THE ACC CHAMPIONSHIPS @ClemsonDiving
WE ARRIVE
Divers and staff safely arrived late Monday night after battling the elements and icy road conditions thanks to the superb skills of the team's bus driver, who was quoted as saying:
"If it were any other team in the world, I would've turned them down with these weather conditions. But, because it was you (Coach Leslie Hasselbach Adams) and your girls, I had to do it. You are my favorite group."
SETTING || THE GREENSBORO AQUATIC CENTER
THE KEY: preparation
COMPETition time
DAY 1 || ONE-METER
In the one-meter competition on Wednesday, Clemson had a strong showing, placing three divers in the top-25 in a field of 45 divers. Sophomore Danielle Reitsma was the Tigers’ top finisher, earning 12th place after scoring 280.80 points. Freshman Caylin Hirapara and junior Sarah Braun rounded out the top-25 finishers for Clemson with scores of 274.10 and 252.75, earning finishes of 16th and 23rd, respectively. Braun, Hirapara and Reitsma combined to earn 28 team points for Clemson, putting it in seventh place after the first day of competition.
As a team, the Tigers tallied seven individual dive scores over 50 points and 36 dives over 40 points in the one-meter event. Individually, Hirapara’s 274.10 was a season-best score for her in the event, while her score, as well as Reitsma’s, were also NCAA Zone-qualifying marks.
DAY 2 || THREE-METER
After observing a day off for training on Thursday, the team was back in competitive waters on Friday to partake in the three-meter preliminary competition. Braun, again, placed well for the Tigers and was the team’s top finisher in the event, scoring 286.45 points for 19th place. Senior Megan Helwagen earned a 21st-place finish after scoring a 283.05, as she and Braun both earned team points for Clemson in the event.
In the three-meter, Clemson had 14 dives over 50 points and 24 dives over 40 points. Braun and Helwagen earned a total of 10 team points, receiving six and four points, respectively, for their finishes. Braun’s 286.45 was also a NCAA Zone-qualifying score. Sophomore Allison Brophy recorded a career-best score of 259.60 in the three-meter competition.
DAY 3 || PLATFORM / "D" DAY
BTW || Want to know how high platform divers compete from? Click below & Make Full Screen!
On the third and final day of competition on Saturday, Reitsma shined for Clemson in the platform event. In the preliminary round, she scored 251.70 points to earn seventh place and solidify a spot in the finals by placing in the top eight. Even after a balk on her last dive of the preliminary round resulted in a 20-point deduction on the score of her final dive, Reitsma was able to dive her way into Clemson history. She became the program’s first diver to ever earn a berth in the finals in any event at the ACC Championship meet.
Reitsma represented Clemson well and with pure class in the finals. Finishing sixth with 248.75 points, the native of Calgary, Alberta, Canada was all smiles, after placing amongst the top platform divers in the ACC.
VIDEO || DANIELLE's FINALS PERFORMANCE
“Danielle had an outstanding platform competition and in return, had a historical day for our program. It was fun to see her put it all together and perform in front of hundreds of people. She loves the crowd, the more cheering the better for her. She is right where she needs to be for our upcoming NCAA Zone Championship meet.” - Assistant Coach Kevin Lawrence
Reitsma led all Tiger divers, recording 39 points for the team, while Helwagen earned 17 points and Braun and Hirapara each earned 15, accounting for Clemson’s 86 team points. The total points earned at this year’s championship meet bested the team’s 2015 competition point total by 50.
Head Coach Leslie Hasselbach Adams on her team's overall performance and progression as a program:
"Our ladies stayed hungry and humble throughout the competition. They supported each other and were a strong presence, representing Clemson with pride. Our team pulled together to produce our highest team finish yet, and I am very proud of them."
"Our program continues to move forward due to our strong foundation of character and culture. I am thankful for a supportive staff who embraces our values and helps to drive them home with our team. Our season is not finished yet, as the best is yet to come. Onto the next stop in our season journey, NCAA Zone B Championships!"