Hollimon and Presti are Heading to Nationals After Strong Showings

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Kendall Hollimon (CMC) and Maia Presti (SC) are heading to the 2018 Swimming and Diving National Championships after strong showings at the Regional Diving Prelims on Friday. Hollimon and Presti will represent CMS later this month at the National Championship Meet in Indianopolis, Ind. From Mar. 21-24.

Hollimon won the three-meter diving competition with a score of 486.05, topping the 11-diver field. Daniel Valmassei (Trinity – TX) finished second in the event, less than four points behind Hollimon's winning score. Valmassei finished with 481.70 points, comfortably in second-place. Only three divers from the field of 11 in San Antonio will advance to the National Championships and Hollimon's strong performance on Friday ensures him a spot later this month in Indianapolis.

On the women's wide, Maia Presti finished the one-meter competition in second-place to punch her ticket to the National Championships for the second-straight year and third time in her career. Presti scored 411.00 points in finish just over 25 points behind the winner, Sarah Hayhurst of Centre College. Nia-Renee Cooper (SC) also was in action on Friday and placed 15th on the one-meter board with 314.40 points. Only five women's divers of the field of 17 will earn invitations to the National Championships later this month.

Both Hollimon and Presti are making their second-straight trip to the National Championship Meet and as mentioned, Presti will be making her third overall trip to the Meet.

On Saturday, Hollimon finished second in the one-meter competition with a score of 460.80. After defeating Trinity's Valmassei on Friday on the three-meter boards, Hollimon finished 30 points behind Valmassei. The Trinity freshman won the one-meter event with a score of 490.90 to earn a spot in Indy. Hollimon was comfortably in second-place, finishing nearly 40 points ahead of third-place.

Cooper was the only Athena to compete in the three-meter competition, finishing in 14th-place with a score of 320.25. After winning the one-meter on Friday, Centre College's Sarah Hayhurst repeated and claimed the three-meter on Saturday with a score of 479.90.

As mentioned, Hollimon and Presti will continue their season at the NCAA National Championships later this month. Stay tuned for a full preview of the National Meet coming on CMSathletics.org in the coming weeks.