The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
UT Diving Invite
O’Brien sweeps the springboards at UT Diving Invite
11.17.2017 | Women's Swimming and Diving
Texas junior Meghan O’Brien adds a one-meter title to go with her win Thursday on three-meter.
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas junior Meghan O'Brien rallied from behind and narrowly claimed the women's one-meter title Friday evening at the UT Diving Invite.
O'Brien completed a sweep of the competitive women's springboard finals by overtaking Miami's Wallace Layland, who led for much of the final.
O'Brien, who swept the two springboard events at the 2017 Big 12 Championships, methodically worked her way up the standings down the stretch to close out the win. She totaled a meet-best 63 points on her fifth dive – a reverse, one-and-a-half somersault with two-and-a-half twists – to take a tight lead over Layland and teammate Alison Gibson with one round remaining.
O'Brien sealed her second victory in as many nights with 55 points on her final dive, a back one-and-a-half somersault with one-and-a-half twists. She took the win with 337.25 points while Gibson claimed second at 334.30. Layland settled for third with 331.85 points, and UT redshirt junior Murphy Bromberg placed fourth at 316.50.
The UT Diving Invite concludes Saturday with the men's and women's platform competition beginning at noon.
In other news Friday, the Big 12 Conference announced the selection of Texas junior swimmer Joanna Evans as the league's Women's Swimmer of the Week and the aforementioned Gibson as the Big 12 Women's Diver of the Week.
Texas knocked off No. 3 Texas A&M by three points in College Station, and it wouldn't have been possible without Evans' sweep of her three individual events. The Bahamian Olympian led a one-two Texas finish in the 1,000 free, and she returned to win the very next event, the 200 free. She later added a win in the 500 at 4:43.32. Evans added another 13 points with her win and second-place finish last weekend at No. 12 N.C. State, and she claimed the 200 free at North Carolina.
Gibson won one event at all three Texas meets at No. 3 Texas A&M, No. 12 N.C. State and No. 21 North Carolina. Her win on three-meter at A&M was the difference in the meet, as Texas went back to Austin with a three-point win over the Aggies. The 2017 NCAA champion on 1-meter helped the Horns remain unbeaten with her wins on three-meter at No. 12 N.C. State and her one-meter win at No. 21 North Carolina.
Players Mentioned
