University of Massachusets Athletics
Upperco, Cook Prepare for NCAA Zone A Diving Regional
March 12, 2009 | Men's Swimming & Diving
March 12, 2009
AMHERST, Mass. - Senior Karen Upperco (Titusville, N.J.) and freshmen Jason Cook (Amherst, Mass.) will head to Buffalo, N.Y. to represent UMass at this year's NCAA Zone A Diving Regional. The competition will begin on Friday as Uppcero will dive the one-meter and Cook will dive the three-meter, and continue Saturday as the divers will swap events with Upperco competing on the three-meter board and Cook competing on the one-meter board. Both divers have been selected as two of the 58 total competitors for this season's Zones.
This marks the fourth consecutive trip for Upperco to the NCAA Zone Regional and the senior has improved every year she competes. In her freshman season, Upperco finished 22nd in the one-meter event, and 29th in the three-meter. As a sophomore she dramatically improved on her premier performance finishing seventh in the one-meter and fifth in the three-meter. Last season, the Titusville native notched a fourth-place finish in each diving event.
Upperco ended her final collegiate season on a high note as she notched a new Atlantic 10 record in the three-meter dive (588.25) and was named A-10 Champion in the one-meter (520.30), an event in which she already holds the conference record with a score of 520.60. The senior also notched a new Joseph Rogers Pool record after scoring 279.45 in the three-meter dive on Senior Day against Colgate and now sits atop the UMass record books in the three-meter dive and ranks third in school history in the one-meter.
This season's NCAA Zone Regional will be the first for Cook after a very successful freshman season. Cook wrapped up his first year setting two new Atlantic 10 records in both diving events after scoring 636.85 in the one-meter and 680.75 in the three-meter. The Amherst, Mass. native also completed the season with an undefeated record in the three-meter dive while finishing as low as second, twice in the on one-meter dive. Cook was a top performer for the Minutemen this season as he notched 16 individual wins and earned Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week honors after his performance against Binghamton.
The Zones will begin on Friday and run through Sunday though both UMass divers will compete only on Friday and Saturday. Fans can watch the action at www.divemeets.com where they can also find up-to-date results.
