Colorado State Divers Prepare for NCAA Zone E Championships

Fort Collins, CO – Colorado State divers Riley Lee and Sydney Ovesen are set to compete at the NCAA Zone E Championships, taking place March 9-11 at the Wall Aquatic Center in Flagstaff, Arizona. This marks the first time both athletes have qualified for the Zone Championships, a crucial step toward potentially reaching the NCAA Championships in Atlanta.

First-Time Qualifiers Focused on Experience and Growth

Both Lee and Ovesen secured their qualifying spots during the regular season, achieving the necessary scores on both the 1-meter and 3-meter springboards. Colorado State diving coach Seth O’Dea emphasizes that this initial appearance is primarily about learning and gaining experience.

“I would say the expectation is for them to learn from this experience,” O’Dea said. “With it being their first time qualifying, that’s really the biggest takeaway – doing what they know how the best they’re able but learning as much as they can.”

O’Dea added that continued qualification is the long-term goal, viewing this trip as preparation for future success. “We don’t necessarily have that expectation of qualifying (for NCAAs) the first time we go, we want to learn so we can be better prepared.”

Competition Format and Qualifying Standards

The divers will compete on the 1-meter springboard on Monday and the 3-meter springboard on Tuesday. Preliminary rounds begin at 11:30 a.m. Each day, followed by the finals. The top six finishers on the 1-meter will qualify for the NCAA Championships, while the top seven on the 3-meter will advance.

The Zone E Championships will feature a highly competitive field, with over 50 qualifiers and representation from 30 western teams.

Athletes’ Perspectives

Riley Lee, a sophomore, is looking forward to reconnecting with familiar faces at the championships. “I’m hoping to have fun and to make memories due to the fact that I’m going to know a lot of people there because a lot of the schools that are going are from my side of the country on the West Coast,” Lee said. “I’m just looking forward to catching up with some people from club and doing my dives the best I’m able and representing CSU as best as I can.”

Freshman Sydney Ovesen, an All-Mountain West performer on the 3-meter, is approaching the competition with an open mind and a focus on learning to manage pressure. “I think that with every meet comes pressure…it’s kind of a way to learn how to not let that pressure get in your head so that next time you can go from there and try and perform better,” Ovesen explained.

Ovesen also noted the high level of competition, observing that divers are performing increasingly hard dives. “There’s gonna be a lot of competition looking at lists this weekend…seeing that actually be done and executed will definitely be something like, holy crap I want to strive to be like that.”

Building for the Future

Both Lee and O’Dea expressed pride in reaching this stage and a commitment to continued improvement. Lee highlighted her accomplishment in qualifying for Zones on both boards, stating, “I proved that to myself that I made it happen for myself, but I like want to prove it to myself that I can do well regardless of what scores I get.”

O’Dea is optimistic about the future of the CSU diving program, emphasizing the importance of a positive mental attitude and a focus on consistent performance. “I would say a successful trip would be them having a positive mental attitude throughout the experience and being proud of just making it to this meet but also being proud of doing what they’ve been doing all year well at this level,” he said.