University of Houston Athletics
University of Houston
NCAA Zone Diving Championship
Gitelson Wins Platform Championship at NCAA Zone Meet
3/13/2005 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
March 13, 2005
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Sophomore Rachel Gitelson became the third University of Houston diver to qualify for the NCAA Championships after winning the platform competition Sunday at the NCAA Zone D Diving Championships, hosted by Texas A&M at the Student Recreation Center Natatorium.
A native of Glendale, Ariz., Gitelson finished with 403.50 points to win the championship, the first of her collegiate career. She finished more than 40 points ahead of her closest competitor, Missouri's Nicole Frazier.
Gitelson, who qualified for her first NCAA Championships, was dominating throughout the day. She finished the preliminaries with a 20-point lead and carried that momentum into the finals.
It also was the second consecutive season that a Cougar diver won the platform after Almazan won the title in 2004.
Gitelson joined teammates Azul Almazan and Anna Kiess as qualifiers to the NCAA Championships, set for March 17-19 at Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind. Almazan won the 3-meter championship at the Zone meet Friday, while Kiess finished in the Top Three on both the 1-meter and 3-meter springboards.
Almazan will compete at the NCAA Championships for the third consecutive season, while Kiess will take part in the nation's top collegiate meet for the second straight year.
Almazan finished ninth on the platform with 303.90 points, while Kiess earned 302.25 points to finish 10th.
Both Gitelson and Kiess are expected to contend in all three diving events at the NCAA meet, while Almazan will compete on the 3-meter springboard and platform.
Players Mentioned
