DIVE CENTRAL: Georgia Diving Invitational

Friday, January 4

Athens, GA

All Day

University of Tennessee

Bulldog Diving Invitational

KNOXVILLE, TN - 2018.01.03 - Tennessee Diving Invitational

Photo by: John Golliher/Tennessee Athletics

January 03, 2019 | Swimming & Diving

ATHENS, Ga. — The Tennessee diving team starts the new year this weekend with the Georgia Diving Invitational at Gabrielsen Natatorium.

The meet runs Friday through Sunday and features a scheduled 81 divers from 12 programs. Friday and Saturday's competition begins at 11 a.m. Eastern with the women's 3-meter springboard and men's 1-meter on Friday and the women's 1-meter and men's 3-meter on Saturday. Sunday's platform diving competition begins at 10 a.m.

The meet serves as key postseason preparation for Tennessee's divers as Georgia will host the SEC championships next month. Familiarity with the diving boards and facility lighting is key to success on the big stage with medals on the line.

Tennessee and Georgia have traditionally alternated hosting a January diving invitational. The Vols have held the meet the last two years, also hosting the SEC championship in 2017.

PARTICIPATING TEAMS: Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, LSU, Arkansas, South Carolina, Auburn, Missouri, Virginia, NC State, Iowa State and SMU

TENNESSEE MEN: Zhipeng (Colin) Zeng, Will Hallam, Keegan Richardson, Nick Rusek, Matthew Wade.

TENNESSEE WOMEN: Rachel Rubadue, Ana Celaya Hernandez, Sean Meyers, Lily Schneider.

SEC DIVER OF THE WEEK (4X): Senior Zhipeng (Colin) Zeng has earned SEC Diver of the Week honors four times this season, giving him 10 in his two-year Tennessee career. At the Tennessee Invitational to end the fall season, he won the 1-meter springboard (428.50) and the platform competition (492.40).

NCAA FINALISTS IN THE FIELD: Four divers who made evening finals at the 2018 NCAA championships will be diving this weekend, two of them for Tennessee. Zeng made the finals in all three events, winning his second platform title and earned CSCAA National Diver of the Year honors. Senior Rachel Rubadue made the top eight on 1-meter. Juan Hernandez is a multiple-time NCAA finalist from LSU, and Brooke Schultz of Arkansas is the reigning 3-meter champion.