Denkers and Tuckfield finish in top 10 in platform diving

ATLANTA, Georgia – Matt Denkers and Jordan Tuckfield of BYU finished in the top 10 of the platform diving on Saturday in Atlanta.

“BYU divers demonstrated great teamwork, especially on the last day where many members of the team learned new dives to strengthen their ability to compete with stronger platform opponents,” said BYU head dive coach Tyce Routson. “All divers signed up for an extra exhibition event to gain more experience and each diver increased their individual scores.

“Dressen and Tuckfield, who had a lifetime-best platform dive, achieved their NCAA Zone cut scores.”

In order to qualify to compete in the NCAA Championship, one must have a score of 300 or higher for men’s platform diving. Kevin Dreesen achieved a score of 327.95 and Tuckfield had 304.75 total points.

Denkers capped off the three-day invite in his seventh place finish with a score of 282.80. He was followed by teammate Tuckfield, who ended with a total of 268.35 points and secured ninth place overall.

Shelby Johnson performed the best for the BYU women’s dive team as she took 21st place with her final score of 183.60. Freshman teammate Kaitlyn Abernethy followed in 22nd place with 178.35 points.

“Morgan Mellow learned four new and difficult dives to achieve her personal goals this meet,” Routson said of the BYU freshman from Mesa, Arizona.

Mellow placed 28th in the women’s platform with a score of 161.25.

For complete meet results, please click here.

The men’s and women’s dive team will not compete again until 2017, where they will take on Grand Canyon at home on January 14th. There will be a friendly "mock meet" against the University of Southern California during training camp in the beginning of January.