Houston's Almazan Claims Eight-place Showing on Platform

University of Houston diver Azul Almazan finished eighth on the platform during the final day of the 2004 NCAA Championships on Saturday at Texas A&M's Student Recreation Center Natatorium.

Almazan earned 439.10 points Saturday to stand in third place following the preliminaries. In the finals, the Mexico City, Mexico, native earned 412.70 points for her final placing.

Freshman Anna Kiess, competing in her first NCAA Championships, earned 412.05 points during the preliminaries to finish in ninth place.

With the Cougar diving duo's performance, UH earned 36 points to finish 22nd in the final team standings. It marked the fourth consecutive year that the Cougars finished among the nation's top 25 teams at the NCAA meet.

Texas' Nicole Pohorenec captured the platform individual national championship with 482.20 points.

Earlier in the meet, Almazan finished seventh on the 3-meter springboard and 31st in the 1-meter competition. Kiess took home a 13th-place finish on the 3-meter board and added a 28th-place showing on the 1-meter board.

Both divers qualified for the NCAA Championships after solid performance at last weekend's NCAA Zone D Diving meet, held at UH's own Campus Recreation & Wellness Center Natatorium.