The LSU diving team will send two athletes to the NCAA Championship meet after competing in the NCAA Zone “D” Regional meet in Iowa City over the weekend.
Freshman Alex Bettridge will represent the Lady Tigers and sophomore Daniel Helm will compete for the Tigers, both qualifying on the one-meter springboard.
“It’s phenomenal for LSU swimming and diving to be represented in both the men’s and the women’s NCAA championships,” said diving coach Doug Shaffer. “It speaks to the level of expertise that Alex and Daniel have.”
Bettridge wasted no time to qualify, scoring a 12-dive total of 578.20 on the first day of competition. The score was good enough for a fourth-place finish, assuring her spot in the NCAA Championship meet.
Both Bettridge and junior Elle Schmidt cracked the top 18 in the three-meter springboard in the first career Zone Championship final for Schmidt. Bettridge finished 10th with a 12-dive score of 585.05, with Schmidt close behind in 14th with a 563.80.
Helm qualified with a 12-dive total of 676.25, placing sixth in the one-meter. The Beaverton, Ore., native followed his one-meter outing with an 11th-place finish in the three-meter springboard.
Sophomore Kevin Leong led the Tigers with a ninth-place finish in the three-meter with a 12-dive score of 707.40. Senior Matt Vieke paced the Tigers on the platform with an eighth-place finish, setting a personal best with his final round total of 318.20.
Shaffer lauded Vieke, who was the lone senior competing in his final collegiate meet. He pointed to Vieke’s passion for the sport, citing the fact that Vieke did not have to compete in the platform, but did for fun.
“He’s a role model, a model student-athlete who had an excellent career,” Shaffer said. “Then he sets a personal best [in the platform]. … What a way to go out.”
Shaffer said the outlook for Bettridge and Helm is bright at both the NCAA Championships and beyond because the level of expertise both possess far outweigh their youth.
As for the NCAA Championship meet, Shaffer said the goal is simple — score.
“We set different goals at the beginning of the season,” Shaffer said. “And for the NCAA meet it’s to score, to place top 16 and achieve All-American status.”
 
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Contact Chandler Rome at [email protected]