Three Hurricane Divers Qualify For NCAA's

March 15, 2003

AUBURN, Ala. (www.hurricanesports.com) – – Three University of Miami divers earned NCAA Championship spots Saturday at the 2003 NCAA Zone B Regional Qualifiers at Auburn University in Alabama.

Hurricane diver Katie Beth Bryant (Chatham, Ill.) placed first in the finals of the women’s one-meter dive.

With a score of 631.35 and the first-place finish, Bryant assured herself a berth in the NCAA Championships.

“(Bryant) was awesome,” coach Randy Ableman said. “She took the lead from the first dive (in the one-meter event) and she never looked back. She kind of ran away with it.”

Teammate Emily Spychala (Odessa, Fla.) also qualified for the NCAA Championships when she scored a 580.50 and placed fifth in the one-meter dive.

Ableman said that he was not surprised by Spychala’s success at Auburn.

“She’s been a great diver in the past,” the decorated coach said, adding that her career arc had previously been slowed by two shoulder surgeries.

Also among the qualifiers was Miguel Velazquez (Mexico City, Mexico), who placed fourth in the semifinal round of the men’s three-meter event with a score of 577.55. His quarterfinal score was 362.30.

“Miguel’s very steady, he gets better the higher he goes,” Ableman said.

Tomorrow, UM diver Melanie Rinaldi (Mte. Nord, Canada), will have a final opportunity to qualify when both the men and women compete in the platform event.

The Zone B (Southeast) Region is widely considered the deepest and most difficult field in the country.

Results from the final day of the qualifiers will be posted on www.hurricanesports.com following competition.