Results

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The Virginia women’s diving team finished 1-2-3 in the women’s 3m dive at the NCAA Zone A Diving Championships at The Aquatic Center at Mylan Park on Tuesday (March 10). Senior Sydney Dusel (Naperville, Ill.), junior Jocelyn Porter (Cornelius, N.C.) and freshman Jennifer Bell (Pelham, N.Y.) recorded the top-three scores, respectively, to qualify for the NCAA Championships in the event.

Dusel led UVA’s 1-2-3 finish on the 3m board, recording a score of 708.50 to place first and qualify for her for a second event at the NCAA Championships. Dusel scored 363.25 points in the prelims to advance to the finals as the top seed. She followed with a score of 345.25 in the finals.

Porter qualified for her first NCAA Championships with a second-place finish and a score of 595.35 on the 3m board. The junior earned a score of 286.35 in the prelims before topping the result in the finals with a score of 309. Her score in the finals was a career best which ranks eighth in UVA history.

Bell placed third on the 3m board to advance to the NCAA Championships in the event. The UVA first-year battled her way up the ladder, advancing from an eighth-place finish and a score of 287.30 in the prelims. She recorded 305.95 points in the finals to round out the top three at the meet.

By advancing to the NCAA Championships on the 3m board, Bell also qualified for the national meet on the 1m board. She placed eighth with a combined score of 531.35 in the event on Monday.

Additionally, senior Bryce Shelton (Vienna, Va.) qualified for the NCAA Championships on the 1m board after capturing a seventh-place finish with a score of 617.20. He earned a berth to NCAAs on Monday with a second-place finish and a score of 737.05 on the 3m board.

“Yesterday, I challenged the team to keep knocking on the door and take advantage of the opportunity,” head diving coach Drew Livingston said. “They decided to kick the door down today. I’ve had plenty of memorable days as a coach and this one is right up there with the best. Our women were tough and didn’t let the moment become too big. Jen (Bell) and Jocelyn (Porter) competed like they have all year and found an extra level when they needed it the most. You always want to do whatever it takes to make NCAAs but doing it by going 1-2-3 with Sydney (Dusel) was a lot of fun.

“Charlotte Bowen did something I’ve never seen before and competed at her absolute best (recording personal-best score on both springboards) at a Zone meet two days in row. That never happens. Period. I couldn’t be prouder of her and her determination to battle until the end. We have some great opportunities to get some results tomorrow and add to the four divers we have qualified already, so we’ll be ready to get after the competition tomorrow on platform.”

Virginia will conclude the NCAA Zone A Diving Championships on Wednesday. The women’s platform will open events at 11 a.m. The men’s platform will follow at 2 p.m.