The University of Florida diving team joined three other SEC teams (Auburn, LSU and South Carolina) on Monday to begin a three-day event in the Auburn Diving Invitational.
Freshman Elizabeth Perez and sophomore Emma Whitner paced the Gators’ women at the James E. Martin Aquatic Center in Auburn, Alabama. They finished second and fourth, respectively, in the three-meter event.
Perez scored a 308.35 in the finals, while Whitner rode the momentum of a personal-best 299.60 in the finals, positioning herself in the top five.
UF had two other divers finish in the top 10 as freshman Lauren Snider took eighth place with a 257.55 finish in the finals. Her teammate, senior Abigail Howell, claimed 10th in her finals performance. The Clermont, Florida, native posted a score of 255.35.
The men added one other top-five finish for the Florida diving team on Monday with freshman Nick Lydon landing in fifth place in the one-meter event. He posted a score of 303.05 in the finals to lead the Gators.
The rest of the team was outside the top 10 after Monday's event as freshman Lyle Hayes-Macaluso (246.10), junior Alex Farrow (242.55) and freshman Santiago Morales (203.75) all finished back-to-back-to-back in 12th, 13th and 14th place.
Day 2 of the Auburn Invitational will start at 12 p.m. with the women competing in the one-meter event, while the men will compete in the three-meter event.
The finals for both events will begin at 6 p.m.
Follow Evan Lepak on Twitter @evanmplepak and contact him at elepak@alligator.org.
Florida's men's and women's diving teams had three top-five finishes and two top-ten finishes on Day 1 of the Auburn Invitational.
