Johnston Wins Three-Meter NCAA Zone B Championship

Friday, March 13

Knoxville, Tenn.

All Day

Duke University

Day One

Johnston Takes Title At Spring Nationals, Heads To Canada Cup

Johnston Wins Three-Meter NCAA Zone B Championship

3/13/2009 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving

By: Duke Sports Information

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. ? Duke freshman diver Abby Johnston took first place today on the three-meter board at the 2009 NCAA Zone B Championships at the University of Tennessee's Alex Jones Aquatic Center in Knoxville, Tenn.

Johnston's combined score of 659.85 was good for first overall of 45 total divers, 18 of which advanced to this afternoon's finals. After prelims this morning, Johnston stood in fifth place with 309.30 but moved into the lead after completing her dives again in the finals.

The freshman is the 2009 ACC champion in the event as well, and with the win Johnston becomes Duke's first-ever diver to advance to the NCAA Championships. The national meet will be held next weekend, March 19-21, in College Station, Texas. With the victory in today's event, Johnston will be invited to compete in all three events at NCAAs.

“It was a real solid day,” said diving coach Drew Johansen. “In a meet like this, it's more a test of endurance and mental toughness, and Abby showed that she has both of those.”

“It was a great day and we look forward to two more just like it.”

Also in today's finals, fellow freshman Jessica Lyden took sixth with a total score of 589.40, after she was eighth in prelims with a score of 279.80 through her first list of dives. As the NCAA pool is compiled by taking the top 10 women combined from each of the three events, Lyden could advance depending on how tomorrow's one-meter and Sunday's platform competition shakes out.

Junior Julie Brummond was 26th in prelims with her score of 244.85.

The men's divers competed today on the one-meter board, with freshman Cody Kolodziejzyk taking 21st in this afternoon's prelims with a score of 281.10, and freshman Shawn Hoffman finishing 36th with a 242.80.

The Blue Devils will be back at it tomorrow, with the women set for the one-meter and the men headed to the three-meter beginning at noon. Sunday will feature both the men and women on the platform.

Be sure to keep up with the rest of the action, as live stats are available at the attached DiveMeets website.

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