LSU Gold

#999 Niko Dalman Season 2005-06

Position
Diving
Class
Sophomore
Hometown
Auburn, Wash.
High School
Auburn HS

LSU Record Holder in One-Meter and Three-meter Diving
2008 SEC Championships’ Third-place Medalist (Three-meter)
2006 NCAA Honorable Mention All-American (Platform)
2005 NCAA Honorable Mention All-American (One-meter)
2004-05 SEC Freshman Diver of the Year

CAREER
Wrapped up arguably the most distinguished men’s diving campaign in recent program history … Finished his career as the school record-holder in both the one-meter and three-meter springboard events and sits in second all-time in the platform competition … Earned a pair of NCAA honorable mention All-America honors during his career … Also captured the third-place medal in the three-meter competition as a junior … Rewarded as the best freshman diver in the conference in 2004-05.

SENIOR SEASON (2008-09)
The Tigers’ top diver who represented the diving team at the NCAA Championships for the third time in his career … Emerged as the highest scoring one-meter diver in program annals … Competed in all three events at NCAA’s … Placed 18th in the platform with a season-high score of 321.90 … Finished 28th in the one-meter and 34th in the three-meter … Qualified for the national meet with a sixth-place finish in the one-meter at the Zone ‘B’ Diving Regional … Posted a pair of sixth-place finishes in the springboard events at the SEC Championships … Took sixth in the three meter with a season-high total of 390.20 and sixth in the one-meter with a 363.70 score … Shattered a 14-year-old school record in the one-meter board on Senior Day against Delta State with a six-dive total of 387.75 … Also recorded the highest three-meter score (361.20) at that meet … Named SEC Male Diver of the Week on Jan. 20, 2009 for that performance … Proved to be a pivotal part of the team’s success in victories against both Kentucky and Florida State, tallying 18 points with sweeps of the springboard events in both meets … Secured runner-up honors in the one-meter at the Auburn Diving Invitational … Also took third in the three-meter at that competition … Finished fourth out of 22 divers in the platform at the Tennessee Diving Invitational with a 315.80 score … Posted a sixth-place finish in the one-meter (318.40) and placed eighth in the three-meter (325.50) at the same invite … Earned victories in the one-meter against both Florida and Alabama … Swept the springboard events at the LSU Invitational … Recognized as the men’s most outstanding diver at the program’s annual banquet on April 25, 2009.

REDSHIRT JUNIOR SEASON (2007-08)
Recovered from an injury that sidelined him for the entire 2006-07 season to reaffirm his position as one of the top divers in the SEC … Registered new career-highs in all three diving events … Captured top-10 finishes in both the three-meter and platform diving contests at the NCAA Zone ‘B’ Diving Championships … Shattered an 11-year-old school record in the three-meter at the SEC Championships with a career-best score of 391.55 … Also claimed the third-place medal in the event at the SEC’s … Recorded a career-high in platform diving (343.40) to take sixth-place at the SEC’s … Secured 27 points for the men’s team at the Georgia Tech Invitational with third and eighth-place finishes in the three-meter and one-meter, respectively … Captured the three-meter title and tallied second in the one-meter springboard in a dual-meet victory over No. 18 Texas A&M … Recorded a win in the three-meter and tallied a new career-high in the one-meter (348.37) versus Delta State  … Also notched seven runner-up honors in dual-meet competition … Received his third varsity letter.

JUNIOR SEASON (2006-07)
Received a medical redshirt season and did not compete in any meets due to injury … Is expected to be at full strength heading into 2007-08 … Will have two seasons of eligibility remaining.

SOPHOMORE SEASON (2005-06)
Followed up a successful freshman year with another season that saw him earn All-America honors for the second time … Placed 12th in the platform (289.35) at the NCAA Championships, which gave him honorable mention All-America status … Finished 20th in the one-meter (276.20) and 21st in the three-meter (286.40) at NCAA’s … One of two Tigers to represent the school at NCAA’s … Qualified for NCAA’s with a third-place finish in the three-meter at the Zone B Regional … Finished with a career-high, six-dive three-meter score of 672.75 after collecting a tally of 346.15 in the prelims of that event … Placed seventh in the one-meter at Zones (595.85) … Qualified and finished sixth in the platform final at the SEC Championships (274.55) … Took 12th-place in the one-meter (258.80) and collected 20 points for LSU with a career-high, fourth-place finish in the three-meter (328.25) … Recorded six wins in dual-meet competition, including a sweep of both events against No. 7 Florida … Took runner-up honors in the platform at the Texas A&M Invitational (270.45) … Earned his second varsity letter.

FRESHMAN SEASON (2004-05)
Enjoyed one of the most prolific freshman diving seasons in school history and was named SEC Freshman Diver of the Year for his brilliant efforts … Became the first diver in school history to receive the award and only the fourth freshman to earn All-America honors … Was the highest scoring one-meter diver at the NCAA Championships for LSU since 2001 … Scored better than nearly two-thirds of the field in the one-meter at NCAA’s with a 12th-place score of 301.50 … 12th-place finish secured an honorable mention All-American achievement … Placed 21st in the platform at NCAA’s with a score of 402.15 … Only had a few months of experience in platform diving but scored well … Finished 25th in the three-meter at NCAA’s (300.80) … The lone freshman who qualified for NCAA’s at the Zone B Regionals … Posted a season-best mark of 429.10 in the platform at Zones to finish ninth … LSU’s best finisher in the one-meter and three-meter at the SEC Championships … Was 16th in the one-meter (267.15) and 16th in the three-meter (425.25) … Showed his versatility by owning the team’s highest score of the season in the three-meter, 331.05, at TCU … Earned a top-three finish in the three-meter at the Texas A&M Invitational with a score of 463.20 … Won three events in dual-meet competition with two runner-up finishes … Earned his first varsity letter.

PRIOR TO LSU
Highly touted prospect out of the state of Washington … A four-year letterwinner at Auburn High School … Two-time 4A state champion in the one-meter … Placed seventh in the one-meter and second in the three-meter at the Junior Olympic West Championships … Named a four-time NISCA All-American and a six-time Junior Olympic National qualifier … Awarded as the Prep Athlete of the Year in King county … Captain of team coached by Jim Southerland … Also lettered three years in water polo.

PERSONAL
Born on Nov. 4, 1985 in Buffalo, N.Y. … Parents are Jeff and Anne Dalman … Has one brother, Chris … Majoring in general studies.

NIKO’S TOP SCORES
One-meter (six dives)   387.75*  2009 vs. Delta State
Three-meter (six dives)  391.55*  2008 SEC Championships 
Platform (six dives)   343.40  2008 SEC Championships 

* – indicates school record

 

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