GREENSBORO, NC – Arizona Swim & Dive delivered one of their strongest performances of the week on Friday at the Big 12 Championships. With a one-two finish on the men's platform event, two new program records, and an outstanding women's 200 free relay, there's only so much more you can ask for in one day.
The night belonged to the men's diving squad.
Gage DuBois captured his first individual Big 12 Championship title in this event tonight, and
Luke Hernandez was a close second to complete the one-two sweep.
"What an incredible night for Gage," said head dive coach
Dwight Dumais. "After so many close calls in his pursuit of an individual Conference title, to finally capture one — in the final event of his Conference Championship career — makes the moment even more special. He has put in the work year after year and deserves this moment."
Dumais also praised Hernandez's performance over the last four days.
"What a breakout performance from
Luke Hernandez at his first Big 12 Championships. One gold, two silvers, and a bronze across four events — an outstanding debut. He has all the tools to become a cornerstone of this program for years to come."
Head coach
Ben Loorz also emphasized the impact the dive team had in relation to team standings.
"Going 1-2 on platform is a big deal for our men," Loorz said. "Not only did it distance us from Utah in the team race, it really established the full dominance of our male divers in the Big 12."
Arizona men's diving is in a great place heading into NCAA Zones next week.
The Wildcats also saw tremendous momentum on the swimming side. The women's 200 free relay delivered another statement performance, proving to be the most reliable event group this season.
"It's consistently been our best event the past year, and today was no different," Loorz said. "They led from the jump and just walked away with it."
Two Arizona program records highlited the men's side of the meet.
Duncan Henderson crushed the 100 back record this morning in prelims, proving to be an asset for the team as just a freshman.
Haakon Naughton finally captured the 200 fly program record he had been chasing for four years. "He left no doubt tonight," Loorz said. "He just obliterated it. That was a fun one."
With one day left, Arizona sits in a great position in team standings. "While the team race looks pretty stable, we've got a few more opportunities to add to the NCAA roster," Loorz said. "That's the goal."
The Wildcats return to action tomorrow for the final day of competition. The preliminary round is scheduled to start at 8:00 AM MST, and the finals at 4:00 PM MST. Live broadcasting will be available on ESPN+.
