Rider Grad Qualifies for Olympic Trials in Two Events

Since graduating from Rider University, Amanda Burke '10 has spent the last year focused on one goal, to qualify for the Games of the XXX Olympiad.

Recently the 4'11" Richboro, Pa native took a giant step closer to that Olympic goal, winning the one-meter dive at the U. S. National Diving Championships, held at UCLA, while placing second in three-meter synchronized dive and sixth in the three-meter dive.

The one-meter dive is not an Olympic event, but Burke qualified for the United States Olympic Trials next June in both of her three-meter events in her quest to reach the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

"Her teammates at Rider, the swimming & diving alumni and the swimming & diving coaching staff are very proud of Amanda and her accomplishments," said Rider head coach Steve Fletcher.  "We all have tremendous respect for the sacrifices she continues to make in pursuit of her ultimate goal of representing the US at the 2012 Olympic Games."

"I've been training and diving well recently so I thought this might happen," said Burke, the three-time Rider Athlete of the Year who has been training at the USA Diving National Training Center in Indianapolis since graduation. "I never finished in the top six before in the three-meter so I was really excited. I broke 300 (points) twice, got a personal best and I was second in the prelims. I didn't do as well in the finals but top six is what was important, to qualify for the Olympic Trials."

Burke won National gold in a close one-meter final that came down to the last round, finishing with 270.10 points to win by just a tenth of a point. Burke trailed by 1.2 points heading into the final round, and earned 55.90 points on her front 1 ½ with two twists to move into the top spot.

"I wasn't even thinking about winning," Burke said. "I was just concentrating on one dive at a time and the scoreboard was hard for me to see. When I saw my coach jump up I knew. It was a lot of fun. Probably one of the best feelings I've had in a long time. Now I feel like I am an actual contender for the Olympic Games next summer."

"After talking with Amanda about her recent accomplishments at USA Diving Nationals, she credits her growing comfort level competing on a national stage with an increase in her competitive confidence that is fueling her recent competitive success," Fletcher said. "Her success continues on a trajectory that started at Rider with her career diving under former diving coach, Dennis Ceppa. From her first appearance at NCAAs through her accomplishments at the national level with USA Diving before moving to Indianapolis to train at the National Training Center.  Amanda's work ethic and determination are admirable and a great example for our current team."

As a Bronc Burke was the first Rider diver to ever qualify for NCAA Nationals and did so three times. "That was one of my highlights while at Rider," Burke said, "qualifying for NCAAs for the first time. But I think winning the MAAC Title was by fondest memory."

As a senior Burke was the Eastern College Athletic Conference Champion and the MAAC Champion in both the one-meter and the three-meter dives, earning Diver of the Year honors at both championships while leading Rider to the MAAC Title for the first time since 2003.

"Winning the MAAC Championships (as a junior) was the biggest thing," Burke remembered. "It was a huge accomplishment for the team."

Burke owns all five Rider team diving records and all four Rider Pool diving records, as well as both MAAC diving records.

In June Burke will compete in Seattle for the chance to become Rider's first Olympian. "I've never been out of the country," Burke said, "but I'm hoping to use my passport in London. I'll need to finish in the top two but it is anybody's game. We are all very close."