March 12, 2004

Athens, Ga. – The South Carolina women’s divers competed in the first day of the NCAA Zone B Championships with three finishing in the Top 5 of the one-meter board competition. Junior Allison Brennan placed third (563.05), junior Lauren King was fourth (557.05) and junior Holly Hodges took fifth place (556.70). The USC divers are competing to earn a spot at next week’s NCAA Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships in College Station, Texas. Freshman Lyndsey Havens also competed for Carolina. Brennan and King have qualified for the NCAA Championships with Hodges awaiting results from tomorrow’s three-meter competition.

“All three did an awesome job competing in the first day of competition,” said USC head diving coach Todd Sherritt. “To get three divers in the top five of the finals is great. They performed well and I’m very happy with what they accomplished.”

This will be Lauren King’s second NCAA Championships as a member of the USC women’s swimming and diving team. King earned All-American honors last year with a seventh place finish on the one-meter board as well as honorable mention All-American honors on the three-meter board after placing 12th. It will also be Brennan’s second appearance at the NCAA Championships. Brennan qualified two years ago as a freshman and took 19th place on the one-meter board. Hodges was an honorable mention All-Amercian two years ago after she placed ninth and won the consolation final of the one-meter board. Hodges did not compete last year due to a medical redshirt.

The South Carolina men’s divers will compete this afternoon beginning at 3:45 p.m. in the three-meter board competition. Competing for South Carolina will be junior Andy Bradley, junior Dean Emmerton and sophomore Ian Balman. The USC women’s squad will compete in the three-meter competition on Saturday afternoon at the Gabrielsen Natatorium in Athens, Ga.