March 27, 2008
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Freshman David Colturi finished ninth on 1-meter springboard Thursday night at the NCAA Division I Swimming and Diving Championships, which are taking place at the King County Aquatic Center in suburban Seattle, Wash.
Colturi, who just missed the top eight and championship final by .10 points, responded in the consolation round by beating the field by 23.50 points. His personal best total of 363.85 points was 6.30 points higher than his third-place score last month at the Big Ten Championships.
Colturi trailed several divers early on in the consolation finals, but broke free from the pack on his fourth dive, scoring 72.85 points on an inward 2.5 somersault tuck. He also earned 63 points from the judges on his third (reverse 2.5 somersault tuck) and sixth (reverse 1.5 somersault with 2.5 twists) dives.
Colturi scored 329.55 points in prelims, but Hawaii senior Magnus Frick was just a little better with 329.65 points, which clinched him the eighth and final spot in the championship final.
Frick went on to finish as the national runner-up to Georgia's Chris Cowill, 407.25 to 399.70.
Colturi is the eighth Boilermaker and the fourth since 2005 - joining Steven LoBue, Zach Schultz and Danny Cox - to either receive honorable mention or All-America status at NCAA's. He will attempt to become a true All-American Friday by finishing in the top eight on 3-meter.
Colturi's top event is the platform, which he'll compete on Saturday. Colturi was the Big Ten runner up and platform and the NCAA Zone C champion.
Senior Romain Maire, a four-time NCAA qualifier, will have to wait another day to earn his first All-America title. Maire placed 38th in the 200 individual medley with a time of 1:48.02. He is schedule to compete Friday in the 400 IM and Saturday in the 200 backstroke.