March 22, 2013

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Kentucky sophomore diver Christa Cabot was the first Wildcat to compete at the 2013 NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships as action got underway Thursday morning at the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis, Ind.

Cabot, who is making her first career appearance at NCAAs, took to the 1-meter springboard for preliminary action in the event. Of the 40 divers participating, only the top 16 finishers in the afternoon’s preliminaries would advance to the evening’s finals and be able to score points for her team.

While finding most of her success on the 3-meter springboard this season, Cabot is participating in all three diving competitions at NCAAs. The Texas native qualified for NCAAs via the 3-meter springboard at the Zone C Diving Championships last weekend.

On Thursday, Cabot was unable to advance to Thursday night’s 1-meter springboard finals. She finished in 26th place with a final six-dive score of 271.20, which was an improvement over both her preliminary and finals score at the Zone Diving qualifier.

Cabot will look to make her mark at NCAAs on day two Friday when the women move to the 3-meter springboard. Cabot grabbed the fourth and final qualifying spot in the event on the first day of the Zone Diving qualifier with a 12-dive score of 623.10.

Sophomore swimmer Christina Bechtel will make her first appearance at the NCAA Championships on Friday when she gets in the water for the 100-butterfly event. With a qualifying time of 52.62 that she earned at the Bulldog Last Chance Meet in Athens, Ga., Bechtel will swim in the fourth of seven heats starting in lane five.

Action gets back underway Friday morning at 11 a.m. in Indianapolis. The 100-butterfly preliminaries will be the day’s third event with 3-meter diving to cap off Friday’s first session. If Bechtel and/or Cabot qualify for the finals, session two will begin at 7 p.m.