Waxman’s score of 322.60 Secures Her Spot at Nationals for Utah Diving

Monday, March 6

Federal Way, WA

All Day

University of Utah

NCAA Diving Zone E

Photo by: Eli Rehmer/Utah Athletics

Waxman’s score of 322.60 Secures Her Spot at Nationals for Utah Diving

3/7/2023 12:45 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving

Women's Results Men's Results

Waxman becomes first Ute to clinch NCAA Championships spot at NCAA Zone E Championships

FEDERAL WAY, Wash. – Holly Waxman secured her spot at the NCAA Championships for the second consecutive year by posting a score of 322.60 that also put her in fifth-place on the women's 3m on the first day of the NCAA Zone E Diving Championships at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center.

"We had an excellent first day here at zones," said diving coach Richard Marschner, "as any time you get an NCAA qualifier, it's a reason to celebrate. Holly was steady all day and she came on strong in finals to move up 3 spots and comfortably move on to NCAAs in 5th place. Kathryn had a really good meet too, as coming into zones as a freshman can be really difficult and intimidating but she was fantastic and her better events are still to come. She was the second highest placing freshman which is great news for her future."

Waxman's score stood at 296.10 after the prelims and she owned eighth-place, but she upped her game in the final to lock up her spot at nationals. Her score in the second session of 322.60 bumped her all the way up to fifth and ensured she'd have another chance to compete at the final meet of the year. Waxman will enter the final two days at zones needing only to finish in the top 12 in the 1m or platform to also earn a nationals berth in those events.

Kathryn Grant also fought her way into the 3m final with a preliminary mark of 292.55, which landed her in 10th. She would finish the final in 13th. Lizzy DeCecco placed 44th.

Utah's men's divers competed from the 1m and Elias Petersen, Luke McDivitt and Jenner Pennock all made the final. Petersen's 341.10 counted for Utah's best score in prelims, placing him eighth, followed by Pennock in 12th and McDivitt in 13th.

Petersen's total in the final of 333.95 allowed him to remain in eighth, while McDivitt's score improve by more than 30 points and he climbed up to 10th. Pennock ended the day in 14^th.

"The guys all did really well to get themselves into the flow of the meet," said Marschner. "That was great to see since the 1m event is probably the weakest for all three men. Elias just missed out on an automatic qualification but he's well positioned to secure a spot tomorrow on 3m. We built some nice momentum today and I'm optimistic that we'll have another really successful day tomorrow."

Looking Ahead
On day two of zones, the women's climb the tower, while the men compete the 3m.

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