March 6, 2017
Alison Maillard made sure there would be at least one more Auburn representative at the 2017 Women's NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships in Indianapolis. The freshman scored a 619.50 to finish third on the 3-meter and earn an automatic berth at next week's championships.
"Alison led the troops today with a super performance and a really solid list," Auburn diving coach Jeff Shaffer said. "She stood up and performed at or above her average on each dive."
Maillard, from Houston, Texas, was fourth coming out of prelims after scoring a 314.40. She then held on to her spot by scoring 305.10 points during finals.
"I went into it knowing I could do it but I tried not to focus on a score that I needed to hit or a place because you can't really control what score the judges give you," Maillard said. "I took it dive-by-dive and tried to make everyone the best I could."
With one dive to go, she was already sitting in third with a 564.15 and then scored a 55.35 on her final dive, an inward 2.5 somersault tuck.
"That is one of my more solid dives and that's why I put it last," Maillard said. "I normally hit it for six-and-a-halves so I was up there telling myself to just do it like I normally do it. I went in the water and I knew it was a little slow but clean. When I got up Jeff (Shaffer) was giving me a little fist-pump and I knew I had just made NCAAs."
Maillard will now just need to finish in the top 12 in the remaining competitions to also compete on them at NCAAs.
Maddie Cox was narrowly beaten out for a finals spot in the 3-meter prelims competition, finishing 19th with a 274.60, which was just one place and 1.10 points out of the top 18.
For Auburn's men, both Scott Lazeroff and Pete Turnham will both have to wait another day to try to punch their NCAA ticket. Turnham scored a 267.30 to finish 25th while Lazeroff scored a 253.25 to finish 31st in the men's 1-meter competition. It took a 279.85 to advance out of prelims to the 18-man final, where eight divers earned a NCAA Championship berth.
"The other three underperformed to their ability and it was frustrating," Shaffer said. "The team has got to get refocused and come in and perform tomorrow. Everybody still has a chance to make the NCAA Championships and do what I expect of them."
The competition continues on Tuesday with the men's 3-meter and the women's 1-meter. The women will dive first, with prelims starting at 11 a.m. CT while the men's prelims begin a 4 p.m. The top 10 finishers for both the men and women in Tuesday's events will earn a NCAA Championships berth.
Women's 3-Meter
3. Alison Maillard 314.40/619.50
19. Maddie Cox 274.60
Men's 1-Meter
25. Pete Turnham 267.30
31. Scott Lazeroff 253.25
Tuesday, March 7
11am-1:45pm CT ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" Women's 1-meter prelims
2-3pm ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" Women's 1-meter finals
4-6pm ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" Men's 3-meter prelims
6:15-7:15pm ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" Men's 3-meter finals
Wednesday, March 8
10-11:45am ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" Women's platform prelims
Noon-12:34pm ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" Women's platform finals
2:15-4pm ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" Men's platform prelims
4:15-5:15pm ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" Men's platform finals