March 8, 2017
With his swimming teammates taking a breather in each of their practice laps to watch and cheer on each of his dives, Scott Lazeroff earned a runner-up finish on the platform on Wednesday at the Zone B Diving Championships at the James E. Martin Aquatics Center. With his finish Lazeroff earned his way into a second event at this month's NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships in Indianapolis.
"It was a long three days and the last day doing platform definitely takes the most out of you," Lazeroff said. "You don't have a lot left in the tank but I just did what I needed to do."
Lazeroff, a sophomore, had advanced into finals off of the third-highest prelims score in the field, posting a 379.80. Having already qualified on the 3-meter springboard, he needed just a top-12 finish to add the platform to his event list, which he got easily by scoring a 363.60 over his final six dives for a cumulative score of 743.40.
"My swimming teammates really helped out," Lazeroff said. "When I'm low energy and I hear them screaming at the top of their lungs, it gives me the energy to do the best that I can do."
"Scott was steady and at this meet and after three tough days it's really about surviving and advancing, and he did that," Auburn diving coach Jeff Shaffer said. "We know he can dive better. Maybe the focus wasn't where we want it to be, but we have a week-and-a-half to recover and get really focused on NCAA Championships."
Pete Turnham was afforded the same adulation from his swimming teammates but fell just shy of reaching a second NCAA spot, finishing 16th with a cumulative score of 593.80. He had entered the finals just below the cutline, scoring a 311.55 to sit in 13th following the six-dive prelims. He too will dive 3-meter at NCAAs.
Maddie Cox advanced to finals of the women's platform behind a 221.05 during prelims, which placed her 17th. She then scored a 218.70 in finals to close the competition in 16th place with 439.75 points as it took a 504.30 to earn a NCAA spot.
Miranda Telmanik, competing in her final collegiate competition after beginning her career at Auburn as a gymnast, finished 29th (193.20) while Alison Maillard, who made the NCAA Championships on both springboards, finished 30th (190.45).
"If I reflect back on all three days it was basically a rollercoaster, with some great highs and some low lows," Shaffer said. "To get three divers onto the NCAA Championships, it's a testament to their hard work, willingness to make corrections, standing up and competing. We will always have more work to do but I like where this group is headed."
The women's NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships begin on Wednesday, March 15, in Indianapolis, Ind. The men's championship is a week later, also in Indianapolis.
Wednesday's Auburn results
Women's Platform
16. Maddie Cox 221.05/439.75
29. Miranda Telmanik 193.20
30. Alison Maillard 190.45
Men's Platform
2. Scott Lazeroff 379.80/743.40
16. Pete Turnham 311.55/593.80