March 13, 2010

PISCATAWAY, N.J. - George Mason sophomore Kristen Meier has earned a spot in the NCAA Women's Diving Championships next week as she picked up a pair of top-four finishes during this weekend's Zone "A" Diving Championships on the campus of Rutgers University.

Meier is just the second female diver in the Patriots' program history to advance to the NCAA Championships, after Mary Campioli made it in both the 1-meter and platform events in 2003.

The Walden, N.Y., native finished third at the Zone A Championships in the 3-meter diving with a combined score of 626.35, more than 30 points better than the fourth-place scorer, Danielle Cecco of Connecticut. Mason senior Charlotte Edwards finished 25th during the preliminary round, tallying a score of 216.45.

Meier also placed fourth at the Zone A Championships in the 1-meter competition, scoring 535.75 points. Edwards scored 207.95 points which placed her 25th among the 43 competitors during the preliminary round.

The Patriots had two men competing on Saturday as well, with sophomores Derrick Butts and Bryan Bahr taking part in the men's 1-meter. Both advanced to the finals and Bahr finished in 12th place with a combined score of 572.60, while Butts' point tally of 546.95 placed him 16th. In the 3-meter, Bahr was 12th with 572.60 points while Butts accumulated 546.95 points for a 16th-place finish.

The top-four finishers from Zone A earn a guaranteed spot in the NCAA Championships, which will take place March 18-20 at the Boilermaker Aquatic Center on Purdue University's campus in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Meier will have company in Green and Gold at the national championships, as classmate Ashley Danner will compete in three events during the three-day meet, including the 100-yard breaststroke where she possesses the number-one seed.