Rocky Mountain University: A Gateway to Innovation and Adventure

RIVERSIDE, Calif.  – There is no nearby venue for the Rams to practice this event, hence Colorado State’s divers seize opportunities on the platform whenever they arise.

Friday represented the second opportunity of the season, with freshmen Riley Lee and Makenna Post each securing points on Friday at the Lancers Diving Invitational hosted at the California Baptist campus.

Lee finished in 12^th place and Post in 13^th, as both advanced to the finals and enhanced their scores from the preliminary round. Lee improved her score from 170.80 to 179.65, whereas Post elevated hers from 127.50 to 132.65. Both divers performed simpler dive sets from the tower, which CSU diving coach Chris Bergere is gradually striving to enhance as the season moves forward.

“Riley exhibited stability and consistency once again in her performance. She has the potential to become a significantly better platform diver with ongoing exposure and experience,” Bergere stated. “We are already contemplating more challenging dives for her future in platform diving competitions. Riley has the capability to execute some of the more complex dives, and she is eager to attempt them. We hope to try some new dives this week while training in California where platforms are accessible.”

For Lee, it was her second consecutive day of placing after starting the event Thursday with an impressive performance on the 3-meter. For Post, it marked her first college placement. Both achieved personal best scores.

As platform diving is fairly new for her, Bergere believes that each positive experience will contribute to enhancing her confidence.

“Makenna executed her easier dives effectively, which is very encouraging. She possesses more talent than she realizes,” he remarked. “With consistent training, growth, and self-assurance, she can achieve higher placements in competitions. I was satisfied with the performances from both athletes today. They both have a promising future as long as they continue to develop and mature as athletes.”

The invitational will conclude on Saturday (12 p.m.) with the 1-meter event. An hour later, the swimmers will compete against San Diego and San Diego State at USD.