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Swim & Dive

Underwood Makes Olympic Team

July 7, 2008

KNOXVILLE, TN — Former Hawkeye diver Nancilea Underwood-Foster has earned a spot on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Diving team. She will represent the United States on the three-meter springboard at the Olympic Games in Beijing, China, August 15-17. She is the first University of Iowa female diver to make an Olympic team.

Underwood-Foster, who placed second on the three-meter springboard competition at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Diving team trials in Indianapolis last month, earned the second individual Olympic three-meter springboard spot at the USA Diving selection camp in Knoxville, TN, last week. A total of 12 divers were selected to the team after the five-day camp.

“It’s been a really long road,” said Underwood-Foster. “I am so thankful for all the prayers and support I’ve received from family and friends throughout this process. I am looking forward to representing my country at the Olympics and to the journey ahead.”

Hawkeye Head Diving Coach Bob Rydze is serving as the U.S. Diving Team Leader for the Olympic Games. Underwood-Foster, who competed at the University of Iowa as Nancilea Underwood, is Rydze’s fourth diver to make an Olympic team. He also coached former Hawkeyes and Olympians Ricardo Camacho (1976, 1980, 1984), Randy Abelman (1980), and Tomasz Rossa (1988). This is Rydze’s second stint as the U.S. Diving team leader. He also coached the squad at the 1988 games in Seoul, South Korea.

“Being the team leader is an honor, but having Nancilea on the team makes everything great,” explained Rydze.

A native of Conroe, TX, Foster is the only five-time all-American in Iowa women’s swimming and diving history. She set the school and Fieldhouse Pool three-meter records, and the school one-meter championship record. She was also a 2006 district academic all-America second team honoree and a three-time academic all-Big Ten selection.

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