March 7, 2016

ATLANTA, Ga. – University of South Carolina divers Julia Vincent and Jordan Gotro punched their tickets to the NCAA Division I Swimming & Diving Championships on Monday as they earned qualification spots with strong performances on the opening day of the NCAA Zone B Diving Championships. Vincent qualified for the national meet in the women’s 1-meter dive, while Gotro clinched his NCAA bid in the men’s 3-meter.

Both Vincent and Gotro are headed to the NCAA Championships for the second consecutive year, and the Gamecocks now have five student-athletes who are officially qualified for the season-ending meet. The diving duo will join swimming teammates Akaram Mahmoud (men’s 500-yard freestyle, men’s 1,650-yard freestyle), Emma Barksdale (women’s 400-yard IM) and Taylor Worrell (women’s 500-yard freestyle) at NCAAs, with more men’s swimming qualifiers to be announced in the coming days and more diving spots on the line at the Zone Championships.

WOMEN’S RECAP

Vincent finished fourth overall in the 1-meter with a total score of 589.85 to easily finish with an NCAA qualification spot. The sophomore earned a score of 54 or better on each of her last two dives, booking her ticket to nationals with her last effort, a Reverse 1 1/2 Somersault 1 1/2 Twist Free that received a 54.60.

Senior Lauren Lamendola finished 10th on the 1-meter, one spot out of an automatic qualification position on a day when the top nine finishers received a berth to the NCAA Championships. She finished the event with a score of 558.80, and her top dive, a Forward 2 1/2 Somersault Pike, was scored at 53.30.

Despite missing an automatic NCAA spot on Monday, Lamendola’s top-12 finish gives her an opportunity to compete on the 1-meter board at the national championships. If the senior finishes eighth or higher in the 3-meter competition Tuesday and earns an automatic spot in that event, she will also earn a nationals bid in 1-meter.

Marisa Rasnick also represented the Gamecocks in 1-meter finals, finishing 18th. The freshman tallied a cumulative score of 512.70 in her first career postseason meet, with her Forward 2 1/2 Somersault Tuck scoring a 46.80.

Freshman Mikaela Lujan finished 32nd on the 1-meter in her first ever appearance at Zone Diving, with a prelims score of 233.80. Her best effort was her second dive, an Inward 1 1/2 Somersault Pike that was graded at 50.40.

MEN’S RECAP

Gotro placed seventh overall in the 3-meter event, with the top-10 receiving an NCAA Championships berth. His 12-dive score of 720.65 is a personal record, and he booked his passage to NCAAs with his last and best dive, receiving a 68.25 in the Reverse 1 1/2 Somersault 3 1/2 Twist Free.

Gotro’s strongest list came in prelims, where he finished third with a score of 382.55. That score qualifies the junior for the upcoming U.S. Olympic Trials.

Sophomore Lyle Markman finished 26th on the 3-meter board, with a score of 299.00 in prelims. His top dive came in the Reverse 2 1/2 Somersault Tuck, which was scored at 58.80.

QUOTABLES

HEAD DIVING COACH Todd Sherritt – “Julia didn’t make many mistakes and finished fourth. She dove really great today. Lauren had some great dives and stayed steady the whole time. She missed automatic qualification by one spot, but if she finishes in the top eight tomorrow, she’ll qualify on both boards. I thought that Mikaela did some great individual dives, and Marisa Rasnick did great. Making top-18 at the Zone Championships is exceptionally difficult. Overall, our team did a great job. There are over 50 kids at this event, and it’s extremely hard. Hats off to our conditioning staff getting us ready for this meet.” ââ’¬” On the performance of his four women’s divers on Monday

“I expect a repeat performance tomorrow. We’ve got Allyson Nied and Marissa Roth going tomorrow along with the four who dove today, and I expect another great day. All of our women are diving really, really well, and I think we’re capable of putting four divers in the finals tomorrow.” ââ’¬” On what he expects in the women’s 3-meter tomorrow.

“Jordan’s first set of dives went 382, which qualified for the Olympic Trials. That’s really great, and he finished seventh against the toughest field I have seen here in a long time. He started so strong, and I am proud of how he did. Lyle also had a great meet. This is one of his best performances. He put together his best list, and this was great diving for him. I think next year, you’ll see a big improvement out of him.” ââ’¬” On the effort of his two men’s divers

NOTABLE

• Vincent has now qualified for the NCAA Championships in consecutive seasons. She competed on both the 1-meter and 3-meter boards as a freshman.
• Gotro is also going back to the NCAAs for the second straight year. In 2015, he went to the national meet in the 1-meter and the platform.
• Gotro’s seventh place finish on the 3-meter is a personal best at Zone Diving, regardless of event.

UP NEXT FOR CAROLINA

Zone Diving continues Tuesday with the men’s 1-meter and women’s 3-meter competitions. The action starts at 11 a.m., and fans can follow the meet all day long through DiveMeets.com.