After three days of diving in Minneapolis, Minn. LSU will be represented by one diver when it heads to the NCAA Championships on March 20.
Sophomore Cassie Weil was the only LSU diver to qualify for the NCAA Championships, after a strong performance on the 3-meter dive. Weil posted a combined score of 693.10 in the preliminaries and final to qualify.
Weil has had an impressive month dating back to her two bronze medals at the Southeastern Conference Championships and now qualifying for the NCAA Championships.
“[Weil] was a competitor when it came down to it,” LSU diving coach Doug Shaffer said. “That’s what put her in a position in a position to qualify. She was really in line with what she can do.”
The other six LSU divers were unable to qualify for NCAA’s, but divers such as senior Sean McKinney and junior Alex Bettridge came close to qualification.
McKinney finished just outside the top three to qualify on the 1-meter finishing fourth with a combined score of 764.50 while Bettridge finished sixth on the 3-meter with a combined score of 663.60.
“I’m not disappointed with the performance,” Shaffer said. “[McKinney] and [Bettridge] fought really hard. Alex fought hard in every event. They really improved their performance and character.”
The divers were able to be competitive in the diving regional, but in the end were unable to get over the hump and qualify for NCAA’s.
Weil now turns her focus to the NCAA Championships on March 20 in hopes of bringing home a national title.