Ross Takes Third on Platform at NCAA Championships
March 28, 2009
Complete Results in PDF Format 
College Station, Texas – University of Miami diver Reuben Ross completed his All-American diving sweep Saturday evening, taking third place on the 10-meter platform inside the Student Recreation Natatorium at this year’s NCAA Men’s Swimming & Diving Championships in College Station, Texas.
Ross walked into this year’s platform championships seeking to become just the fifth diver in Miami’s storied history of men’s diving to earn All-American honors in all three diving events (1-meter, 3-meter and platform) at the NCAA Championships. Only Miguel Velazquez (2004), Tyce Routson (1996, ’97, 2000), Chris Mantilla (1996, ’97, ’98) and Bryan Gillooly (1996, ’97) had accomplished that task before.
After collecting a fourth place finish in the preliminaries, Ross earned a spot in UM history by advancing to the finals and earning All-America honors for the third consecutive day.
The top eight finishers from the afternoon’s prelims advance to the evening’s finals. Student-athletes who finish among the top eight are named All-American. Those who place anywhere from ninth to 16th place are designated Honorable Mention All-American.
The Regina, Saskatchewan (Canada) native entered the finals looking for his second national title in as many years–claiming the 3-meter championship a year ago. He would earn his highest finish on the platform (third) at the NCAA’s in his career, collecting a finals score of 452.75.
Ross opened up his dives with a score of 76.50 after landing a Forward 3 ½ Somersault Pike, good enough to give him fourth place after the round. His second dive–an Inward 3 ½ Somersault Tuck, netted him a 72.00 which moved him back into fifth place.
He bounced back with his third dive which was an Armstand Back 2 Somersault 1 ½ Twist Free, to register a 73.60–moving him back up into third. His fourth dive earned him another 76.50 to move him into second place after the fourth round.
But the diving of Purdue’s David Boudia, also this year’s 3-meter NCAA Champion and Big Ten Male Diver of the Year was just too tough as he never dropped out of first place on the evening following any round.
Ross moved into second place on his final dive, which earned him his highest score of the night (79.90) when he landed a beautiful Back 2 ½ Somersault 1 ½ Twist Pike. The final dive gave him his final score of 452.75, which was also a personal-best for Ross at the NCAA Finals.
However, Texas’ Drew Livingston was not far behind Ross as he posted a final round dive score of 100.70, landing a picture-perfect Back 2 ½ Somersault 2 ½ Twist Pike to step out in front of the field. But the Longhorns diver’s dream of an NCAA title was short-lived, as Boudia punched his second NCAA title of the weekend with a 91.20 on his last dive, ironically a Back 2 ½ Somersault 2 ½ Twist Pike, to finish atop the field.
Boudia finished with a new NCAA record score of 530.45 placing first, while Livingston (493.20) was second, followed by Miami’s Ross.
Reuben Ross finishes his storied 2008-09 season as the ACC Men’s Diver of the Year, and ACC Champion in both the 1-m and 3-m event. This is second time Ross has claimed All-America honors on the platform, doing so as a freshman in 2007, while staking the sixth All-America honor of his career.
For more information on the NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving National Championships, please locate your internet browser to http://www.aggieathletics.com/ncaa2009/swimming/men/.
