Herrera Finishes as National Runner-up in 3-Meter
By Camron Ghorbi
HurricaneSports.com
AUSTIN, Texas – Standout redshirt senior Briadam Herrera capped his collegiate career in grand fashion Friday night, finishing as the national runner-up in the 3-meter springboard at the 2019 NCAA Men’s Swimming & Diving Championships.
Herrera picked up the seventh All-America recognition of his career with a score of 432.75 in the night’s finals after finishing fourth in the morning’s preliminary round.
The latest honor adds to a trophy case that includes six conference gold medals and several international awards.
More than any Atlantic Coast Conference trophy or All-America honor, however, head diving coach Randy Ableman and assistant coach Dario di Fazio said that what separates Herrera from all his peers is his development over the past five seasons, both as an individual and as a competitor on the boards.
“I really wanted him to get a title for him, and to join the long list of other Miami divers who have won one here,” Ableman said. “But he is a champion. I’m just super proud of him tonight.”
Di Fazio, who has coached Herrera since he was a youth diver when he defected to the United States from Cuba as a 14-year-old youth, said that his protégé’s progress has special significance to him.
“I’ve seen him grow up as a little kid into a man,” di Fazio said. “It has been tremendous. How to deal with life, how to deal with people – working with Randy and myself for his college career, it has been a great, great thing to see, his development from a boy to a man.”
Di Fazio spoke about the personal bond he created with Herrera over his incredible amateur diving career.
“It’s emotional for me, because he’s like my son. I’m proud. I’m so proud of him. At the end, winning is not the main goal,” di Fazio said. “The main goal is what you become through this process. He is a wonderful kid, and I couldn’t be more proud.”
Herrera echoed the thoughts of his mentors after earning the second national runner-up finish of his impressive career.
“I’m very grateful for Randy and Dario. They’ve helped me through my whole career,” Herrera said. “I’m very happy to have done how I did. Maybe I could have won a championship, but that doesn’t matter. I enjoyed my time fully with my coaches.”
After struggling on his third dive, Herrera rebounded with a forward 4 ½ somersault tuck that wowed the judges, setting himself up for an impressive finish.
“I’m happy with how I did. I messed up a little bit on a new dive, but I was feeling good. I’m happy I came back strong with my last two dives,” Herrera said.
Ableman said that Herrera earned some well-deserved recognition from his peers at the conclusion of the event.
“What makes it nice for me is when other coaches notice the hard work. I had several of the top coaches come up to me afterwards and congratulate me on Briadam and how far he has come,” he said. “Out of high school, he wasn’t the greatest diver, but he has gotten better every year. He was a warrior.
“He’s disappointed he didn’t win, and I love that about him, but it hit me when we walked in the door [at the hotel]. I said, ‘You had a great college career.’ But he knows it’s not over yet.”
