UCLA
NCAA Zone E Diving Championships
Bruins Qualify A Pair on Day One of Diving Zones
March 11, 2019 | Swimming & Diving
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. โ UCLA qualified a pair of divers for NCAAs on the first day of NCAA Zone E Diving Championships, as Maria Polyakova finished first in the women's 3-meter diving championship while Eloise Belanger placed fourth at the Wall Aquatics Center on the campus of Northern Arizona University.
Polyakova, who won the 1-meter and 3-meter titles at this year's Pac-12 Championships, claimed the crown on Monday with a combined score of 696.75. She led the field in the prelims with 329.40 points, then posted a 367.35 in the finals to take first place. Her total score bested the second-place finisher by over 43 points.
Belanger meanwhile finished with a combined score of 635.55, finishing fifth in the prelims with a score of 311.85 and then logging a 323.70 in the finals.
Polyakova received a score of 60 or higher on four of the six dives in her finals list, including a 72.00 on her third attempt: a reverse 2 ยฝ somersault pike. Her 367.35 score in the finals was her second-best of the year, trailing only her Spieker-record 375.75 from earlier this year.
"Maria is just starting to look comfortable again, which is the important thing," said UCLA head coach Tom Stebbins. "She is beginning to look like her old self before she was injured this winter. As we go through these events, add repetition, push her boundaries, and then rest, she's going to keep feeling a little bit better each time."
Belanger had a pair of 60-point dives, garnering her highest score (61.50) on a back 2 ยฝ somersault pike.
"You could see that Eloise gained confidence as the day went along," said Stebbins. "She looked good, she looked sharp, and I think there's a lot more she can show once we get to NCAAs."
Sophomore Alice Yanovsky also competed in 3M on Monday, placing 25th in the prelims. This is the second straight year that Yanovsky has qualified for Zones.
Monday added to a prolific history at Zones for both Polyakova and Belanger.
Polyakova finished first in 3M the last time she competed at Zones, in 2017, and was second as a sophomore in 2016. Belanger was the second-place finisher in 3M at last year's Zones, part of a triple-qualifying trip to Flagstaff that culminated in All-America and Pac-12 Diver of the Year honors.
The 2019 Zone E Championships continue tomorrow with the women's 1-meter championships. Prelims begin at 11:30 AM, with finals taking place at approximately 3:00 p.m. Belanger and Polyakova have both qualified for NCAAs in 1M in each of their previous three seasons, with Polyakova topping the podium in 2017. ย ย
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