Feb. 2, 2011
1-Meter Dive Results: Finals | Prelims >>> USA Diving Winter Nationals
Feature on the rise of Purdue Diving at TeamUSA.org
IOWA CITY, Iowa - Purdue's Erin Mertz was one of eight competitors to reach the finals of the 1-meter dive after placing fifth of 34 in the afternoon preliminary, but the senior settled for sixth place Wednesday at the USA Diving Winter National Championships.
En route to recording the highest finish of her career at a USA Diving meet, Mertz scored 268.70 points on her five dives in the finals. She improved on her score of 259.90 in the afternoon preliminary round.
Mertz performed consistently in the finals, scoring at least 50 points on all five of her dives. She began her list with three consecutive 55s, highlighted by a 55.90 on her second dive, a forward 2 ½ somersault pike (105 B).
Minnesota's Kelci Bryant won the 1-meter competition with a score of 283.90. Mertz also finished second to Bryant in both the 1- and 3-meter diving events Friday at the Big Ten Quad meet hosted by Purdue at the Boilermaker Aquatic Center.
Four of the eight divers in the 1-meter finals were products of Big Ten Conference schools. Iowa's Deidre Freeman and Veronica Rydze finished seventh and eighth, respectively.
Tuesday, David Boudia won the men's synchronized platform competition with partner Nick McCrory of Duke. It was his 13th career USA Diving national championship. Boudia and fellow Purdue divers Kara Cook, Danny Cox and Maddie Miskulin are all scheduled to compete in the individual 10-meter platform diving events in the coming days. Preliminary rounds for the women are set for Thursday and the men Friday.