University of Tennessee Athletics
Photo by: John Golliher/Tennessee Athletics
Zeng Takes 1-Meter Event to Start Texas Invite
November 14, 2018 | Swimming & Diving
AUSTIN, Texas — Tennessee senior Zhipeng (Colin) Zeng captured the 1-meter springboard competition Wednesday evening to start the Texas Hall of Fame Diving Invitational.
In a star-studded final competition that featured four divers from final eight at last season's NCAA championships, Zeng earned the victory with a six-dive score of 413.55. Texas' Jordan Windle took second with a score of 401.65, the only other diver above 400 points.
Freshman Matthew Wade nearly joined Zeng in the final; he took 10th in the prelims with a score of 296.90. Zeng was second after the mid-day preliminaries (378.25).
Senior captain Rachel Rubadue led the Tennessee women on 3-meter, placing 17th during prelims with a score of 272.60.
The meet continues Thursday with the men contesting the 3-meter springboard and the women on the 1-meter.
QUOTES
Dave Parrington, Diving Coach
"We just got done with a very long day that ended in an excellent win by Colin Zeng in the 1-meter finals. In an outstanding, nationally competitive field of eight divers, Colin was the winner by 11 points over Texas' Jordan Windle. He was a solid performer all day in the prelims and in the finals tonight, his first and second dives were a little off -- for five and a halves -- and then a very solid third round. In the fourth round, two of the guys ahead of him missed dives. Colin, in very competitive style, stepped right through that open door and took the lead there with an excellent front three-and-a-half pike. Then he did a little better on his next-to-last dive to secure a comfortable lead. It was an excellent win against many of the best divers in the nation and all this before a live television audience on the Longhorn Network. I'm very pleased for him to be able to do this. It's a great opportunity for us to compete at the NCAA venue in March.
"As for the rest of the divers, I feel like we had a positive day. Matthew Wade, just barely missed the finals; he missed his last dive, which kept him out. It was kind of an uncharacteristic miss for him on that dive. I'm very pleased with the way he competed for the most part against these nationally ranked divers. Nick had been sick, coming back to action. Same for Will Hallam.
"On the women's side, Rachel Rubadue was consistent, but a little off the mark. Going against this type of field, you have to be a little bit sharper, but nevertheless, I'm still pleased with her performance. Ana did some excellent stuff. She missed one dive, which let her down. Sean and Lily took some steps in the right direction. A positive first day. A couple of hiccups here and there, but pleased with the performance."
TEXAS HALL OF FAME DIVING INVITATIONAL
TENNESSEE RESULTS
Men's 1-Meter (prelim)
2. Zhipeng (Colin) Zeng, 378.25
10. Matthew Wade, 296.90
16. Will Hallam, 284.50
20. Nick Rusek, 271.25
Men's 1-Meter (final)
1. Zhipeng (Colin) Zeng, 413.55
Women's 3-meter (prelim)
17. Rachel Rubadue, 272.60
23. Ana Celaya Hernandez, 256.80
32. Lily Schneider, 211.20
33. Sean Meyers, 207.35
In a star-studded final competition that featured four divers from final eight at last season's NCAA championships, Zeng earned the victory with a six-dive score of 413.55. Texas' Jordan Windle took second with a score of 401.65, the only other diver above 400 points.
Freshman Matthew Wade nearly joined Zeng in the final; he took 10th in the prelims with a score of 296.90. Zeng was second after the mid-day preliminaries (378.25).
Senior captain Rachel Rubadue led the Tennessee women on 3-meter, placing 17th during prelims with a score of 272.60.
The meet continues Thursday with the men contesting the 3-meter springboard and the women on the 1-meter.
QUOTES
Dave Parrington, Diving Coach
"We just got done with a very long day that ended in an excellent win by Colin Zeng in the 1-meter finals. In an outstanding, nationally competitive field of eight divers, Colin was the winner by 11 points over Texas' Jordan Windle. He was a solid performer all day in the prelims and in the finals tonight, his first and second dives were a little off -- for five and a halves -- and then a very solid third round. In the fourth round, two of the guys ahead of him missed dives. Colin, in very competitive style, stepped right through that open door and took the lead there with an excellent front three-and-a-half pike. Then he did a little better on his next-to-last dive to secure a comfortable lead. It was an excellent win against many of the best divers in the nation and all this before a live television audience on the Longhorn Network. I'm very pleased for him to be able to do this. It's a great opportunity for us to compete at the NCAA venue in March.
"As for the rest of the divers, I feel like we had a positive day. Matthew Wade, just barely missed the finals; he missed his last dive, which kept him out. It was kind of an uncharacteristic miss for him on that dive. I'm very pleased with the way he competed for the most part against these nationally ranked divers. Nick had been sick, coming back to action. Same for Will Hallam.
"On the women's side, Rachel Rubadue was consistent, but a little off the mark. Going against this type of field, you have to be a little bit sharper, but nevertheless, I'm still pleased with her performance. Ana did some excellent stuff. She missed one dive, which let her down. Sean and Lily took some steps in the right direction. A positive first day. A couple of hiccups here and there, but pleased with the performance."
TEXAS HALL OF FAME DIVING INVITATIONAL
TENNESSEE RESULTS
Men's 1-Meter (prelim)
2. Zhipeng (Colin) Zeng, 378.25
10. Matthew Wade, 296.90
16. Will Hallam, 284.50
20. Nick Rusek, 271.25
Men's 1-Meter (final)
1. Zhipeng (Colin) Zeng, 413.55
Women's 3-meter (prelim)
17. Rachel Rubadue, 272.60
23. Ana Celaya Hernandez, 256.80
32. Lily Schneider, 211.20
33. Sean Meyers, 207.35
Players Mentioned
Diving
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Diving
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Diving
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Diving
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Diving
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Diving
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Diving
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Diving
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