Nov. 6, 2012

LEXINGTON, Ky. – For the first time in the 2012-13 season Kentucky divers won SEC weekly awards after junior Greg Ferrucci was named SEC Male Diver of the Week and Rebecca Hamperian was named SEC Female Freshman of the Week.

It is the first weekly award for Hamperian, while Ferrucci won the SEC Male Diver of the Week award a conference-high four times last season.

“These are nice honors for both Greg and Rebecca,” said Kentucky head diving coach Ted Hautau. “They were both steady and consistent against a good opponent in Auburn. I’m sure they are both humbled by that. 

“A lot of credit has to go to their teammates as well, who have been training, pushing and encouraging each other in practice and in the meets.” 

In last Friday’s meet against Auburn at the Lancaster Aquatic Center on the campus of the University of Kentucky, UK divers found a great deal of success on the boards. Hamperian got things started off for the Wildcats with a win in the women’s 3-meter event, scoring a career-best 290.10 in the first diving event of the day. It was Hamperian’s second win of the season and of her brief career.

On the men’s side, Ferrucci followed up Hamperian’s performance in the 1-meter event, capturing a first place score of 370.05, well ahead of Auburn’s second place performer Fraser McKean (342.23) and a season high.

After the divers took a break and both Kentucky and Auburn’s swimming events got underway, it was back to Kentucky domination as the men and women switched events.

Hamperian was at it again, scoring another career-high 310.95 in the 1-meter event to pick up the first sweep of her career. Ferrucci matched his teammate’s effort taking the men’s 3-meter diving event, scoring 422.78. It was the first time this season that Ferrucci swept both events and the first time this season that UK has taken all four diving events in a single meet.