COLUMBUS ? University of Hawai?i sophomore diver Emma Friesen became the second diver in Rainbow Wahine history to win an NCAA Championship, Thursday, March 20. Friesen won the 1-meter springboard final at the NCAA Championships on the campus of Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.
Friesen set a new school record with her six dives, recording a score of 336.20, narrowly winning the event by less than five points. Friesen led in the preliminaries after the first day of competition, and remained in the lead after the first five dives in the finals. In her final dive, Friesen nailed a reverse 1 ½ with 1 ½ twists for the highest score of the day, 61.10, securing the national championship. Friesen also finished sixth in the 3-meter springboard event.
Friesen, a sophomore from North Vancouver, British Columbia, becomes the second diver in Hawai?i history to win a national championship. Former Rainbow Wahine diver QiongJie Huang also won the 1-meter championship in 2005.
Friesen was named to the CSCAA All-American Team in both the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events and was also the WAC champion in the 1-meter event.
Friesen's outstanding diving performances tallied 33 points for Hawai`i, placing the Rainbow Wahine in 26th place at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships.
Four other WAC athletes participated in the NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships, with three swimmers and one other diver qualifying for the meet.
San Jose State senior Brie Marhenke earned the WAC’s top finish in swimming events, taking 18th in the 50-yard freestyle event (22.49), narrowly missing a final berth by .03 seconds. Marhenke also competed in the 100-yard freestyle, finishing 71st with a time of 50.95.
Nevada was represented by swimmers Margaret Doolitte and Kim Kabesh and diver Candice Minette. Doolittle, a sophomore and 2008 WAC Swimmer of the Year, competed in three events at the championship, placing 34th in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:02.97), 44th in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:17.38) and 69th in the 200-yard Individual Medley (2:06.06).
Wolf Pack junior Kim Kabesh battled in two events, placing 41st in the 200-yard butterfly (2:02.34) and 51st in the 100-yard butterfly (55.29).
Nevada junior diver Candice Minette competed in both the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events, placing 35th in the 1-meter with a score of 231.90 and 38th in the 3-meter with a total of 225.30.
-WAC-