KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — LSU divers Niko Dalman and Matt Vieke each reached the final round of the men’s one-meter springboard to highlight the Tigers’ efforts Saturday in the opening session of the Tennessee Diving Invitational at the Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center in Knoxville, Tenn.
Competing amongst a field of 44 divers from 17 different schools, Dalman tallied 303.55 points on six dives to earn a spot in the one-meter finals where the senior captured sixth-place with a score of 318.40.
Vieke, a freshman from Indianapolis, Ind., posted a season-high mark of 284.85 in the one-meter prelims to advance and placed 12th in the finals with a 249.30 score. Fellow freshman Brian Gemberling clinched a top-20 finish, registering 263.95 points to take 18th.
Lady Tigers Katie Lybbert and Chelsea McCorvey each placed in the top half of the draw in the women’s three-meter contest. Lybbert fell less than nine points short of qualifying for the final round of the three-meter, recording a mark of 254.10 to secure 13th-place out of 52 competitors. McCorvey finished 26th with a 224.85 score.
“I think there were positive elements to every one of our athletes’ performances today,” LSU diving coach Doug Shaffer said. “When you have 52 women and 44 men diving in a competition like this, it’s a different environment, but that’s what we’re here for.
“We’re continuing to train in an experienced meet and building on disciplines and mechanics that will set us up for the rest of the year. Overall, I’m positive and enthusiastic about Day 1, and we still have two more to go.”
The Southeastern Conference was well-represented on Day 1 as Alabama’s Aaron Fleshner won the men’s one-meter title, and 10 of the 12 men’s finalists were from SEC schools. Drexel’s Kate Hynes secured the women’s three-meter crown.
Sunday’s action is set to begin at 11 a.m. (CST). The men will dive off the three-meter springboard, while the women will compete on the one-meter.