March 15, 2009
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Junior diver Natalie Stitt earned an invitation to the 2009 NCAA Championships after a ground-breaking performance at the zone meet host by Minnesota this past weekend. Stitt is one of 10 divers from the region to advance to the national event, and just the third Irish diver to advance to the Division I Championships in program history (Betsy Shadley advanced to the Division III Championships in 1979 and 1980).
Heidi Grossman was 19th overall off the 3-meter board with a 243.30 with Stitt taking 28th after posting a 222.00.
Stitt, the 2009 BIG EAST Conference Diver of the Year, came back strong with a sixth-place showing off the 1-meter, scoring 537.50 points through the preliminary and final rounds. Grossman finished 13th in that event after going 487.20.
Meghan Perry-Eaton (’05) made three trips to the NCAA Championships and came home with four All-America citations. Heather Mattingly (’02) yielded five All-America honors in three trips to the NCAAs. This will be Stitt’s first NCAA appearance.
The NCAA Championships will be held March 19-21 in College Station, Texas.
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