The twists and extra turns from 3-meter diving create an enjoyable adventure for Hope College's Sarah Sheridan. The senior from Richmond, Indiana (Richmond HS) is blazing a new trail as a three-time Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association champion.
Sheridan three-peated Thursday night with a winning score of 488.60 points at Calvin College. She finished 49 points ahead of the nearest competitor to become the first Hope diver of either gender to claim three MIAA 3-meter diving titles in succession.
Two Hope divers earned back-to-back MIAA championships in 3-meter diving: Diane Vos in 1988 and 1989 and Mary DeVries in 1982 and 1983.
Click here for a list of the Flying Dutch's MIAA champions.
Click here for a recap of Thursday's meet.
"I'm just so happy for her," Hope coach John Patnott said. "She works so hard. She's in a tough major, doing student teaching. For her to compete like that is fun to watch. I'm really proud of her."
Sheridan is majoring in physics education and minoring in mathematics education.
Sheridan is the second female MIAA diver to win at least three league championships on the 3-meter board. Calvin's Erica Deur won four between 2006-09.
"What Sarah has over everybody is just difficult dives," Patnott said. "She has some of the toughest dives in Division III that she put in pretty well. She pulls them off."
Sheridan holds all four school records at Hope for 1-meter and 3-meter competition. She will go for a third consecutive 1-meter MIAA title on Friday.
The 3-meter board is a unique event, Sheridan said.
"In 3-meter diving, a start can make or break a dive, even more than 1-meter. There is just a lot of room for little things to change," Sheridan said. "I'm still working on finding the right end and finding it consistently. The distance gives me a little extra time to go really well or really poorly.
"From prelims, my reserve and inward (dives) were much more solid in terms of what I've been wanting to do, especially my inward. I haven't done that nicely in a while."
Sheridan relishes the challenge 3-meter diving offers.
"I love 3-meter board, getting to do that many flips and the adventure of it," Sheridan said. "My coaches tell me I perform well and have consistency. Sometimes it's hard to believe that. This shows me they're right."
