INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Mount Holyoke College sophomore Samantha Nemivant made her NCAA debut on Thursday, competing in the 1-meter diving event at the 2018 NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving National Championships at the IUPUI Natatorium.
The Scottsdale, Ariz., native finished 18th overall in the field of 29 competitors with a total score of 378.85 points. Her effort was just two spots shy of qualifying for the consolation finals in the event which earns the ninth through 16th place finishers Honorable Mention All-America.
After the preliminary round, Ithaca's Nickie Griesemer had posted the top overall mark of 447.50 points to advance to Thursday night's championship final. MIT's Blake Zhou had the second-best overall score of 443.00 to advance to the finals, while 3-time National Champion, Maura Sticco-Ivins from Wellesley posted a score of 438.95 to contend for her fourth National title.
Overall, Nemivant is one of seven divers from the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference to compete in the diving competition. In addition to Zhou and Sticco-Ivins, MIT's Dolly Payne and Deborah Wen, along with Smith's Elyse Stone will compete in the consolation finals for Honorable Mention All-America. Both Nemivant (18th) and Springfield's Sierra Skaza (22nd) finished just outside the awards.
It has been an outstanding season for Nemivant, who earned her spot at Nationals following a sixth-place finish in the 3-meter event at the NCAA Division III Northeast/North Regional Championships at Middlebury College in the beginning of March. She was also seventh on the 1-meter at regionals.
During the 2017-18 season, the former Notre Dame Prep standout recorded nine first-place finishes combined off both boards. Additionally, she finished no less than third during the regular season off either board over nine meets. At the NEWMAC Championship, Nemivant was ninth off the 3-meter (441.35), taking seventh in the 1-meter (432.00) the following day. For the season, she recorded seven NCAA Qualifying marks, including four off the 1-meter.
Highlighting Nemivant's season thus far was a sweep of the boards against Westfield State, in which she recorded an NCAA qualifying mark of 257.50 to win the 1-meter, followed by a first-place score of 250.35 on the 3-meter. Nemivant also broke her own school record in the 3-meter event this season, posting 476.20 points to finish third at the 2018 Seven Sisters Championships.
Nemivant returns to action on Saturday at 1pm when she competes for All-America status and a possible NCAA title in the 3-meter event. Fans can follow all the action online via live stats and video at http://athletics.mtholyoke.edu/sports/wswimdive/2017-18/schedule.
