Zeng Turns In Record-Breaking Performance on Final Day of NCAA Zones

Monday, March 5

Knoxville, TN

All Day

University of Tennessee

NCAA Zone B Diving Championships

Photo by: John Golliher/Tennessee Athletics

Zeng Turns In Record-Breaking Performance on Final Day of NCAA Zones

March 07, 2018 | Swimming & Diving

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee redshirt junior Zhipeng (Colin) Zeng won all three diving competitions with a record-breaking victory on platform Wednesday at Allan Jones Aquatic Center.

Zeng demolished his previous school record by more than 20 points during the preliminary round, earning a six-dive score of 483.25.

He surpassed that again in the finals, becoming the first Vol to break the 500-point barrier in any diving event, posting a score of 507.15 for a combined total of 990.40.

Freshman Will Hallam was ninth (634.20) and Keegan Richardson took 11th (596.10). The top seven qualified for the NCAA championships.

Zeng, who is finishing up his first year at Tennessee, won the 2016 NCAA platform title during his freshman season at Ohio State.

On the women's side, junior Rachel Rubadue also claimed a win.

Rubadue took first place in the women's platform diving competition, finishing with a five-dive total score of 590.35.

Rubadue qualified for the NCAA championships, as freshman Ana Celaya Hernandez fell just short, coming in at 15^th overall with a score of 423.85. The top nine scorers on the women's side qualified for the NCAA championships.

UP NEXT: The NCAA women's championships will take place March 14-17 in Columbus, Ohio, while the men's championships will go from March 21-24 in Minneapolis, Minn.

QUOTES
Tennessee Diving Coach Dave Parrington
(On Colin Zeng's record-breaking performance)
"There are very good divers that will dive their entire careers and not get one 10. Today, we saw eight or nine out of him during the course of three different dives. That in and of itself is a very special thing. He was on his game, but there were still a few points that were left on the board so to speak, little things that we need to tune up before the NCAA championships, and then we'll see what happens."

(On Rachel Rubadue's successful season overall)
"I think she learned a lot from her sophomore year, not being quite where she was during her freshman year. We certainly sat around shortly after NCAAs last year and talked about some improvements that I felt she needed to make physically a little bit and in her training. This year, she's been more focused throughout the year, she's certainly gotten physically stronger, that's been a huge part of what's going on. That gives you a lot more confidence in what you can do on the boards and in the air. Having some good results based on that has improved her confidence."

NCAA ZONE B DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Tennessee Results
Women's Platform
1. Rachel Rubadue, 590.35
15. Ana Celaya Hernandez, 423.85

Men's Platform
1. Zhipeng (Colin) Zeng, 990.40
9. Will Hallam, 634.20
11. Keegan Richardson, 596.10

NCAA Automatic Qualifiers
Women's Platform (9 Qualifiers)
1. Rachel Rubadue, Tennessee
2. Rebecca Quesnel, Florida International
3. Freida Lim, Georgia
4. Mary Ellen Targonski, Duke
5. Jaina Gaudette, Duke
6. Mikaela Lujan, South Carolina
7. Madeline Kline, NC State
8. Erin Norton, Auburn
9. Brooke Madden, Florida

Men's Platform (7 Qualifiers)
1. Zhipeng (Colin) Zeng, Tennessee
2. James Brady, NC State
3. David Dinsmore, Miami
4. Scott Lazeroff, Auburn
5. Zach Cooper, Miami
6. Matthew Casillas, Georgia Tech
7. Evan Moretti, Duke