GAINESVILLE, Fla. — LSU diver Rebecca St. Germain advanced to her first conference final of her career Friday on Day 1 of the 2011 Southeastern Conference Diving Championships in Gainesville, Fla.
St. Germain, a sophomore from San Antonio, earned eighth in the women’s three-meter springboard competition (301.90) after setting a career-high and program top-five score of 328.75 to take fourth in the prelims.
Fellow Lady Tiger sophomore Elle Schmidt helped the women’s point total in the overall team standings with a tie for 15th-place in the three-meter (263.55).
Juniors Brian Gemberling and Matt Vieke led the charge in the men’s one-meter, registering 10th and 11th, respectively. Gemberling posted a mark of 317.00, while Vieke tallied 315.30 points.
Freshman Sean McKinney contributed to the team’s point total with a 16th-place finish, notching a 282.25 score, while fellow freshman Daniel Helm was 17th (279.25).
“Overall, it was a good start for the Tigers,” co-head coach Doug Shaffer said. “The highlight was Becca making her first final with a career-high performance in the prelims. I really thought she would come out of the gate and do some things in the final, and she faltered on two of her dives, but that’s part of her development and experience moving forward.
“On the guy’s side, both Brian and Matt were in a position to contend for a spot in the finals. We just have to be a little bit sharper but a good effort overall, and we have two more days to go.”
Florida’s Monica Dodson captured the conference title in the women’s three-meter with an SEC meet record of 373.65. Tennessee’s Michael Wright emerged with the SEC crown in the men’s one-meter (416.85).
The men and women will switch springboards Saturday with the men taking off from the three-meter and the women competing on the one-meter. The women’s one-meter prelims begin at 10 a.m. (CST) with the men’s three-meter to follow approximately one hour after the end of the women’s prelims. The finals begin at 4 p.m.
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2011 SEC Diving Championships
Feb. 11-13
Gainesville, Fla.
Schedule of Events – Feb. 12
10 a.m. – Women’s 1M Prelims
12:15 p.m. – Men’s 3M Prelims
4 p.m. – Women’s 1M Final
5 p.m. – Men’s 3M Final