TUCSON, Ariz. -- Arizona freshman diver Bjorn Markentin has been named Pac-12 Freshman Diver of the Year, the conference announced on Friday.

Markentin becomes UA's first Pac-12 Freshman Diver of the Year since Rafael Quintero in 2013.

The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada was the Pac-12 Champion in the platform this year, UA's first diving conference title since Rafael Quintero in 2015 and the first freshman to do so since Quintero won in 2013.

At the Pac-12 Diving Championships, Markentin finished on the podium twice and finished top eight in all three events. His strong week helped Arizona claim the early lead in the men's conference swimming and diving championships.

Markentin got off to a hot start early in dual meet season as he claimed multiple wins in the both the 1 and 3 meter dives. At the UT Diving Invitational he picked up a pair of fourth-place finishes, finishing just off the podium in both the 1-Meter and the 3-Meter.