March 12, 2008
(Columbia, Missouri): Clarion University senior diver Teagan Riggs (Meadville) won the 3 meter diving title tonight, and the Golden Eagle women are in fifth place as a team, after day one of the NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving National Championships in Columbia, Missouri.
Held at the "Mizzou Aquatic Center", Riggs won the three meter title with 455.0 points, topping South Dakota's Jill Smolczyk who was a close second with 451.20 points. Also placing in diving were Ginny Saras (Sr. Sugarloaf) who was 6th with 397.75 points, Jena Gardone (So. Apollo - Kiski) who was 8th with 367.90 points, and freshman Kayla Kelosky (Ellwood City - Riverside), who was 10th with 348.15 points.
In other women's action freshman Kaitlyn Johnson (Fr. Uniontown) was 10th in the 50 free with a time of 23.64, and the 200 medley relay team of Lori Leitzinger (Sr. State College), Kelly Connolly (Fr. Cranberry Twp.- Seneca Valley), Johnson and Gina Mattucci (Fr. Jeannette - Penn Trafford) finished 14th with a time of 1:48.13.
In women's team scoring Truman State is first with 103 points, North Dakota is second with 84, Wayne State is third with 76, Drury fourth with 70 and Clarion fifth with 64 points.
In men's action, Clarion sprinter Ryan Thiel finished 15th in the 50 free with a time of 20.80. Meanwhile, in the 200 medley relay, the Golden Eagles were a strong 7th with a time of 1:32.41. Swimming that event were Mike Kerr (Sr. Lansdale - North Penn), Rich Eckert (So. Versailles - McKeesport), Mike Cohen (Sr. Pickerington, Oh.) and Thiel.
In the men's team race Drury is first with 105 points, Ouachita Baptist is second with 68, North Dakota third with 66 and Clarion is in 12th place with 26 points.
The action continues with finals on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, then the championship will conclude.
CLARION NOTES: Riggs is now a 7-time All-American, but this was her first NCAA title... Clarion had record holder Jamie Wolf win 7 of the last 8 individual titles for an NCAA record... Last year Riggs was second on three meter behind Wolf with 429.15 points... She won tonight with 455.0, almost a 26-point improvement.
