University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heel Divers Wrap Up Incredible 2015-16 Campaign
April 6, 2016 | Swimming & Diving
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The University of North Carolina men's and women's diving contingent recently wrapped up the most successful season in program history under the guidance of coach Abel Sanchez.
Four divers – Elissa Dawson, Maria Lohman, Jack Nyquist and Ozzie Moyer – earned bids to the NCAA national championships after their performances at the zone championships in Atlanta. Dawson and Nyquist both earned All-America honors.
“Our divers had a great year and were able to build off of last season,” says Sanchez. “Our next goal is to build off of this season. We have an exciting summer coming up with Olympic Trials where several of our divers will be attending.”
Sophomore Elissa Dawson took home honorable mention All-America honors in two events at last month's NCAA Championships. She placed ninth in the three-meter springboard event with 378.40 points and ninth in 10-meter platform diving with 299.90 points. Dawson also finished 16th in 10-meter diving as a freshman in 2015. Her three All-America performances account for half of the total of six UNC has had in its history. Heather Cleevely made All-America in 10-meter in 1990 and in three-meter in 1992. Michole Timm was an All-America on the three-meter board in 2015.
Dawson became the first women's diver at UNC to be named the ACC Women's Diver of the Year, an award instituted in 2005. Prior to that, the top diving award in the ACC was women's most valuable diver at the conference championship meet, which was won by Ann Wentz in 1987 and by Heather Cleevely in 1992.
“Elissa had an amazing season,” says Sanchez. “As the ACC diver of the year she led the divers to a fantastic NCAA performance where she had two ninth-place finishes and a 17th-place finish. Our freshman, Maria Lohman, was one of just six freshman divers in the country to reach the NCAA Championships. She too had a great season. Maria performed well at the ACC Championships and her having reached the NCAA level will make her a tremendous competitor next year.”
Junior Jack Nyquist continues to have a stellar career in a UNC uniform. The Alpharetta, Ga., native finished sixth this year on the three-meter diving board at the NCAA Championships, placing sixth with 409.55 points. He was the first Tar Heel to claim first-team All-America accolades in men's diving at the NCAA Championships since David McInnis in 1957.
Altogether, Nyquist has now compiled four All-America accolades in his career, equaling the four All-America citations merited by Norm Sper in 1947 and 1948. Nyquist has scored in the NCAA Championships in three successive years in three-meter diving. He also scored in one-meter diving as a sophomore.
“Jack was the first male diver to earn first-team All-America since 1957 which is an amazing feat,” says Sanchez. “I'm proud of him and the leadership he's demonstrated throughout the year.
“I am proud of all of our diver and I'm looking forward to next season,” Sanchez concluded.
Players Mentioned
