Qualifying for the Division I NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships is an interesting, and sometimes complicated process. It involves first attaining a qualifying score in any bonafide competition.
Once a diver obtains the score, they must then compete in one of five zone championships that are loosely based on geographical areas of the country: Northeast, South, Central, Midwest and West. Each of these zones is allocated a number of qualifying spots, based on how that zone performed at prior year's championships. For 2009, the number of spots is as follows.
2009 NCAA Zone Qualifying Sports- Zone A (Northeast): Men - 5, Women - 4
- Zone B (South): Men - 10, Women - 11
- Zone C (Central) Men - 8, Women - 10
- Zone D (Midwest): Men - 5, Women - 10
- Zone E (West): Men - 6, Women - 7
Then the fun part begins.
How each of those spots is allocated follows a system - no doubt developed by an actuary, that is shown at the bottom of the page. The interesting part of this system is that it makes the zone competition a bit dynamic. By that I mean that who is able to qualify changes as the events unfold, and is not set until the final event, which has always been platform.
If a diver wins an event such as three-meter, and is guaranteed a birth at the championships, they may withdraw from the platform event which would change how the remaining spots are selected. It can be like a chess match!
Because there are multiple scenarios that can take place. The best way to understand this is by using an example. Let's take five divers (the number of spots available in Zone A) and see how they would qualify. By filling in the places from the formula, you can see how the five divers could qualify. Highlighted in bold are the spots at which the diver would qualify.
Joe wins platform and three-meter, thereby making one-meter winner Sam the second qualifier. Sam is second on three-meter, but since he is already qualified, Tom gets a NCAA berth by virtue of his second place finish on one-meter. This process continues until each of the allocated spots are filled.
- Joe - Platform Winner
- Joe - 3M Winner
- Sam - 1m Winner
- Sam - 3m Second Place
- Tom - 1m Second Place
- Tom - 3m Third Place
- Charlie - 1m Third Place
- Charlie - 3m Fourth Place
- Charlie - Second Place Platform
- Joe - 1m Fourth Place
- Dan - 3m Fifth Place
If it sounds a bit complicated, well, it is. So just check back for the results and we will let you know who qualified!
NCAA Division I Diving Qualification Formula- First Place - Platform
- First Place - Three-meter
- First Place - One-meter
- Second Place - Three-meter
- Second Place - One-meter
- Third Place - Three-meter
- Third Place - One-meter
- Second Place - Platform
- Fourth Place - Three-meter
- Fourth Place - One-meter
- Fifth Place - Three-meter
- Third Place - Platform
- Fifth Place - One-meter
- Sixth Place - Three-meter
- Sixth Place - One-meter
- Fourth Place - Platform
- Seventh Place - Three-meter
- Seventh Palace - One-meter
- Eighth Place - Three-meter
- Fifth Place - Platform
- Eighth Place - One-meter
- Ninth Place - Three-meter
- Ninth Place - One-meter
- Sixth Place - Platform
- Tenth Place - Three-meter
- Tenth Place - One-meter
- Eleventh Place - Three-meter
- Eleventh Place - One-meter
- Twelfth Place - Three-meter
- Twelfth Place - One-meter
