Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG, Va. – The Virginia Tech diving squad is back in action as it hosts the 2013 NCAA Zone A Diving Championships this weekend, starting Friday at the Christiansburg Aquatic center. Nine H2Okie divers will battle for a ticket to the National Championships, which are scheduled in the upcoming weeks.
Juniors Ryan Hawkins and John Trope, sophomores Kaylea Arnett, Kyle Butts and Kelli Stockton will join seniors Logan Shinholser, Logan Kline and Sara Mokhtari – who all competed at the 2012 NCAA Zone A Championships. Freshman Logan Stevens will make his first appearance in a championship event.
In addition to the H2Okies, Tech will welcome 77 divers from 29 different schools throughout the northeast region as Zone A is allotted 11 automatic qualifying spots – six for the women and five for the men.
The competition begins each day at noon and will kick off with the women’s 3-meter and men’s 1-meter events Friday, March 15. Saturday will feature the women’s 1-meter and men’s 3-meter events, while Sunday will conclude with the platform event.
Last season, the H2Okies qualified five of the eight divers that competed at the Zone A Championships in Buffalo, N.Y. Arnett won the 1-meter, Stockton was victorious on the platform and Kline took second in the 3-meter to all advance on the women’s side. Shinholser took the 3-meter event and Hawkins followed in second to qualify for the men.
Shinholser notched the top finish in both swimming and diving for Tech with a fifth-place finish in the 3-meter event to be named an All-American at the 2012 NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships. The Burtonsville, Md., native grabbed All-American honors in all three events to become Tech’s most decorated diver and be named the ACC Male Diver of the Year.
A two-time ACC Champion, Arnett took the top finish for the H2Okies nationally with a sixth-place finish on the platform. The All-American also placed 11th in the 1-meter event to earn honorable mention honors as she was named the ACC Female Diver of the Year.
Hawkins and Kline were both named All-Americans last year as well. Kline took seventh in the 1-meter and Hawkins placed seventh on the platform to earn the honor for the first time in their careers. Stockton tabbed honorable mention with an 11th-place showing on the platform in her first championships.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Friday, March 15
12:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. Women’s 3-Meter / Men’s 1-Meter – Prelims
15 minute break to determine top 18
2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Women’s 3-Meter / Men’s 1-Meter – Finals
Saturday, March 16
12:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. Women’s 1-Meter / Men’s 3-Meter – Prelims
15 minute break to determine top 18
2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Women’s 1-Meter / Men’s 3-Meter – Finals
Sunday, March 17
12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Women’s & Men’s Platform – Prelims and Finals