Dec. 5, 2009

COLUMBUS, Ohio – South Carolina junior diver Taryn Zack and freshman Rylan Ridenour advanced to finals in both of their respective events to make for a successful weekend at the Ohio State Invitational.

Zack took home a sixth-place finish in both the 1- and 3-meter events. The native of Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada, scored 285.40 in the 1-meter final on Saturday night after posting a 312.40 in the 3-meter final on Friday. Zack qualified fifth in the 1-meter with an identical 285.40 score and was the number four seed in the 3-meter finals with a preliminary score of 308.00.

Ridenour finished seventh in Friday’s 1-meter final with a score of 324.00; he posted a preliminary total of 296.10. On Friday night, the freshman from Lebanon, Ind., took an eighth-place finish in Saturday’s 3-meter final with a score of 304.40. He qualified sixth in preliminaries with a 331.90.

Also competing for the Gamecock men were freshman Nikolas Sachs and sophomore Ryan Kuser. Kuser finished 16th in both the 1- and 3-meter preliminaries, and Sachs was 19th in the 1-meter prelims and 24th on the 3-meter board.

South Carolina’s next swimming & diving meet is set for Jan. 9 at the College of Charleston.