Dec. 17, 2011

VICTORIA, British Columbia — South Carolina freshman Cole Miller put forth one of the best efforts of his diving career on Saturday at the 2012 Canadian Winter Senior Nationals in Victoria, British Columbia.

Miller finished eighth in the finals of three-meter springboard with a score of 347.85, clinching an automatic qualification for the Canadian Olympic Trials in May.

South Carolina diving coach Todd Sherritt couldn’t have been more proud of Miller’s performance on Saturday.

“This is huge for Cole,” Sherritt said. “He just put himself in position to make the Canadian Olympic Team. His training (at South Carolina) has taken his diving to the next level. This is an awesome achievement for the short time he has been a Gamecock.”

Miller, a native of Regina, Saskatchewan, advanced to the three-meter finals by finishing sixth in the semifinals with a score of 355.40. He will compete at the Canadian Olympic Trials on May 25-27 in Montreal.

Forcucci narrowly misses one-meter finals at USA Winter Nationals

South Carolina senior Courtney Forcucci finished 16th on Saturday in the semifinals of the one-meter springboard at the 2012 USA Diving Winter National Championships at the Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatics Center in Knoxville, Tenn.

Forcucci narrowly missed advancing to the finals and qualifying for the U.S. Olympic Trials with a five-dive score of 235.75, which was less than nine points back of the final qualifying spot.

Forcucci will compete in the three-meter quarterfinal on Tuesday at 1 p.m.