Divers spring into Pac-10 Championships
UCLA hopes to repeat as diving champs, secure second place
overall
By A. CinQue Carter
Daily Bruin Contributor
Pacific 10 Championships, part two.
After a strong showing at the swimming portion of the event, the
UCLA divers will now take their shot at the pool in Tucson, Ariz.,
at the Hillenbrand Aquatics Center, today through Saturday.
Not only will the Bruins try to repeat as diving champs, but
they will also attempt to outscore USC by 141 points to take over
sole possession of second place in the Pac-10 Championship totals.
The Bruins are in third place, behind the Trojans and Stanford.
Stanford’s lead after round one of competition is such that they
are out of reach and will remain Pac-10 champions regardless of the
results of the diving portion.
Head diving coach Tom Scotty, who led the Bruins to the Pac-10
diving championship last year, hopes for the same result this
year.
The defending Pac-10 champion on the one-meter board is senior
Erin Simmons. Simmons , who leads the Bruins into battle today,
also placed fifth on the three-meter board and eighth on the
platform last year.
Senior Lauren Loberg finished 13th on the platform, 15th on the
three-meter and 18th on the one-meter last year.
All-American sophomore Tracy Wilcox was the runner-up last year
at the championships and is looking to improve on that mark this
time around. Rose Huelskamp, as a sophomore, was selected most
inspirational last year by teammates, had an incredible Pac-10
championship last year, finishing sixth on the three-meter, ninth
on the platform, and 14th on the one-meter.
Sophomore Alicia Solomon, in the 1995 championships, placed 10th
on the platform, 13th on the three-meter and 15th on the
one-meter.
Redshirt freshman Amanda Delgado, freshmen Rebecca Ronsaville,
Laura Segundo, and Amy Sloan will compete in their first Pac-10
championships.
* * *
On Saturday evening, after the Bruins swam to a third place
finish at the Pac-10 championships, the team had a banquet to
announce awards voted on by the team. Sophomore Katie Stuppi was
voted most improved on the season.
For first-year team members, the goal is to get most outstanding
freshman. But this year, there was no clear choice – there were two
– Amanda Hall and Emmanuelle Schick.
The most spirited Bruin wins the Bruin Pride award. This year’s
recipient wa sophomore Lara Potter.
Now, what is a team without motivators? Two of the team’s
leaders were voted most inspirational – senior Annette Salmeen and
sophomore Lindsay Etter.
As far as academic achievement, the Bruins had 17 people on the
team with grade point averages over 3.0.
"We really stress academics," head coach Cyndi Gallagher said.
"The way our athletes perform in the classroom is the way we want
them to perform in the pool."
Tops in academics were diver Erin Simmons, with a 3.9 G.P.A. in
history and her roommate, Salmeen, with a 3.94 G.P.A. in chemistry.
Salmeen also won the award for hardest worker.Comments to
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