GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The LSU diving corps wrapped up the 2011 Southeastern Conference Diving Championships Sunday with three Tiger divers tallying points for their respective men’s and women’s teams in the platform competitions.
Men’s divers Daniel Helm and Brian Gemberling and Lady Tiger sophomore Elle Schmidt each posted top-16 finishes during the prelim session.
Helm, a freshman from Beaverton, Ore., earned 11th in the men’s platform with a 291.00 score, while junior Brian Gemberling finished right behind his teammate in 12th with a career high 285.20 points. Schmidt also delivered a career-best score of 207.45 to take 15th in the women’s platform.
Lady Tiger sophomore Rebecca St. Germain placed 18th in the women’s prelims. Men’s freshman Sean McKinney registered 20th on the men’s side, while junior Matt Vieke was 24th.
“Overall we finished as we expected on platform,” co-head Doug Shaffer said. “We are not as strong yet in that event and still developing there, but it was good to see Daniel, Brian and Elle all score team points today.
“In terms of the entire weekend, we significantly improved on last year’s performance, which is encouraging, and we had some really good individual performances that point to a bright future.”
Florida’s Monica Dodson won her second SEC title this weekend in record-setting fashion, breaking the meet record with a 325.20 score in the women’s platform. Auburn’s Dan Mazzaferro also claimed his second title of the meet with his 475.20 score in the men’s platform.
Over a three-day span the LSU men’s divers accumulated 47.5 points for the team, currently fourth in the overall standings. The Lady Tiger divers scored 31.5 points, tying for eighth among the women’s teams. Those points will carry over to next week’s SEC Swimming Championships, which begin Wednesday, Feb. 16 at the University of Florida’s O’Connell Center Natatorium.
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2011 SEC Diving Championships
Feb. 11-13
Gainesville, Fla.
Current Team Standings
Men’s Standings
1. Auburn – 135
2. Tennessee – 133.5
3. Florida – 49
4. LSU – 47.5
5. Alabama – 43
6. Kentucky – 42
7. Georgia – 15
8. South Carolina – 0
Women’s Standings
1. Auburn – 96
2. Florida – 89
3. South Carolina – 62
4. Arkansas – 50
5. Georgia – 38
6. Kentucky – 35
7. Tennessee – 32
t8. LSU – 31.5
t8. Alabama – 31.5
10. Vanderbilt – 0