By Craig Roman

Senior diver Adela Gavozdea broke her own school record in the platform dive when she won the event at the Zone A regional competition at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. Saturday.

In winning the event, Gavozdea has now qualified for the NCAA championships three years in a row. This year’s NCAA championships are being held at Purdue University Thursday. This will be Gavozdea’s third trip to the championships in four years as a Husky.

“I am not nervous, I definitley feel more relaxed about the competition,” Gavozdea said.

Gavozdea shredded the competition in Annapolis, winning the platform dive by 38 points over Teresa Herrmann of Columbia, 423.15-384.85. In a dual meet early in the year, Herrmann had won both diving events, beating Gavozdea at Barletta Natatorium.

In the three-meter dive, Gavozdea finished seventh (428.90). She will compete in both events at the NCAA championships.

NU diving coach Brad Snodgrass said that there really was no competition in the platform dive for Gavozdea at the regional.

“The contest was over by the third or fourth dive, she was diving so well. She was absolutely perfect, the best I have ever seen her dive,” Snodgrass said.

With two trips to the championships under her belt, Gavozdea said she feels a little more relaxed on this trip. She will compete against 42 of the country’s best divers. Gavozdea has struggled in her two previous attempts at the NCAA’s, in the three-meter dive, Gavozdea finished 36th in 2003 and 38th in 2004. She has, however, faired better in the platform dive, finishing a respectable 16th in 2003 and 2004.

During this past season Gavozdea was voted America East Conference Diver of the Week two times. She also helped the Huskies to a second place finish in the conference championship, finishing second in the one and three meter dives.

Snodgrass and Gavozdea will be heading to Purdue today with Gavozdeas’ first event, the three-meter dive, scheduled for Friday, and the platform dive on Saturday.