Divers Keller, Carlson, Haley earn trips to NCAA nationals
Fredonia senior Ashley Keller (Lockport, N.Y.) won both the NCAA Division III regional 3-meter and 1-meter championships this weekend at Rochester Institute of Technology, and will be once again representing the Blue Devils at the national meet in Indianapolis from March 19-22.
On Saturday, Keller scored 496.45 points off the 3-meter board, edging out Ithaca College's Nickie Griesemer by 11.45 points. On Friday, Keller bested Griesemer off the 1-meter board, too, although that victory was narrower at less than a full point.
Fredonia's Arron Carlson (LeRoy, N.Y.), who scored 478.1 points to win his 3-meter event in his freshmen year, will be joining Keller at nationals after winning the men's regional qualifier Friday.
Fredonia senior Katelyn Haley (Canandaigua) also qualified for nationals, after finishing third in the 3-meter event with 428.80 points. She was Fredonia's second-best female performer on Friday as well, finishing sixth off the 1-meter with 373.00 points.
Their performances extend Fredonia's streak of having at least one diver (male or female) at nationals to nine straight years.
Fredonia may still see more divers making the trip, as freshman Jeff Matter (East Aurora, N.Y.) finished third off the 1-meter board with a score of 463.35. The showing was not enough to get Matter into the NCAA meet just yet. He is listed as an alternate for the 1-meter board, as is sophomore Rafael Santiago (Middletown, N.Y.), who scored 421.points to finish sixth in the 3-emter event.
