March 12, 2008

HOUSTON - Three University of Houston divers look to advance to the 2008 NCAA Championships when they compete at the NCAA Zone D meet this weekend, hosted by the Cougars at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center Natatorium.

Senior captain Ginni van Katwijk and freshmen Lacey Truelove and Courtney Forcucci will compete for one of eight spots from Zone D to qualify for the nation's top collegiate meet.

This marks the second time that UH plays host to the NCAA Zone D Meet, with the first coming in 2004. The meet is free and open to the public, and fans are invited to attend.

The three-day meet is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Friday with the men's 3-meter springboard with the women's 1-meter competition starting at 3 p.m.

On Saturday, the women begin competition on the 3-meter board at 10 a.m., with the men's 1-meter event starting at 3:45 p.m.

Both men and women will compete on the platform Sunday with the men's event slated to start at 10 a.m. and the women at 12:30 p.m.

However, a possibility exists that Sunday's competition will be merged into one heat, depending on the number of entries. Fans are encouraged to stay tuned to UHCougars.com for changes to Sunday's schedule.

van Katwijk makes her second-straight appearance at the NCAA Zone D Meet and will be looking to qualify for the NCAA Championships for the second time in her career.

The Grootebroek, Netherlands, native was an NCAA All-American on the platform last season, finishing second in the consolation finals at the NCAA Championship.

Both Forcucci and Truelove will make their first career appearances at the NCAA Zone D Meet.

Forcucci recently was named C-USA Diver of the Meet at the Conference USA Championships after winning the 1-meter event and finishing second on the 3-meter board.

Truelove took gold in the women's platform during the C-USA Championship, posting a final score of 282.00 points in the event.

The Cougar diving team is led by head coach Jane Figueiredo, who is now in her 18th season at Houston. During her tenure, Figueiredo has sent 23 divers to the NCAA Championships and guided 10 divers to 35 All-America honors.

For her record of excellence, Figueiredo was named the Conference USA Swimming and Diving Coach of the Decade in 2005. She also has earned seven consecutive C-USA Coach of the Year Awards from 2002-2008.

Houston is hosting one of five zone meets taking place this weekend around the country, with divers at each meet vying for the chance to compete at their respective 2008 NCAA championships. The 2008 NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships will be held March 20-22 on the Ohio State campus at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion.