University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
NCAA Championships
Players Mentioned
Bacon National Champion in 1-Meter
3/15/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming & Diving
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Sophomore Sarah Bacon dove to a national champion finish on the 1-meter diving board to lead the Gophers All-American performances on day two of the NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships in Columbus. The Gophers are currently in ninth place with 70 points after seven events.
"We are swimming and diving really well and honestly have a great time together as a team," said head coach Kelly Kremer. "When you get to this level you can tell a lot about an athlete's commitment to their sport and I am so proud of everyone here for what they do every day to be ready for moments like these!"
Bacon became the second Minnesota Golden Gopher to win the NCAA 1-meter diving competition and fifth Minnesota diving champion in the last eight years. Dominating from the start, Bacon was in a neck-in-neck race for the top spot with South Carolina's Julia Vincent. As the final diver in the rotation, Bacon scored a 55.90 on her final dive (105B) to claim in the national crown with a score of 343.50.
"I was just really consistent all the way through the event," said Bacon. "My coach [Wenbo Chen] is great, my teammates are great and being able to stand on the board with your teammates behind you cheering for you before every dive just really helped me stay calm."
Minnesota's relays continued to show they are on the rise in the national spotlight. The 400 medley relay team of Tevyn Waddell, Lindsey Kozelsky, Danielle Nack and Zoe Avestruz set a new school record time, after setting a record time in the morning prelims, in an All-American fifth place finish touching the wall at 3:28.34.
The 400 medley relay fifth place finish ties the school record for the best finish by any women's relay in school history. Minnesota's 800 free relay finished fifth in 2009.
Minnesota's 200 freestyle relay finished 17th. D. Nack, Avestruz, Mackenzia Padington and Wadell touched in at 1:28.80.
In the 500 free, Chantal Nack placed 23rd in a personal-best time 4:40.47, while Padington touched in at 4:43.61 for 41st place. Rachel Munson swam in the 200 IM touching in a 2:01.73 for 63rd.
Avestruz improved on last year's 42nd place finish in the 50 free with a 26th place finish touching the wall at 22.43.
In the diving well, Kristen Hayden placed 27th with a score of 270.05.
The action continues tomorrow morning at the McCorkle Aquatic Center with preliminary swims beginning at 9 a.m. CT.