Tennessee Signs Pair of Texas Divers to Lady Vols

KNOXVILLE, Tennessee, May 17. THE University of Tennessee Lady Vol swimming & diving team inked a pair of divers from “The Lone Star State,” as Samantha Lera and Brianna Music? both signed National Letter of Intents to continue their athletic careers at UT.

Lera hails from Kema, Texas, while Music? is from The Woodlands, Texas. The duo becomes the eighth and ninth Lady Vol divers to come to Rocky Top from “The Lone Star State.”

A four-time state qualifier at Clear Creek High School, Lera finished in the top 10 in each of her four years at the state meet on the 1-meter boards, highlighted by a fourth-place finish as a junior (466.00). This past season she qualified for the meet after winning the 1-meter competition with a school- and natatorium-record score of 481.60 at the Class 5A Region VI meet.

“Samantha Lera hails from an outstanding diving program in the Houston area where she has achieved and learned excellent diving skills from top level coaches,” Tennessee head diving coach Dave Parrington said. “She has been surrounded by national and world class diving, all of which will benefit her immensely as she transitions into our program. I am really looking forward to her presence on our team and having the opportunity to further develop her diving skills.”

This year she swept both boards at the San Antonio “FIESTA” Invitational, won on the towers at the USA Diving Spring Region 8 Championships and won the 1-meter completion at the Texas Invite, while finishing runner-up on the 3-meter boards and the platform.

In 2010 Lera became the Junior National Age Group champion on both the 1- and 3-meter boards. In the 1-meter competition she tallied a score of 355.10, while finishing with a mark of 428.95 on the 3-meter boards.

That same year she also notched victories in the platform competition at the USA Diving National Preliminary Zone B Meet after a score of 286.65 and at the USA Diving Spring Junior West Championships.

Music? comes to Tennessee after a prep career at The John Cooper School, where the Dragons won three consecutive Southwest Preparatory Conference (SPC) championships. During the 2010-11 season, she placed third in the 1-meter competition at the conference meet with a score of 325.20.

Music? is a versatile athlete who also excelled not only in diving, but also in gymnastics and track & field. She is the Texas state champion on the bars and won the Ohio State bars and beam competition. Music? also holds the school record in the pole vault, clearing eight feet, six inches.

“Briana Music?', comes from the Woodlands, Texas, area where she was recommended to me by her outstanding Olympic gold medalist coach, Ken Armstrong,” Parrington explained. “Briana, whose background prior to about a year ago was mainly at a high level in gymnastics, will have much to learn, but she has the potential to develop quickly and well in our program environment.”

On the club level Music? competed for the Woodlands Diving Academy, Flips Texas and Queen City Gymnastics.

Lera and Music? join Amanda Carner, Anna DeMonte, Caroline Finkbeiner, Mary Griffith, Madison Hahn and Faith Johnson as members of the incoming freshmen class.

The above article is a press release submitted to Swimming World Magazine. It has been posted in its entirety without editing. Swimming World offers all outlets the chance to reach our audience by contacting us at Newsmaster@swimmingworldmagazine.com. However, Swimming World reserves the right to choose what material is posted.

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