University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Feature: Kris Jorgensen
3/8/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving
March 8, 2012
Throughout his three years as a Gopher, Kristoffer Jorgensen has helped the Minnesota men's diving program reach the success it boasts today. The senior out of Bergen, Norway, has put up impressive scores in 1 meter, 3 meter and platform diving for the Gophers, and was recently named the Co-Big Ten Diver of the Championships at the conclusion of the Big Ten Men's Swimming and Diving Championships at the end of February after claiming the title in platform diving.
Coming from Norway, Jorgensen has had a different experience in the pool and doesn't usually get to have the family fan base at his diving meets. In the three years he has been at the U, Jorgensen has only been back to Norway twice, though his parents have visited. This semester, his younger brother began attending the University of Minnesota which helps both of them cope with being so far from home.
"My family hasn't been able to come to my meets, but they are still paying attention and know what's going on," Jorgensen said. "It's been fine, but at times it's harder than others."
Though Jorgensen may not have his family around, he does have his team to support him. As much his teammates are there for him, he is also there for all of them. Jorgensen, having the most experience on the squad, has molded into a leader for the young Minnesota team.
"I try to be a good role model for everyone else. We have a really young team and it more than doubled from last year just from freshmen coming in, which is easier because they'll do what you do. I'll kind of call them out for slacking off," Jorgensen laughed. "I have just been trying to always work as hard as I can, help out and lead the team."
Nearing the end of his senior season, the diver made a statement at the Big Ten Championships by claiming the title in platform diving, setting a Minnesota school record with a score of 430.65, making him the first Gopher to win a Big Ten diving title since 2001.
"That was for sure the greatest accomplishment I have ever achieved, it was pretty amazing," Jorgensen stated. "It was really nice to attain after so many years of much hard work, it finally paid off winning it."
Following the meet, Jorgensen was named Co-Diver of the Big Ten Championships.
Jorgensen barely missed getting one of the seven NCAA berths last year, so one can imagine how focused he is this year.
"Going into zone, the meet is a little different than Big Ten's and NCAA's because they combine your scores from preliminary rounds and finals," Jorgensen described. "Usually you start over when you go into finals and can go into them having nothing to lose, just going for it. Now, first you have prelims where the competition lasts for an hour and a half to two hours and then you don't really get a break and have to do everything again. The goal is to be consistent and be able to stay focused for that amount of time, and just qualify. We just have to go in and be consistent and qualify, that's all that really matters."
Jorgensen will compete in NCAA Zone Diving beginning on Thursday at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Pool in Iowa City, Iowa, the same place where he claimed his own Big Ten title. Jorgensen talked about heading back to Iowa. "It's good for us. Since we have had so many meets there, we know the boards and know the pool better than most the others who will be there competing."
-Athletic Communications Student Intern Kelly Kleine
Players Mentioned
