Feb. 11, 2011
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The Auburn diving team kicked off the 2011 SEC Diving Championships Friday and had three top-three finishers at the conclusion of the evening's finals held at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center on the campus of the University of Florida.
"Tonight was a great competition all around and I couldn't have asked for a better competition," head diving coach Jeff Shaffer said. "We came in ready to go and everyone stepped up. Both finals tonight were outstanding for both the competitors and those watching."
Auburn juniors Vennie Dantin and Anna Aguero reached the women's three-meter springboard finals after qualifying first and second, respectively, at the conclusion of the afternoon's preliminaries session. The finals proved to be a tough one as the pair, along with Florida's Monica Dodson, battled for the top spot throughout competition.
Dantin concluded the evening in second with a season-best score of 368.05 points, just five points out of first. Aguero came in third after tallying a career-high 357.40 points.
"It all came down to the last dive in a competition that almost everyone was solid," Shaffer said. "It was a fight the whole way through and I felt that Vennie (Dantin) and Anna's (Aguero) performances were outstanding."
On the men's side of competition, redshirt senior Dan Mazzaferro and freshman John Santeiu IV reached the championship final on the one-meter springboard. Mazzaferro, who qualified first overall after the prelims, concluded the day with a third-place finish in a career-best score of 384.55. Santeiu, competing in his first-ever championship final, finished eighth overall with 309.80 points.
"I'm very proud of Dan and the way he competed tonight," Shaffer said. "It's a great start to the championships for him."
Also scoring points on the one-meter springboard for the Tigers were sophomore Thad Ellis and junior Adam Godzinski. Ellis finished ninth for Auburn with 322.75 points, while Godzinski was 15th with 283.55 points.
Competition continues Saturday with women's one-meter springboard preliminaries at 11 a.m. and men's three-meter springboard preliminaries at 2 p.m. from the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.
Auburn Swimming and Diving
2010 SEC Diving Championships - Day One Finals
Friday, February 11, 2011
Stephen C. O'Connell Center; Gainesville, Fla.
Auburn Finishers - Men's One-Meter: Championship Final - 3. Dan Mazzaferro (384.55); 8. John Santeiu (309.8); Consolation Final - 9. Thad Ellis (322.75); 15. Adam Godzinski (283.55); Women's Three-Meter: Championship Final - 2. Vennie Dantin (368.05); 2. Anna Aguero (357.40).