Divers Slated to Compete at Tennessee Invitational
11/8/2001 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
Nov. 8, 2001
HOUSTON, Texas - Although only two teams will be competing Friday and Saturday, the University of Houston diving team's meet against Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn., features several award-winning performers.
Friday's action begins at 5 p.m. with the one-meter competition consisting of six dives, while Saturday's three-meter competition, which includes 11 dives, is slated for a 10:30 a.m. start.
Leading the way for the Cougars is sophomore Yulia Pakhalina, who captured national championships a year ago on both the one- and three-meter springboards.
This season, Pakhalina has continued to add to her impressive resume by being named the Conference USA Diver of the Week twice, including the most recent honor on Tuesday after she won both diving events in dual meets against Arkansas, Southwest Missouri State and Kansas.
Sophomore Veronica Smith also captured Diver of the Week honors on Oct. 30 after finishing first on the three-meter springboard and second on the one-meter board in a dual meet against Louisiana-Monroe.
Lindsay Harvey is also scheduled to participate in the meet for the Cougars. The freshman claimed first place on the one-meter springboard in the ULM meet earlier this season.
Tennessee boasts a pair of current Senior National champions in Jaime Sanger and Lauryn McCalley.
The meet also features two familiar foes in the coaching ranks. Tennessee diving coach Dave Parrington is a 1983 Houston graduate and former diving coach at his alma mater where he coached current Cougar diving coach Jane Figueiredo, the 2001 NCAA Diving Coach of the Year.