As the Alabama swimming and diving team prepares for the NCAA Zone B Diving Championships, both the men’s and women’s team are looking to capitalize on momentum.
The No. 23 women’s swimming and diving team was highlighted by junior Taylor Zablocki and sophomore Kara Fredlock at the Bulldog Invitational.
Zablocki finished in second in the women’s 3-meter board, and Fredlock, the Kentucky native, finished in third for the women’s platform.
On the flip side, the No. 11 men’s swimming and diving team capped off its performance at the Bulldog Invitational in Athens, Georgia last week, but junior Brent Sagert specifically made his mark.
The Canadian native claimed first place in the men’s three-meter springboard.
“I’m going to use these past couple competitions as a confidence booster for my diving,” Sagert said. “I have put together a strong performance and I just need to keep doing what I’ve been doing to move forward.”
Sagest believes success can be infectious within a team and Alabama, already a close-knit group, has become closer than ever.
“We’ve really come together this year and we’re all very supportive of each other,” he said. “We all want each other to succeed in each competition and it really helps to have your teammates back.”
Not only does the cohesiveness work within the team, it also has led to success in the water. Sagert said the diving coach, Pat Greenwell, has the team over whenever he can for team meals and to help build the team chemistry.
In the NCAA Zone B Diving Championships, both of the Alabama men’s and women’s team will face some of the toughest competition across the nation, but Sagert isn’t intimidated.
Sagert gives credits for his recent success to his coaches and the preparation they instill.
“Our diving coach [Greenwell] does a great job in preparing us for upcoming meets,” he said. “He is supportive going into the competition and makes us believe that we are well prepared for any competition. We try to replicate competition scenarios in our practice by going through each dive a single time just like we would to compete.”
Confident with his preparation, Sagert looks forward for the NCAA Zone B Diving Championships. He is expecting big things not just from his team but also from himself.
“I think I’ll do very good. I’m coming off of the best competitions that I’ve had all season so I am confident in my abilities,” he said. “If I compete the same way then I should be in a good position for qualifying for the NCAA championship meet.”
