December 1, 2006 - Rider at Galbraith Diving Invitational

December 1, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

College Diving
Rider at Galbraith Diving Invitational

PISCATAWAY—The Rider University men’s and women’s diving teams are competing this weekend at the Galbraith Diving Invitational, hosted by Rutgers University with junior Dylan Korn placing fifth in the one-meter dive.  “The competition that we faced today is pretty much what we will see at the zone championships,” said Dennis Ceppa, Rider’s diving coach.  “Dylan did an awesome job against some great competition.”

Korn (Hawthorne, N.Y./Westlake) placed fifth of 32 in the finals of the one-meter dive with a score of 263.00.  Korn was the 2006 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Diver of the Year and has been awarded conference diver of the week honors three times this season.

Competition featured several top schools in the east, including the University of Pittsburgh, Rutgers University and Princeton University.

For the women’s team, senior Shannen Kahler (Ojai, Calif./Chaparral/Grossmont CC) placed 36th in the three-meter with freshman Liz Muller (Seaville, N.J./Ocean City) placing 37th.

“The women’s team was facing some stiff competition and trying to execute some really difficult dives,” Ceppa added.  “Liz did a good job and Shannen had a little of an off day, which sometimes happens and she is looking forward to the one-meter on Saturday.  Shannen’s scores don’t reflect the work she has put in.  She is doing harder dives than what most of the men in the conference are doing and that’s going to make her a better diver as we go along.  Her scores aren’t illustrating how hard she is working but she is seeing the progress that Dylan has made and we both feel that she is going to get to that next level.”

“Dylan is starting to come into his own,” said Ceppa who was the 2006 MAAC Diving Coach of the Year.  “We pretty much know what we are going to get when Dylan is on the platform.  He is holding his own against top competition and is gaining confidence with each meet.  When you up the level of competition, you see athletes rise to that level and that’s what Dylan has been able to do, last year and going into this season.  The schedule gives Dylan a chance to show what’s he’s got.”

Competition continues through Sunday.

-RU-