Teams: Men's Swimming & Diving: Press Releases

Monday, March 10, 2008

MATERA TO COMPETE FOR TUFTS AT NCAA DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

MEDFORD -- Sophomore diver Rob Matera (Trumbull, CT/Trumbull) of the Tufts University men's swimming & diving team will compete at the 34th Annual NCAA Division III Men's Diving Championships starting Thursday, March 20 at Miami University of Ohio's Corwin M. Nixon Aquatic Center in Oxford, Ohio. The College of Wooster is the site host.

Matera is one of 22 divers who will compete in both events. Divers are selected to compete at NCAA's based on qualifying scores they earn at dual and championship meets. The scores have to be met either once in a championship format (11 dives) or twice in a dual meet competition (six dives). Along with the qualifying scores, a videotape is submitted to the selection committee for review due to the objectivity of judging in diving.

During an outstanding sophomore season, Matera met the NCAA qualifying scores at many dual meets and at the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) championships hosted by Middlebury College February 29 through March 2. An All-NESCAC selection in 3-meter diving, he topped the qualifying mark of 440 points to score second place in the event with a tally of 467.70 points. Matera is only in his second season of competitive diving off the 3-meter board. Just short of earning All-Conference honors for 1-meter diving as well, he finished fourth in that event. His score of 431.40 in the preliminary round was over the NCAA qualifying requirement of 425 points.

At the NCAA meet, the 1-meter event will be held on the first day of competition Thursday. The last day of the event on Saturday will include 3-meter diving.

#