Sitz Wins NCAA Championship On 1-Meter Springboard

DAY TWO RESULTS

ATLANTA (SMU) – SMU diver Luke Sitz claimed the nationwide championship on 1-meter on the 2026 NCAA DI Swimming & Diving Championships on Thursday in Atlanta, Georgia, securing his first-ever nationwide title and his second consecutive First-Team All-American honor.

Averaging a 71.35 rating per spherical, Sitz threw down a mark of 428.10 to take house the NCAA Championship. The sophomore’s efficiency was highlighted by his 305C, a Reverse 2 1/2 Somersault Tuck, which earned him a rating of 81.00. 

Sitz’s victory marks the primary NCAA Championship on 1-meter in SMU historical past. The final time a Mustang earned an NCAA title in diving was in 1990, when Scott Donie earned gold on 3-meter and on platform. At the 2025 NCAA DI Swimming & Diving Championships, Sitz completed seventh general as a freshman, incomes him a spot on the All-America First-Team.

“Everything I worked towards paid off tonight,” stated Sitz, “I’m just overwhelmed with joy right now.” Head coach Darian Schmidt felt the identical approach, explaining “I’m so proud of Luke. He works so hard every day and stepped up in the biggest spotlight on the biggest stage.”

The Texas native received the ACC Championship on the identical occasion in the identical pool again in February, turning into SMU’s first-ever ACC Individual Champion. The diver nabbed the Mustangs’ first NCAA Championship in over a decade, with golfer Bryson DeChambeau incomes a title again in 2015.

Two further Mustangs competed on the McAuley Aquatic Center at this time. Freshman Grant Cates made his NCAA debut on 1-meter. The Indiana native positioned twenty fourth general after posting a rating of 312.50. For the second time on the NCAA Championships and the fourth time this season, freshman Francis Brennan broke SMU’s 200 free file after throwing down a private better of 1:31.94. Brennan positioned 18th general.

UP NEXT

Sitz might be again in motion tomorrow together with Cates, competing within the preliminary spherical of the 3-meter beginning at 11 a.m. CT. Junior Jack Berube will swim within the 100 again preliminaries at 9 a.m. CT whereas Brennan will compete within the 500 free at 9:30 a.m. CT. Finals for all occasions will start at 5 p.m. CT.

ORDER OF EVENTS

Friday, March 27

100-yard backstroke

200-yard breaststroke

500-yard freestyle

50-yard freestyle

400-yard medley relay

Three-meter diving

Saturday, March 28

200-yard particular person medley

100-yard freestyle

200-yard butterfly

200-yard backstroke

400-yard freestyle relay

Platform diving