(Story courtesy of Trinity University)
SHENANDOAH, Texas - Trinity's Ruth Hahn and Ashley Heline finished fourth and eighth to earn All-America honors at the NCAA Division III 3-Meter Diving Championships on Wednesday, while Katie Sheldon finished 18th in the competition. Official Women's Site | Complete Results
Hahn, a senior from Knoxville, Tennessee, was the defending champion in the event, and has been named an All-American each of the past three seasons. Sheldon earned All-American honors as a sophomore at last year's event. Heline is a first-year diver, securing All-American status in her first shot at the NCAA Championships.
Hahn (pictured far left) finished fourth with a score of 480.35 points, though she led at various times through the event. Heline (far right) scored 446.15 points to finish in eighth place, while Sheldon (middle) earned 399.45 points in the preliminaries earlier this afternoon.
First-year Maria Zarka of Kenyon won the NCAA Championship, scoring 514.25 points, and led the event after prelims. Hahn trailed the leader by less than five points heading into the finals, but was unable to pull ahead to repeat as the national champ.
Trinity has won three NCAA Division III Championships since 2010, including Hahn's 3-Meter victory last year. Lindsay Martin and Hayley Emerick won the 1-Meter and 3-Meter competition in 2010.
The 1-Meter diving competition will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, March 22. Hahn finished fifth at last year's event, while Sheldon was 16th to garner Honorable Mention All-America status.
SCAC Assistant Commissioner Jeff DeBaldo is on site at the 2013 NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Swimming Championships and caught up with both Hahn and Heline about their performances.
