BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — LSU diving team member Niko Dalman was named Southeastern Conference Freshman Diver of the Year, the league office announced on Friday.
Dalman, a native of Auburn, Wash., earned the award after being voted upon by the league’s coaches.
Dalman becomes the first freshman diver in school history to receive the prestigious award. He proved to be the Tigers’ most valuable diver and was a constant scorer in all three events all season.
“It’s fabulous for the program and well deserved for Niko,” said diving coach Doug Shaffer. “He worked hard all year long, culminating with his All-America performance at NCAAs. He will have a chance for bigger opportunities since he just finished his freshman season.”
Dalman wrapped up a successful first-year campaign last March with an honorable mention All-America performance in the 1-meter at the NCAA Championships. He scored better than nearly two-thirds of the field with a 12th-place mark of 301.50.
Dalman is also only the fourth freshman diver in school history to earn All-America status, and he is the highest scoring diver in the 1-meter since Eric Petursson and Corey Fox finished in the top 16 in 2001.
In reaching the NCAA Championships, Dalman was the lone freshman who qualified for the national event at the Zone B Regionals, featuring the conference’s best divers. He scored a ninth-place finish in the 10-meter platform with a tally of 429.10.
Dalman capped a stellar regular season by sweeping the 1-meter and 3-meter events in the home finale versus Delta State and UL-Monroe. His 3-meter score of 331.05 at TCU (Jan. 21) registered as the squad’s highest tally all season.
Before enrolling at LSU, the Washington native shattered several state high school records and was a two-time 4A state champion in the 1-meter. He also was a six-time Junior Olympic national qualifier and a four-time NISCA All-American.