AUBURN, Ala. – All six Auburn divers will compete in the 2020 NCAA Zone B Diving Championships in Athens, Georgia this week with the opportunity to advance to the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships later this month. The three-day event, which begins Monday, is the only way for divers to advance to NCAAs.
"It's always a battle," Auburn head diving coach Jeff Shaffer said. "It's kind of survive and advance. You don't have to win. You have to minimize your mistakes to maximize your opportunity to advance to the NCAA Championships."
The Tigers will have three divers compete on the women's side, led by senior Alison Maillard who won the SEC Championship in the 1-meter and finished third in the 3-meter. Maillard qualified on all three events (1-meter, 3-meter, Platform) at last year's NCAA Zone Championships.
Freshman Gretchen Wensuc and Ashlynn Sullivan will take part in their first Zone meet. Wensuc made podium on Platform at last month's SEC Championship.
The Auburn men are also sending three divers with sophomore Conner Pruitt, junior Logan Andrews and freshman Skip Donald. Like Maillard, Pruitt qualified for the NCAA Championships in all three events last year and looks to duplicate that same success this week. Pruitt was a finalist in all three events at this year's SEC Championships where Andrews and Donald both made at least one final as well.
"We have great leadership from Alison and Conner and even Logan being a junior," Shaffer said. "They've been there. They've been through the war. And they'll be invaluable in providing advice to the freshmen on how to do this."
All six Auburn divers made the cut to compete in each of the three events this week.
In the men's competition, Zone B is guaranteed 10 spots in the 1-meter, with eight spots reserved for the 3-meter and platform. For the women, the top seven will advance in the two springboard events with the top eight automatically advancing on platform. Additionally, if a diver qualifies in one event, they can compete at NCAAs if they place in the top 12 in any of their remaining events.
The final list of qualified divers will be announced on Sunday, March 15.
SCHEDULE (ALL TIMES CT)
Monday, March 9
10 a.m. – Women's 1-meter Prelims
12:30 p.m. – Women's 1-meter Finals (18 divers)
2:45 p.m. – Men's 3-meter Prelims
5 p.m. – Men's 3-mter Finals (18 divers)
Tuesday, March 10
10 a.m. – Men's 1-meter Prelims
12:30 p.m. – Men's 1-meter Finals (18 divers)
2:45 p.m. – Women's 3-meter Prelims
5 p.m. – Women's 3-meter Finals (18 divers)
Wednesday, March 11
9 a.m. – Men's Platform Prelims
10:45 a.m. – Men's Platform Finals (18 divers)
1:15 p.m. – Women's Platform Prelims
3 p.m. Women's Platform Finals (18 divers)