Dantin Advances To NCAA Championship After Day One Of Zone B Diving - AuburnTigers.com

Dantin Advances To NCAA Championship After Day One Of Zone B Diving Zone B resumes Friday with the women's one-meter and men's three-meter springboard.

Vennie Dantin (File Photo.)

March 10, 2011

ATHENS, Ga. - Junior Vennie Dantin earned her way to the 2011 NCAA Championships Thursday placing second on the three-meter springboard at the NCAA Zone B Championships in Athens, Ga.

Dantin earned her second-place finish scoring a 677.75 after exiting prelims in the same position. The Conroe, Texas, native will make her second appearance at nationals after competing in the 2010 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships where she placed sixth on the platform.

Duke's Abby Johnston recorded a 756.75 to win the event while South Carolina's Taryn Zack placed third with a 669.00.

Junior Anna Aguero turned in a solid sixth-place showing in the field of 39. The Moultie, Ga., native missed out on fifth by just five points, turning in a 625.90.

"I'm really proud of Vennie (Dantin) and Anna (Aguero) for their effort in stepping up today," said Auburn head diving coach Jeff Shaffer. "This is aways a mental battle and they handled it extremely well. Anna put herself in good position today with two more days to go."

Senior Dan Mazzaferro led the Auburn men's divers, placing eighth with a 663.05. Also making the finals was sophomore Thad Ellis, claiming eighth with a 604.20.

"On the guys side, we got off to a little bit of a slow start," said Shaffer. "Dan (Mazzaferro) has his two best events coming up. Here at Zones, you can make up for one event with the other two. Adam (Godzinski) was consistent. John (Santeiu IV) was a little off the mark. He'a a freshman being anointed by an event of this magnitude. Thad (Ellis) had a good first list, but couldn't hold on as the competition went on. We're glad to move into some of our stronger events. We feel comfortable where we are right now as a team."

Junior Adam Godzinski placed 21st in the 43 diver field, earning a preliminary score of 286.15. Freshman John Santeiu IV finished 23rd with a 275.10.

The Zone B Championships, held at the University of Georgia's Gabrielsen Natatorium, is one of five Zone diving meets taking place across the country this week. The events serve as qualifiers for the upcoming men's and women's NCAA Championships.

Zone B will qualify nine divers from each the men's and women's fields. Divers who advance from Zones will compete in all three events at the NCAA Championships.

Diving resumes Friday at 10 a.m. CST with women's one-meter and men's three-meter springboard.