Johnson, Dusel Earn Automatic Berths in Platform
March 7, 2018
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PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Virginia men’s and women’s diving teams earned two automatic berths to the NCAA Championships in the women’s platform on Wednesday (March 7) at the NCAA Zone A Diving Championships held at the Rutgers Aquatic Center from senior Corey Johnson (Ambler, Pa.) and sophomore Sydney Dusel (Naperville, Ill.). Sophomore Bryce Shelton (Vienna, Va.) and junior Kylie Towbin (New Canaan, Conn.) also advance in the event with a top 12 finish, after qualifying for the NCAA Championships in events earlier in the week.
Johnson and Dusel earned automatic berths in the women’s platform, finishing in the top five of the event. Johnson led the team with 479.25 points, earning a third-place finish. She recorded 225.15 points in the preliminary round and a career-best score of 254.1 in the finals, which ranks third in school history in the event. Dusel finished fifth with a 10-dive score of 457.70. She captured a career-best performance of 253.60 in the preliminary rounds and a score of 204.1 in the finals.
Shelton finished sixth in the men’s platform with a score of 632.85. He earned an automatic berth to the NCAA Championships on Monday in the 1-meter board, ensuring his advancement with a top 12 finish the 3-meter dive (11th place) and the platform dive (sixth place).
Shelton and Dusel will compete in all three diving events at the NCAA Championships. Dusel earned automatic berths in the 1-meter, 3-meter and platform dives.
Towbin finished sixth in the women’s platform with a score of 454.90. She set a school record in the preliminary round, capturing a score of 297.85. With Towbin’s sixth-place finish, she will also advance to the NCAA Championships in the platform, after earning an automatic bid in yesterday’s 3-meter board.
“I am super excited for the divers,” head diving coach Jason Glorius said. “Everyone did a great job today. Kylie had another school record so that was a highlight. It’s nice to send Corey out on a good note, making the big meet.”
Freshman Jocelyn Porter (Cornelius, N.C.) placed 11th in the platform with a 10-dive score of 386.50.
The top five finalists in the women’s and men’s platform competitions qualify for the NCAA Championships. The women’s national championships will be held March 14-17, while the men’s championships will be held March 21-24.