Feb. 11, 2012
PITTSBURGH – Freshman Nick Nemetz stole the spotlight for the second straight night at the BIG EAST Conference Diving Championships held at Trees Pool by winning the 1-meter diving title one day after taking home gold in the 3-meter event. The freshman collected 322.30 points Saturday after posting a preliminary total of 292.70.
Nemetz is the second Irish diver – and the first freshman – to sweep the 1- and 3-meter events at a BIG EAST Championships. Wes Villaflor accomplished the same feat as a junior in 2010.
Nemetz was named the BIG EAST Men’s Most Outstanding Diver and Caiming Xie was named the BIG EAST Men’s Diving Coach of the Year.
Fellow freshman Michael Kreft finished in fourth place off the 1-meter board, recording 277.75 points. Senior Sean Rademaker (263.10) and freshman John Andrade (253.90) registered seventh and eighth-place performances for Notre Dame, respectively.
Behind the efforts of Nemetz, Kreft, Rademaker and Andrade, the Irish placed at least four divers in the top eight of the 1-meter event at the BIG EAST Championships for the third time in program history.
Notre Dame holds a strong lead in the men’s standings with 129 points at the conclusion of the diving portion of the championships. Pittsburgh is second with 72 points and West Virginia is third with 46 points.
The BIG EAST Championships resume with the swimming portion starting Feb. 15.
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