University of Missouri
NCAA Zone D Diving Championships
Huitt, Lopez, Trueb Claim NCAA Championships Berths on Final Day of Zone Championships
3/11/2020 2:06:00 PM | Men's Swimming and Diving, Women's Swimming and Diving
DALLAS - Mizzou freshmen Maddie Huitt (Gibsonia, Pa.), Carlo Lopez (Edmonton, Alberta) and Savana Trueb (Colorado Springs, Colo.) of the Mizzou men's and women's diving teams earned NCAA Championships berths on Wednesday during the final day of action at the 2020 NCAA Zone D Diving Championships at the Robson & Lindley Aquatics Center and Barr-McMillion Natatorium in Dallas, Texas. Huitt and Trueb both qualified on platform, while Lopez earned bids on both platform and 3-meter.
The trio up Mizzou's NCAA Championships diving qualifiers to four, as freshman Leonardo Garcia Varela (Cali, Colombia) also earned a 3-meter berth on Monday.
KEY PERFORMANCES
Huitt and Trueb placed fifth and eighth, respectively, in the women's platform competition to secure their NCAA Championships invitations as top nine finishers. Huitt notched a 10-dive total of 509.5 points thanks to 258.5 points in finals and 251.0 points in the preliminary session to easily earn a spot at NCAAs. Trueb used a career-best prelims score of 263.55, which moved her into eighth all-time at Mizzou, to ultimately finish in eighth-place on Wednesday. She went for 242.2 points in finals for a two-round tally of 505.75 points. Huitt and Trueb are the first Mizzou freshmen women's divers to qualify for NCAAs since Madeline McKernan in 2016.
Lopez, who needed to finish in the top eight on platform to qualify for the NCAA Championships, scored 669.2 points over two rounds to finish sixth. He sat ninth after prelims with 328.85 points but scored 340.35 points in finals to move up to sixth overall. Lopez's platform performance also earned the freshman a berth on 3-meter, as he posted a 12th-place finish on that board on Monday. Qualifiers of one event only need to finish in the top 12 on other diving boards to secure NCAA bids in those events.
Sophomore Sarah Rousseau (Melbourne, Fla.) narrowly missed an invite with an 11th-place showing on women's platform, two spots out of qualifying. She totaled 477.8 points on the day on platform, with 248.1 points in prelims and 229.7 points in prelims.
Also on men's platform, sophomore Ike Khamis (Richmond, Ind.) took 14th with 582.25 points, including a finals score of 315.7, and Garcia Varela placed 17th ith 514.2 points.
QUOTABLES
Mizzou Diving Coach Kyle Bogner
"Today was pretty special. There were some ups and downs but to have three qualify on the last day of the meet was great. Savana and Maddie came through solidly. They were consistent and continued to press on when things didn't go as initially planned. Carlo took a step in his development this week, making huge strides in metal toughness and being able to perform to what he's capable of. Being able to dive in two events at NCAAs in his freshman year is a great achievement."
UP NEXT
Mizzou opens action at the 2020 NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships on Thursday, March 19 at Gabrielsen Natatorium in Athens, Ga.
RESULTS
Women's Platform
5. Maddie Huitt (509.5 total; 258.5 finals, 251.0 prelims)
8. Savana Trueb (505.75 total; 242.2 finals, 263.55 prelims)
11. Sarah Rousseau (477.8 total; 229.7 finals, 248.1 prelims)
Men's Platform
6. Carlo Lopez (669.2 total; 340.35 finals, 328.85 prelims)
14. Ike Khamis (582.25 total; 315.7 finals, 266.55 prelims)
17. Leonardo Garcia Varela (514.2 total; 261 finals, 253.2 prelims)
Players Mentioned
