Pair of Carolina Divers Qualify for NCAA Championships
Anton Down-Jenkins (1-meter) and Mikaela Lujan (3-meter) each qualified for the NCAA Championships in Austin, Texas on day one.
AUBURN, Ala.- South Carolina true freshman Anton Down-Jenkins qualified to compete at the NCAA Championships in the men’s one-meter and Mikaela Lujan qualified in the women’s 3-meter on day one of the Zone B Championships at the James E. Martin Aquatic Center. Down-Jenkins and Lujan are now each eligible to compete any event in which they finishe top-12 at this week’s Zone B Diving Championships.
Down-Jenkins qualified to compete in the men’s one-meter after finishing fourth in the competition to begin day one. With points rolling over into the second phase of competition, Anton Down-Jenkins put up five scores over 50 during his final six attempts on the one-meter to finish fourth after the finals session, taking one of six Zone B spots in Austin that were up for grabs.
Carolina had two divers qualify for the finals session in the men’s one-meter (top-18 from prelims advance) as Grant Summers tallied a prelims score of 289.15 to qualify in 16th while Down-Jenkins was fourth with a score of 346.55 after his first six dives of the day.
The Gamecocks saw each of their four female divers qualify for the second phase of the women’s three-meter competition. The group was led by Mikaela Lujan (298.20) who sat in eighth after the first session and Marissa Roth (288.2) who placed 11th following the first six rounds of dives.
Sitting right on the qualifying line, Lujan put down a 60.00 on her final attempt to take the eighth and final Zone B spot in the women’s three-meter at the NCAA Championships.
The Zone B Diving Championships will continue with the second day of competition on Tuesday beginning with the women’s 1-meter prelims at 12 p.m. ET.
Schedule of Events:
Day 2- Tues., March 12
– 12 p.m. ET: Women’s 1-meter prelims
– 3 p.m. ET: Women’s 1-meter finals
– 5 p.m. ET: Men’s 3-meter prelims
– 7:15 p.m. ET: Men’s 3-meter finals
Day 3- Wed., March 12
– 11 a.m. ET: Women’s platform prelims
– 1 p.m. ET: Women’s platform finals
– 3:15 p.m. ET: Men’s platform prelims
– 5:15 p.m. ET: Men’s platform finals
Zone B Qualifying Standards:
Women’s 1-meter – Top-9
Women’s 3-meter – Top-8
Women’s platform – Top-6
Men’s 1-meter – Top-6
Men’s 3-meter – Top-7
Men’s platform – Top-9
* if a diver qualifies in 1 event, he/she may compete at NCAAs in any event in which he/she finishes top-12
