ATHENS, Ga. – Clemson’s diving team participated in the UGA Diving Invite earlier this week at Gabrielsen Natatorium in Athens, Ga. as part of a three-day, 13-team meet that included the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Drexel, Illinois, Iowa State, LSU, Minnesota, Missouri, NC State, SMU and Tennessee, in addition to the Tigers and host Georgia. The team placed fourth, scoring a total of 132.5 competition points and garnering the program’s best ever finish at the meet.
In the one-meter event on Saturday, Jan. 3, Sarah Braun was Clemson’s top finisher after scoring 251.55 in the preliminary round, tying her for 13th place. She was a mere .3 points off of qualifying for the championship round in the event. Of the 12 participants registered, the Tigers placed five divers in the top-25 and eight in the top-35, out of a field of 56 divers.
The three-meter event held on Sunday, Jan. 4 saw Jaya Brown finish atop the field of 11 divers entered for Clemson, as she advanced to the championship round later in the day. Scoring a 264.05 in the preliminary round and a 266.30 in the championship event, Brown earned a 12th-place finish in the finals of the event. Again, the Tigers showed well with three divers finishing in the top-20 and six placing in the top-35 in the field of 52.
The Tigers competed in the platform on Monday, Jan. 5, and placed four divers in the top-20 and two in the top-10 in the field of 37 divers. Danielle Reitsma starred for Clemson, tallying a 237.30 and finishing fifth overall in the event. The score is the second-highest mark this season scored by a Tiger diver in the platform event. It is also Reitsma’s third NCAA Zone-qualifying score, as she joins Megan Helwagen and Caylin Hirapara as the only divers to achieve three zone-qualifying scores so far in 2015-16.
The team will be back in competitive waters on Saturday, Jan. 9 when it hosts Georgia Southern at 11 a.m. at McHugh Natatorium for its first non-exhibition home meet of the season. The meet is slated as Senior Day.
Clemson Results (UGA Diving Invitational)
January 3-5, 2016
* – Qualifying score for NCAA Zone B postseason competition
(Places and scores reflect Preliminary/Final scores, ranked from highest to lowest)
One-Meter
13. Sarah Braun – 251.55
16. Caylin Hirapara – 244.15
18. Jaya Brown – 242.55
18. Danielle Reitsma – 242.55
24. Sarah Blank – 230.65
33. Hannah Donovan – 213.35
34. Allison Brophy – 211.55
35. Tabitha Banks – 209.65
38. Megan Helwagen – 207.55
41. Erin Lee – 201.25
48. Megan Jendra – 186.95
52. Morgan Fiske – 168.70
Three-Meter
12/12. Jaya Brown – 264.05 / 266.30
17. Danielle Reitsma – 250.95
19. Sarah Braun – 246.05
28. Megan Helwagen – 237.00
34. Allison Brophy – 229.30
35. Caylin Hirapara – 228.70
37. Sarah Blank – 214.10
42. Erin Lee – 205.60
44. Megan Jendra – 192.35
47. Morgan Fiske – 184.90
49. Hannah Donovan – 180.85
Platform
5. Danielle Reitsma –*237.30
10. Caylin Hirapara – 215.20
14. Megan Helwagen – 208.55
18. Sarah Braun – 201.55
23. Hannah Donovan – 184.60
28. Allison Brophy – 170.70
31. Morgan Fiske – 162.60
32. Megan Jendra – 159.70
33. Jaya Brown – 156.55
34. Erin Lee – 155.65
December 6, 2024
