Feb. 6, 2016
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - San Diego State divers captured a top 10 finish on each board as action at the Air Force Diving Invitational in Colorado Springs concluded on Saturday. Three of the Aztecs' four divers finished in the top half of the field in all three events while a fourth was in the top half of two on the three boards.
Athletes from a dozen schools competed during the two-day Invitational that served as SDSU's final competition prior to the 2016 Mountain west Championships later this month. In addition to San Diego State and host Air Force, other schools represented during the meet included Texas A&M, Wyoming, Boise State, UNLV, Colorado State, Brigham Young, New Mexico, New Mexico State, Utah and Northern Colorado.
On Friday, sophomore Alexandra Caplan led the Aztecs with a third-place finish on the 1-meter springboard. After posting a score of 283.55 in the prelims that saw her finish in second place (of 49 competitors), Caplan turned in a mark of 278.90 in the 12-diver final round.
SDSU's other participants included Nicole Dutton (14th place – 240.15), Payton Gabris (21st – 232.90) and Makena Chamoures (22nd – 231.75). Texas A&M's Madison Hudkins won the event with a score of 310.50.
On the platform on Friday, Chamoures was the Aztecs' top finisher as she placed fourth with a mark of 210.05. Her score was the highest turned in by an SDSU diver this season. Alais Kalonji of Texas A&M was the platform diving winner with a score of 284.20.
Also competing on the platform for San Diego State were Gabris (11th – 199.35), Dutton (17th – 190.00) and Caplan (20th – 187.45). A total of 41 divers took part in the event.
In Saturday's 3-meter board competition, Caplan again advanced to the finals where she placed eighth with a score of 285.05. Her mark of 296.55 in the prelims put her fifth of the 49 competitors heading into the final. Hudkins captured the title in the 3-metert board with a mark of 362.20.
SDSU's Chamoures ended up in 13th place and missed advancing to the final by just 0.35 point. Dutton placed 16th (245.50) while Gabris finished 26th (235.35).
The Aztec swimming and diving team will now prepare for the annual Mountain West Championships scheduled to take place Feb. 17-20 at the Rec Center Natatorium at Texas A&M in College Station, Texas.