GoHeels Exclusive: Duncan Making A Splash

by Pat James

The rumblings about Greg Duncan began last October, North Carolina diving coach Abel Sanchez said, when Duncan announced his commitment to UNC.

At that time, few schools in the country knew much about Duncan, a diver from Oakton, Va. But despite more programs starting to show interest in Duncan following his commitment, Sanchez said Duncan still hadn't quite proven himself to many.

That ultimately changed August 11, when Duncan won the national championship in three-meter diving at the U.S. Diving Senior National Summer Championships.

"Everyone is like, 'Where is this kid going?'" Sanchez recalled. "And they're like, 'He's going to UNC.' And they're like, 'What?' So they all looked at me like I knew something. Well, I actually did know something. But I didn't know he was going to be great."

Eleven days later, Duncan began classes at UNC. And since then, he's continued working toward building off that national title instead of letting it define him.

A few years ago, such an accomplishment might not have seemed possible for Duncan, who also played football and lacrosse. But his decision to give up both of those sports sparked his progression.

"Diving is completely different, so I didn't really know what I was getting myself into," Duncan said. "The coach who said that I had a spot on the year-round dive team said that if I quit both of the teams, hopefully I would be able to take advantage of the talent she said I had."

Eventually, that development occurred. But it took time.

Sanchez said Duncan was "just another kid" the first time he saw him compete. Two years ago, he started finding his stride. And just recently, Sanchez said Duncan started experiencing the sort of success like he had at the U.S. Nationals.

Duncan won two silver medals in the one-meter and three-meter springboards at the 2016 USA Diving AT&T Summer Nationals for the 16-18 age-group. His performance helped his team claim the national title at the event. It also earned him a spot on the FINA Junior World Championship Team, which competed in Kazan, Russia in December.

Through Duncan's first two months with the Tar Heels, who will face South Carolina in their second meet of the fall at 4 p.m. Thursday in Columbia, S.C., Sanchez said he's learned what allowed Duncan to make such a leap.

"He works extremely hard, and he's very hard on himself, extremely driven, very focused," Sanchez said. "I have to be the one, which is kind of strange, to put the brakes on and kind of say, 'Today you need off. You need to not do anything today.' Because if I don't put any brakes on this kid, he'll go 24/7."

Like any freshman, Duncan's college transition has consisted of adjustments.

He said he continues building relationships with his coaches. He's realized the challenges of maintaining his nutrition. And the college weight program has proven to be more demanding than his previous regimen.
But despite his national championship, he's not content.

"It already happened," Duncan said. "I'm not an NCAA champion, I'm not anything. I'm just a diver. It doesn't really change my mindset too much. I've still got to come in and do even more than I was doing before, honestly."

In his first collegiate meet against Georgia on Oct. 6, Duncan finished second in the men's three-meter diving and third in the one-meter. But he said his results weren't as important as focusing on what he and Sanchez have been working on.

At this point, the big picture doesn't matter.

"What I really liked about him was that a lot of kids at his level, if they don't have a first good meet, they freak out," Sanchez said. "And we spoke and he was like, 'Oh, yeah, I'm just getting ready.' He took everything in stride.

"This is like a '57 Chevy or an old Mustang. We've got to get this thing warmed up. And when we do, watch out."

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