AUBURN, Ala. — Senior All-American Barb Gorst won the 10-meter platform diving competition at the 2003 NCAA Zone B Diving Regional on Sunday to become one of three LSU divers to qualify for the 2003 NCAA Championships during the weekend.
Gorst, the 2002 Southeastern Conference platform champion, scored a 471.25 in the finals, a career-high score for Gorst. Fellow senior Kyle Van Arsdall placed fifth in the men’s platform on Sunday with a score of 490.10, a new career-best score in the event and a mark that qualified him for his second-career NCAA Championships. Auburn’s Ceasar Garcia won the men’s platform with a score of 614.35.
Sophomore Jessica Wantz qualified for the NCAA’s on Friday by placing fourth in the 1-meter with a mark of 290.50. Wantz will make her debut at the NCAA Championships which will be held from March 20-22 in Auburn, Ala.
“I am just ecstatic with the performance of all three of our divers here this weekend,” said LSU diving coach Doug Shaffer. “This is the most difficult meet of the season, obviously along with the NCAA Championships, and for us to bring three divers here and qualify all three is just tremendous,” Shaffer said. “I could not be any happier for Barb (Gorst), Jessica (Wantz), and Kyle (Van Arsdall).”
“This will be the third time that they have competed in Auburn in that pool, so maybe that will be good,” Shaffer said. “We are just excited for the opportunity and cannot wait to go.”
LSU previously competed at the 2003 SEC Championships in Auburn back in February.
The 2003 NCAA Division 1 Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships begin on Friday at the James E. Martin Aquatics Center in Auburn.