Brittany Viola Closes Diving Career on Top for Miami
March 19, 2011
Complete NCAA Championships Results (PDF) 
AUSTIN, Texas – Senior Brittany Viola concluded one of the most historic diving careers in University of Miami history on Saturday night, claiming her second NCAA National Championship on the 10-meter platform with a finals score of 354.25, on the final day of the NCAA Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships at Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center hosted by the University of Texas.
On Saturday night, Viola – a native of Orlando – stepped onto the 10-meter platform for her final collegiate event as a Hurricanes diver. Leading after the preliminary round of diving, Viola and teammate Carrie Dragland each eyed the title heading into the finals.
Viola began her final five dives with the highest scoring dive of the finals for any competitor, landing a judges’ score of 81.00, landing a near-perfect Forward 3 1/2 Somersault Pike to set the tone for the entire round. Another score of 80 came on her third dive – an Armstand Back 2 Somersault 1 1/2 Twist Free – moving her back into first place. It was a lead she would never relinquish.
“I am ecstatic to have won another NCAA Championship title,” said Viola afterwards. “Being able to compete at NCAA’s was a gift in itself, after sitting out with two foot surgeries over the course of the last year-and-a-half. I could not have hoped to have my collegiate diving career wrap-up any different. I am overjoyed!”
Viola earned the 2008 NCAA National Championship in the same event. Earlier this year, she claimed the USA Winter National Championships title in the 10-meter event as well. Viola is just the second female to claim a national title – aside from her 2008 award – since Jenny Keim in 2000.
Teammate Carrie Dragland finished third in the finals, turning in a score of 326.10. She vaulted from fifth place up to third on her final two dives, including a score of 79.20, after performing a Back 3 1/2 Somersault Tuck. In the process, Dragland laid claim to her third consecutive All-America honor of the event, sweeping accolades in the 1-, 3- and 10-meter events.
Reuben Ross also accomplished the task in 2009 on the men’s side for the Hurricanes.
For veteran UMiami diving head coach Randy Ableman, Viola becomes the third national title winner – along with Reuben Ross in 2008 – in the last five years. Additionally, Viola and Dragland added to the ever-growing All-American list of performers – giving the UM diving program 42 All-America accolades in the last 10 years.
In the pool, senior Annika Saarnak competed in her final event as a Miami Hurricane, turning in a time of 50.80 in the 100 freestyle. Saarnak was the first Hurricanes swimmer to compete in the NCAA’s in almost 10 years, while six others had NCAA provisional qualifying times at the ACC Championships.
As a team, the University of Miami finished 16th overall with 67 points. The 16th place finish came in a participating field of 41 in this year’s annual event. The finish was also the highest for the women since the 2001-02 season when Miami finished 15th overall.
For more information on the University of Miami swimming & diving team, please log on to HurricaneSports.com. Once there, you will find up-to-date news, stats and information regarding the Hurricanes swimming & diving program.
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