If a diving team is going to consist of only one person and still be successful, that one person better be pretty good. Luckily for the College, that one person is sophomore Lee Swanson.
Swanson, the only member of the College's women's diving team, put on quite a show at the annual Rutgers University Invitational on Saturday. She captured third in the one-meter event with her score of 217.05 despite facing a field that was mostly composed of Division I divers. In the three-meter event, Swanson placed second with her score of 392.45.
"I've been training really hard this year," Swanson said. "I'm the only diver so I get a lot of attention."
She noted her improvement on her entries, which is the positioning just before hitting the water. This skill minimizes the splash when she hits the water.
Candice Gottlieb, the College's diving coach, has been thrilled with Swanson's performance this season.
"She's become very strong this year and very consistent with her performances," Gottlieb said. "She's won in almost every meet she's been in."
Swanson admitted that she was a little anxious coming into the meet because of her Division I competition but said she was very happy with her performance.
"To know that you are comparable to (Division I divers) is awesome," she said.
Swanson, along with the men's and women's swimming teams, will be back in action on Feb. 18-20 when the Lions compete at the Metropolitan Conference Championships at Rutgers University.
Gottlieb believes that Swanson could certainly win one event this weekend but knows she has the potential to win both the one-meter and three-meter competitions.
Swanson, however, is not thinking about her placement.
"I would love to win, but I'm just planning to go there and do my best," she said.
After the conference championships, Swanson hopes to qualify as one of the top 22 divers in Division III. She would then move on to the NCAA Division III Championships in Holland, Mich. on Mar. 10-12.
