia 119.5, 6. South Carolina 110, 7. LSU 105, 8. Alabama 64
Women’s Results
1. Auburn 258.5, 2. Florida 256, 3. Georgia 252, 4. Alabama 166, 5. Kentucky 148, 6. LSU 141, 7. Tennessee 103, 8. South Carolina 96, 9. Arkansas 80.5