NAIA Championships: Diving Kicks Off Meet

SAINT PETERS, Missouri, March 4. CALIFORNIA Baptist's Ben Wahlman became the first four-time repeat champion in NAIA men's diving history on Wednesday when he captured the 3m diving championship. Lindenwood's Chelsea Hardrick won the women's 1m diving title in the other event that was competed during day one of the 2009 NAIA Swimming and Diving National Championships.

Wahlman finished with a score of 495.90 as he won the men's competition by 72.25 points over teammate Trevor Graifman. Wahlman is the second men's diver to win four 3m diving championships, and the first to so in four consecutive years. The title was Wahlman's sixth NAIA diving championship for his career.

Lindenwood's John Toczek, Derik Scott, and Kyle Friesenhahn filled out the 3-4-5 spots in the men's competition.

On the women's side, Chelsea Hardrick recorded a winning score of 337.75, finishing ahead of California Baptist's Kourtni Vetter who compiled a score of 282.65. Hardrick, a freshman, is the fourth Lindenwood diver to win the 1m championship.

Berea's Abby Cohen came in third in the women's competition, and Lindenwood's Ashlee Wilhite and Berea's Elyse Budkie rounded out the Top Five.

The first full day of action at the 2009 NAIA Swimming and Diving Championships, which is taking place at the St. Peters Rec-Plex in St. Peters, Mo., will be Thursday, March 5, with preliminaries starting at 10 a.m. and the finals beginning at 6 p.m.

Special thanks to the NAIA for contributing this report.

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