Lewark & Bell Compete in Finals at NCAA Zone Diving Championships

Sunday, March 15

Knoxville, TN

12:00 AM

Florida Gators

NCAA Diving Zones

Lewark & Bell Compete in Finals at NCAA Zone Diving Championships

Sunday, March 15, 2009 | Men's Swimming & Diving

Following the three-day Zone B Diving Championships in Knoxville, Tenn., at the Allan Jones Aquatics Center, two Gators in junior Kara Salamone (Hollywood, Fla.) and sophomore Monica Dodson (Franklin, Ind.) qualified for the 2009 Women's NCAA Championship meet, which is set to begin March 19 in College Station, Texas.

Salamone earned her bid to the NCAA meet for her fourth-place finish in the three-meter springboard finals (640.05), after finishing preliminaries in second place with a score of 322.20. Dodson's qualification came in the platform event, where she finished second overall with a score of 545.45. Both Dodson and Salamone will be eligible to compete in the one-meter, three-meter and platform events and the NCAA meet.

For the 2009 NCAA Championship meet, 35 diving spots were available for the men's championships, and 41 for the women from the four regional zones, A, B, C and D. Each diver earned his or her bid based on the respective finishes in the three diving events. Additionally, the winner of each of the three events received an automatic bid to the 2009 NCAA Meet.

Salamone additionally finished fifth in the one-meter competition (558.30), while Dodson came in 13^th (513.20). Dodson rallied for a ninth-place finish in finals of the three-meter, while Salamone secured seventh (490.25) on the platform.

In men's diving action, no Gators solidified NCAA qualification, but several returned to finals at the Zone Diving showdown in Knoxville. Freshman Colin Bell (Coral Springs, Fla.) represented UF in the platform finale Sunday with a 17th-place finish (483.65), while Bell's freshman colleague Anthony Lewark (Davie, Fla.) placed 12^th with a score of 591.65 on the one-meter springboard.

For complete results, including preliminary finishes, click here.

2009 NCAA Zone B Diving Championships

NCAA Championships Women's Qualifiers

1. P Kristin Davies N.C. State

2. 3m Abby Johnston Duke

3. 1m Jenna Dreyer Miami

4. 3m Carrie Dragland Alabama

5. 1m Taryn Zack South Carolina

6. 1m Brittany Viola Miami

7. P Monica Dodson Florida

8. 3m Kara Salamone Florida

9. 3m Hannah Moore Georgia