Jan. 20, 2009

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Sophomore Allison Barr became the third different South Carolina female diver to be named SEC Diver of the Week, the Southeastern Conference office announced Tuesday.

Barr, a sophomore from Orlando, Fla., swept the one- and three-meter diving events in Saturday’s dual meet victory at the Carolina Natatorium over SEC foe Vanderbilt, earning career-high marks in both events. She scored 335.93 in the one-meter event to post South Carolina’s and the SEC’s highest score of the 2008-09 season, falling only 12 points short of Allison Brennan’s school record in the event. She also turned in a 356.78 in the three-meter competition, which ranks as the second-best score in the league this year, right behind teammate Taryn Zack.

Barr joins Zack and freshman Helen Alvey as the three female Gamecock divers to be honored by the SEC this season. Zack has taken the honor three times, and Alvey and now Barr have won it once each. In fact, South Carolina has had at least one diver honored by the conference following every home meet this season. Barr is the fourth overall South Carolina diver to earn the SEC’s weekly honor as Corry Christian earned the men’s award after the Gamecocks’ meet with Virginia.

South Carolina wraps up its 2008-09 home schedule Saturday as both the men and women face College of Charleston in a dual meet at the Carolina Natatorium. The meet is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.