Dorman Captures First National Championship

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Miami diver Sam Dorman captured his first career national championship Tuesday, earning gold in the 1-meter event on the opening day of competition at the 2013 AT&T National Diving Championships hosted by the University of Iowa.

Dorman, who redshirted the 2012-13 season while recovering from surgery, continued his impressive offseason by finishing the 1-meter in first place with 412.15 points.

The Tempe, Ariz., native, who successfully qualified for the 2013 World University Games earlier this summer, ended day one with his highest-scoring dive – 78.40 points on his front 2 1/2 with one twist.

“I missed a few things in the prelims, but I came back like I wanted to and it turned out how I planned,” Dorman said. “I just dove like I do in practice and was focused and had fun.”

Dorman, one of head coach Randy Ableman’s star pupils, was competing in the same arena where his mentor once dove. Ableman, the 2013 ACC Women’s Diving Coach of the Year, was a four-time All-American diver for the Hawkeyes and captured a national championship in the 1-meter in 1981.

Dorman led the event for all but the first of six rounds, and was also the top finisher in the morning preliminaries.

“I’m sure he was pretty happy with me,” Dorman said. “I had to win it at his old school. We nailed it.”

To read the full day one report from USA Diving, click HERE.

The 2013 AT&T National Championships continue Wednesday with the men’s 3-meter quarterfinals (10 a.m. ET) and the women’s 10-meter quarters (3 p.m.). The finals of each event will take place at 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively.