March 20, 2008
UPDATE - 7:15 p.m. EDT
Sophomore diver Ashley Karnes is out for the rest of the NCAA Championships due to injury. Karnes slipped off the 1-meter springboard during her sixth and final prelim dive on a back approach. Karnes exited the water without assistance, but twisted her left ankle on the fall and is now wearing a protective boot. She also suffered some scrapes and bruises.
"She's done, she's hurt and she feels like she got hit by a truck," said Soldati. "We're disappointed and it's unfortunate, but we have to learn from the experience and move on. This is something that happens to all divers, even the best of them."
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Day one of the NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships at Ohio State's McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion did not go as planned for the Boilermaker divers.
Freshman Kara Cook placed 37th on 1-meter springboard with 225.95 points, and sophomore Ashley Karnes finished last with 220.20 points, begging the question 'what happened?'
According to assistant coach Darlene Renie, Karnes slipped off the springboard during a back approach on her sixth and final dive.
The judges had no choice but to give her a zero.
Renie said Karnes hopped right out of the water and onto the deck, where Purdue diving coach Adam Soldati came over to console her.
With 220.20 points earned through five dives, it appeared as if Karnes was on her way to cracking the top 16 and receiving Honorable Mention All-America status.
Karnes needed to score 47 points on her last dive to become an Honorable Mention All-American and 60 points to become a true All-American and compete in Thursday night's finals.
Karnes' point totals for her five dives were 43.75, 54.60, 42.55, 46.80 and 32.50.