Nied Qualifies for USA Diving National Championships

July 12, 2016

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – University of South Carolina rising sophomore Allyson Nied qualified for the 2016 AT&T USA Diving National Championships over the week by finishing second in the platform at the 2016 USA Diving National Zone B Meet. Nied advanced to the national meet by finishing in second place at zones.

“Allyson continues to get better and better,” South Carolina head diving coach Todd Sherritt said. “This is the first time she has participated in the senior national championships. I am looking forward to seeing her dive for the Gamecocks this year; we need to add a couple more dives to her list in order to compete for SEC and NCAA championships. This is going to be another big year for her.”

The top five finishers in the platform competition at each USA Zone Diving site advanced to the National Championships, and Nied qualified easily by placing second. Her score of 292.75 was just six points behind the Zone B winner, Maggie Merriman of YCF Diving Team. Nied’s best dive, a Back 2 1/2 Somersault 1 1/2 Twist Pike, was scored a 75.20. Overall, the Tampa, Fla., native recorded three dives that were scored over 60 on her list.

With the top five result, Nied moves on to the 2016 AT&T USA Diving National Championships, to be held Aug. 1-14 in Moultrie, Ga.

As a freshman, Nied was South Carolina’s top performer at the SEC Championships. She finished third in the platform to earn All-SEC honors, and she later grabbed All-America laurels at the NCAA Championships.

Nied was not the only Gamecock to compete at the Zone B Meet. Julia Vincent finished sixth in the 3-meter as she continues to prepare for the Rio Summer Olympics in August, while Lyle Markman, Marissa Roth and Mikaela Lujan were also in action.