Jan. 5, 2009

Diving Results

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Staley McCartney's 12th-place finish in the platform competition paced the Lady Vols on the final day of the 2009 Tennessee Diving Invitational on Monday at the Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center.

McCartney, a senior, was the only Lady Vol diver to place as she scored 211.40 in the tower event.

Freshman Gabbie Trudeau finished 15th with a score of 197.80 and sophomore Jill Pierce was 19th, tallying 183.20.

"I'm a little disappointed in our performance today," Head diving coach Dave Parrington said. "It's been a long meet and we've been training really hard, but so has everybody else so there are no excuses. Staley was steady, but missed a key dive. Jill is a rookie on the platform, but she is improving and will get there. Gabbie is a much better diver than she showed today.

"We need to make some technical changes and some mental changes and we'll get there. We have a tough test this weekend against Indiana, Illinois and Michigan. We're a little over a month away from the championship season and I'm confident we'll bounce back."

Monica Dodson of Florida captured the platform championship with a score of 309.20. Alabama's Carrie Dragland was second (293.05), while fellow Gator Kara Salamone finished third (266.55). Salamone placed in the top three of all events at the invitational, finishing second in the 3-meter and first in the 1-meter.

Trudeau and freshman Jodie McGroarty qualified for the finals and finished sixth and ninth, respectively, in the 1-meter board on Sunday. No Lady Vols made it past the prelims in the 3-meter on Saturday.

The Tennessee women's swimming and diving team faces a tough test in Bloomington, Ind. this Friday and Saturday as it faces Indiana, Michigan and Illinois in a quad-meet.

Full results of the 2009 Tennessee Diving Invitational can be found at divemeets.com.