Sarah Bacon Bounces Back to Claim NCAA Diving Title

Sarah Bacon and Wenbo Chen. Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

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By Dan D’Addona.

Sarah Bacon had all year to think about it.

She thought about it every single day.

The Minnesota diver missed a dive at last year’s NCAA Division I Women’s Championships. It cost her nearly 50 points — and a championship. Bacon finished second on 1-meter and knew she could have been first.

She didn’t let hit get her down, though. It motivated her every single day for an entire year.

“It weighed on me a lot,” she said. “But it just makes you work harder, pushes you every day.”

That motivation worked as Bacon surged to the national title on the 1-meter board on Thursday in Columbus, Ohio. She finished with 343.50 points, holding off runner-up Julia Vincent of South Carolina by 10 points.

“It means everything,” she said. “I was second in the same event last year. A whole year with the training and trying to come back and be the national champion. Being able to do that really means a lot.”

Having the Big Ten Championships at Ohio State was also a mental boost for Bacon.

“Any time you have a meet before at the same pool, it helps you get used to the boards and get dialed in,” she said.

That comfort level led to a huge performance for the Golden Gophers.

“Last year, I missed my fifth-round dive — a front and a half double twist — which I think I got 62 points on it today. It was really improved. I missed it last year and missed 50 points and got second. It has come a long way and I was able to win with that dive,” she said. “I was really consistent all the way through the event. I knew I had to be consistent because I don’t have as many big dives as other girls in the event,” Bacon said. “The other girls were doing 3.0 degree of difficulties and my highest degree of difficulty is 2.6. So staying consistent and staying calm really helped me secure that win.”

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