Hurricanes hit the pool

DIVING

While the rest of the University of Miami student body was off for winter recess, the Hurricanes diving team was working hard, competing in the Ohio State and CAMO Invitational.

Sophomore Reuben Ross started it off for the Canes when he set a pool record of 431.85 in the three-meter event at the OSU Invitational.

On the women’s side, sophomore Brittany Viola placed fourth in the one-meter event.

Viola also held a mark of 280.90 in the three-meter diving final, which was good enough for third place.

In the final day of competition, Viola won the women’s platform diving event, her first win of the weekend.

“Brittany is having her best year ever,” Head Coach Randy Ableman said.

After the success in Columbus, the divers headed to Montreal to compete in the CAMO Invitational, one of the most renowned diving events in the world.

That same week, Ross was named “Muscle Milk Athlete of the Week” for his impressive win, beating the closest competition by more than 52 points.

Ross placed third in the three-meter diving event with a score of 451.50 after placing second during the preliminary round.

To end the weekend, Ross finished 10th in the men’s platform final.

“I am extremely pleased with Ross and J.J. [Kinzbach],” Ableman said. “They’re at Miami so the NCAAs are the biggest thing of the year, and they’re both so good they have a chance to represent their countries internationally.”

SWIMMING

To start 2008, the Hurricanes swimming team hosted Notre Dame and was led by freshman Annika Saarnak, who won the 100-yard freestyle and finished second in the 200-yard freestyle.

The relay team of Saarnak, freshmen Elisabeth Torres and Ryann Labreche and redshirt sophomore Kirsten Pomerleau won the 400-yard freestyle by over eight seconds.

However, despite the 400-yard second-place finish, it wasn’t enough for Miami to beat Notre Dame.

With her big meet, Saarnak was named “Muscle Milk Athlete of the Week.”

In Vanderbilt’s first meet at home in over 15 years, the Canes won 11 of 12 individual events and both relay events to finish with a score of 186-74.

Led by Labreche, Pomerleau, junior Britta Boesing and sophomore Kelly Peloquin, who each picked up two wins, UM looks to take momentum from the win into upcoming meets against Florida International and Florida Atlantic, before preparing for the ACC Championships.

“It’s definitely given us confidence, and the group has done an amazing job coming together,” Head Coach Christie Shefchunas said. “I’m a firm believer in a fine group of women coming to be a family unit so that they compete and work at a high level.”

Christina De Nicola may be contacted at c.denicola@umiami.edu.