IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa Swimming and Diving qualified four divers to the NCAA Zone Diving Championships in Houston, Texas, on March 11-13. The Hawkeyes are members of Zone D, competing at the University of Houston Campus Recreation & Wellness Center.
Sarah Ballard, Simone Beinlich, Makayla Hughbanks and Geneva Pauly are headed to Houston after achieving qualifying scores throughout the season. All four Hawkeyes will compete in the one-meter dive. Ballard, Beinlich and Hughbanks will also participate in the three-meter dive. Pauly, the Hawkeyes’ platform specialist, will compete in the tower dive.
“I am excited for our group to compete at the Championships,” diving coach Todd Waikel said. “This is a great opportunity for our divers to earn a spot at NCAA’s. I am confident in their abilities and am looking forward to a great meet.”
Hawkeye Season Bests:
One-Meter Dive
Makayla Hughbanks – 312.60
Sarah Ballard – 303.38
Geneva Pauly – 286.35
Simone Beinlich – 276.30
Three-Meter Dive
Makayla Hughbanks – 356.93
Sarah Ballard – 319.55
Simone Beinlich – 291.80
Platform Dive
Geneva Pauly – 232.10
The top 18 divers of the competition move on from the preliminaries to the finals. In the one-meter dive, the top 11 qualify for the NCAA meet. The top nine divers in the three-meter and platform dives will advance out of Zone D to the NCAA meet.
Competition begins on Monday, March 11, at 11:45 a.m. (CT) with the one-meter dive. Action resumes the following day at 11:45 a.m. with the three-meter dive and wraps up on Wednesday, March 13, with the platform dive.