UM Diver Brittany Viola Named USA Team Captain
July 14, 2009
Coral Gables, Fla. – University of Miami diver Brittany Viola has been named team captain for the United States Diving Team at the upcoming 2009 FINA World Championships in Rome. The World Championships begin Friday, July 18 running through July 25.
Viola, a 5-foot-5 rising senior from Orlando, was named a captain for the U.S. women’s team, while the men’s captain will be Chris Colwill (Brandon, Fla.), a 2006 NCAA Champion on the 1-meter and 3-meter springboard from the University of Georgia.
During the 2008-09 campaign, Viola collected Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Championship titles in the 1-meter springboard and 10-meter platform at College Park, Md. It was the second time in as many years she had collected ACC titles in those two events. She swept all three events (1-m, 3-m and platform) at the 2008 ACC Championships, while also collecting the 2008 NCAA Championship on the platform.
Viola will begin diving Thursday, July 17 in the preliminary round of the platform event, followed by the semis and finals on July 18. The 1-meter prelims and finals are slated for July 19.
Six Olympians are among the other divers competing at this World Championships for the United States. Troy Dumais (Ventura, Calif.) and Chris Colwill will dive on men’s 3-meter, and Christina Loukas (Riverwoods, Ill.) and Ariel Rittenhouse (Santa Cruz, Calif.) were chosen on women’s 3-meter. Colwill and Loukas also were selected for the 1-meter event. Haley Ishimatsu (Seal Beach, Calif.) and David Boudia (Noblesville, Ind.) were chosen for 10-meter.
Joining Boudia on 10-meter is up-and-comer Nick McCrory (Chapel Hill, N.C.), a 17-year-old who won his first senior national title in 2008. Alongside Viola, Terry Horner (Longwood, Fla.) rounds out the team with a spot on 1-meter.
The FINA World Championships or “World Aquatics Championships” are the World Championships for aquatic sports: diving, swimming, open water swimming, synchronized swimming and water polo. The Championships are run by FINA (Fédération Internationale de Natation). In the pool, swimming events are contested in a 50-meter, or “long course” pool.
The event was first held in 1973, and is now held every two years. From 1978-1998, the World Championships were held every four years, in the even years between Summer Olympic years. From 2001 on, the World Championships has been held every two years, in the off years.
For more information on the University of Miami Swimming & Diving team, please log on to www.hurricanesports.com. Once there, you will find up-to-date news, results and information regarding the Hurricanes Swimming & Diving program.
About USA Diving…
Featuring America’s best divers, USA Diving is the national governing body for the sport of diving. Headquartered in Indianapolis, USA Diving offers diversified programs geared toward the broadest number of diving enthusiasts, from the novice to the world champion. USA Diving conducts approximately 40 regional and national events annually and is responsible for training and selecting teams that represent the United States at international events such as the Olympic Games, World Championships and World Cup. For additional information please call Jennifer Lowery at (317) 237-5252 or visit www.usadiving.org.
