Feb. 12, 2011
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Redshirt senior Dan Mazzaferro put together a season-best performance on the three-meter springboard to earn the conference title at the 2011 SEC Diving Championships held at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center on the campus of the University of Florida.
"It was a great competition and I'm absolutely thrilled to come away with a win," Mazzaferro said. "I knew that the one person who was the most focused was going to come out on top and I put myself into position to win in a tight competition."
Mazzaferro, a Cheshire, Conn., product, entered the evening's finals as the top qualifier from the preliminary session. The competition was close throughout the entire evening and it all came down to the last dive with Mazzaferro holding a slim two-point lead over Tennessee's Ryan Helms going into the final round.
The two divers listed the same dive for the last round and the outcome would be decided on each other's performance. Helms notched a score of 69.70 and Mazzaferro capitalized on the dive that he's practiced so much before to score 76.50 points for a total of 415.75 points. Mazzaferro outscored Helms by 8.6 points.
"Dan used his experience as a senior to stay in the contest and give himself a chance to win," head diving coach Jeff Shaffer said.
The three-meter win was Mazzaferro's second conference title of his career in the event. He captured the 2009 title and then was unable to compete last season due to a knee injury.
Also, putting together a solid performance for Auburn was freshman John Santeiu IV. The Dearborn Heights, Mich., native finished third overall with a career-best score of 388.20 to earn his first-career conference medal.
"I'm so proud and very excited for John," Shaffer said. "He stepped up as a freshman and scored big points for us."
Sophomore Thad Ellis also reached the finals on the three-meter springboard for the Tigers. The Atlanta product finished eighth with 353.65 points.
Auburn junior Vennie Dantin had a record-breaking evening as the Conroe, Texas, product finished third overall on the one-meter springboard. Her 326.40 points set a new school record that was previously owned by classmate Anna Aguero. Aguero, of Moultrie, Ga., finished competition in fifth with 310.00 points.
"Both women improved upon their scores from the prelims and competed well in a tough competition," Shaffer said. "It was another great day for Auburn diving and I couldn't be more proud of everyone. We're very happy with where we're at and excited for tomorrow.
Both men and women's platform is set for Sunday with the women's preliminaries starting at 11 a.m. and the men's at 1 p.m. from the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.
Auburn Swimming and Diving
2010 SEC Diving Championships - Day Two Finals
Friday, February 12, 2011
Stephen C. O'Connell Center; Gainesville, Fla.
Auburn Finalists - Women's One-Meter: Championship Finalists - 3. Vennie Dantin (326.40); 5. Anna Aguero (310.00); Men's Three-Meter: Championship Finalists - 1. Dan Mazzaferro (415.75); 3. John Santeiu IV (388.20); 8. Thad Ellis (353.65).