AUBURN, Ala. – Head diving coach John Fox’s freshmen shined Thursday during day two of the Auburn Diving Invitational inside James E. Martin Aquatics Center. Ethan Swart picked up his first win of the weekend on 3-meter while Chloe Brothers paced the women’s side on the 1-meter, securing a top-five finish.
It was Brothers along with Abigail Farrar and fellow freshman Emily Hallifax who did the heavy lifting in prelims. Farrar led the group with a 260.15 to qualify seventh overall but all three earned second lists in the afternoon session.
Brothers, the Snellville, Georgia product dialed up a career-best 284.00 to solidify fourth place in finals. Hallifax wasn’t too far behind in seventh with a 272.05, followed closely by Farrar at 271.75.
Fox’s men moved over to the 3-meter on Thursday. Four Tigers managed to force themselves into finals. Whit Andrus qualified second overall with a sturdy 368.50. Ethan Swart continued his excellent week in the well with a 340.85 to grab fourth, while Talan Blackmon (335.20) and Travis Keith (312.45) finished prelims in sixth and 10th, respectively.
In finals, Swart hit another gear. A career-high 382.35 gave the rookie his first win of the weekend with the platform still to come on Friday. Andrus (348.05) would slide into fifth. Blackmon and Keith locked in ninth and 10th after solid performances as well.
Friday’s competition will send the men to the platform and the women to the 3-meter. Action begins at 10:30 a.m. CT for both events.
The remaining schedule of events for the AU Diving Invite is below:
Friday, Dec. 20
10:30 a.m. CT – Men’s Platform (prelims and finals)
10:30 a.m. CT – Women’s 3-meter (prelims and finals)
Saturday, Dec. 21
10 a.m. – Women’s Platform (prelims and finals)