What do you need to do to be considered a member of the “USA Diving National Team?” Simply stated; be chosen to compete in an international competition. So what you have below are those elite divers in the U.S. who have been chosen for, and are currently on the national team.
This list changes from year to year as divers are added, or subtracted, and by no means is this exclusionary – there are many other divers in the United States who are capable of winning a national championship, qualifying for a FINA Grand Prix event or making the Olympic team.
But you can be pretty sure that if you have qualified for an international competition, you have made it to an elite status in diving!
David Bonuchi
Photo: Woody Frankin
Three junior national titles, four Junior Pan American medals and NCAA All American status are proof positive that David Bonuchi is one of the top male divers in the U.S. Can he move from being one of the top junior divers in the world to one of the top senior divers in the world?
David Boudia
Photo: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
A 2008 U.S Olympian, winner of 14 national titles, six NCAA titles and three world championships medals; it’s not really a matter of whether or not he will be on the 2012 Olympic team, but how he will do in London.
Bradley Christensen
Chris Colwill
Photo: United States Olympic Committee
Colwill competed in two events at the 2008 Olympic games – springboard and synchronized springboard. He has been a bit under the radar since then but did make the 2011 World Championship Team on 1-meter and the 2010 World Cup team on 3-meter. Will he get back to that grand stage in 2012? Don't count him out.
Dwight Dumais
Troy Dumais
Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images
He has one of the most illustrious careers in the history of U.S. diving, but Troy is still missing an Olympic medal. He has what may be his best and last shot at a medal in synchro and still can compete with the best internationally on springboard, but it will be a dogfight to make the team in that event.
Thomas Finchum
Photo: Jamie Squire/Getty Images
There are six divers with a strong chance to make the Olympic Team on platform, and Thomas is one of them. His experience as a member of the Olympic team in 2008 should help him at the trials in 2012, and he can still rip!
Michael Hixon
Photo: Woody Franklin
Michael Hixon has nine junior national titles. He just won his first senior national title in 2011. He just keeps getting better and better and he's only 17. There is quite a bit of young talent in the U.S. and Hixon is at the forefront.
Kristian Ipsen
Photo: USA Diving
Kristian is primed and ready for a run at the 2012 Olympics in both individual and synchronized springboard with teammate Troy Dumais. And he has the results to back it up with both a world championship and world cup silver in synchronized springboard, and a national championship on 3-meter this past summer.