NCAA Championships Open For UB's McDowell

Michael McDowell

FEDERAL WAY, WA – The University at Buffalo’s Michael McDowell (Rush, NY/Rush Henrietta) finished 32nd among 33 entrants in Thursday’s preliminary round of the one-meter diving competition at the NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships at the King County Aquatic Center.

McDowell scored a total of 236.25 for his six dives in the preliminary round and missed moving into Thursday night’s consolation or championship rounds. The top 16 preliminary finishers moved to the next round with the top eight divers in the championship round and the next eight divers in the consolations.

McDowell had trouble early as his second-round dive, a forward 3.5 somersault tuck, netted just 1.50 points on the attempt. He redeemed himself in the third-round with his highest score of the competition with 58.50 points for his reverse 3.5 somersault tuck. The third-round total tied three other divers for the fourth-highest score of the round.

Georgia’s Chris Colwill topped the preliminary round with a total score of 388.70.

McDowell became the first UB men’s diver and second male in school history to compete in the NCAA men’s national championships after finishing second in the platform competition of the NCAA Zone A Championships held at UB’s Alumni Arena Natatorium earlier this month.

He will compete in the three-meter springboard event on Friday and the platform event on Saturday.