April 26, 2009

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Three South Carolina diving All-Americans, past and present, put on a great showing this weekend at the USA Diving Spring Nationals. Sophomore Taryn Zack took a 10th-place finish in the three-meter competition and former Gamecocks Allison Brennan and Michelle Davison Sandelin won the silver medal in the three-meter synchronized diving event at the USA Diving Spring Nationals at the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center on Sunday.

“Just a great showing by all of them,” Gamecock diving coach Todd Sherritt said. “For Taryn to rebound from a not-so-good meet at NCAAs to finish 10th in this country – a lot stronger meet down here – is just phenomenal. And for Allison and Michelle, a couple of former Gamecocks, to earn the silver medal in the synchronized on their first try…just a fantastic performance by everyone.”

Zack, the SEC Champion on the one-meter board, earned a 10th-place finish in the three-meter competition with a score of 255.75 on five dives. Duke’s Abby Johnton took the title with a score of 301.50, and 2008 Beijing Olympian Christina Loukas finished third at 288.30.

Brennan, the current assistant coach for the Gamecocks, and Davison Sandelin, who was an All-American for South Carolina in 1999, competed together for the first time in the three-meter synchronized competition and took second place with a score of 282.33. It was the first competition in four years for Davison Sandelin, now the diving coach at Florida Atlantic University. Loukas and Amanda Miller took the gold medal with a 310.80.

Brennan and Davison Sandelin, with their finish, may have earned a spot for the USA Diving Grand Prix, in which Brennan is already qualified in the three-meter event. They could also advance to the World Championships later this year.

Earlier in the week, Gamecock divers Ryan Kuser, Allison Barr and Helen Alvey also competed in preliminaries in various events at the meet.