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Watson Earns All-ACC Honors
4/3/2020 4:16:00 PM | Swimming & Diving
Freshman Duke diver Ali Watson earned All-ACC honors for her performance in platform diving finals at the ACC Championships, the league included in its final release on Friday.
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Watson scored a 267.65 to place third in the platform diving finals at the ACC Championships to earn the All-ACC nod. Her score also placed her fifth in the all-time Duke charts in the event.
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The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native's path to one of the highest honors in the ACC was not easy. Watson won the Junior National Championships on platform as a junior before suffering a wrist injury that kept her off the platform during the majority of her senior year. Then, in the summer of 2019, she was diagnosed with diabetes.
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"I think it is pretty remarkable for her to place as high as she did at ACC's," head diving coach Nunzio Esposto said. "I believe that she was capable of doing it but with limited training because of her health, she had to work really hard."
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Watson's All-ACC accolades gave Duke its 13th consecutive season in which a women's swimmer or diver has earned All-ACC honors. Since 2001, Duke has had an All-ACC representative in 17 of the 19 seasons. In addition, Esposto's squad has now had a women's diver earn All-ACC status in four of the past five seasons.
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Prior to the cancellation of the NCAA Championships due to COVID-19 concerns, Watson placed fourth in the platform event at the NCAA Zone B Diving Championships to qualify for the NCAA Championships.
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"Too bad she was not able to compete at NCAAs, but I am looking forward to next year with her," Esposto said. "Hopefully she will do well again next year at ACCs and get to compete at NCAAs."
#GoDuke
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Watson scored a 267.65 to place third in the platform diving finals at the ACC Championships to earn the All-ACC nod. Her score also placed her fifth in the all-time Duke charts in the event.
Â
The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native's path to one of the highest honors in the ACC was not easy. Watson won the Junior National Championships on platform as a junior before suffering a wrist injury that kept her off the platform during the majority of her senior year. Then, in the summer of 2019, she was diagnosed with diabetes.
Â
"I think it is pretty remarkable for her to place as high as she did at ACC's," head diving coach Nunzio Esposto said. "I believe that she was capable of doing it but with limited training because of her health, she had to work really hard."
Â
Watson's All-ACC accolades gave Duke its 13th consecutive season in which a women's swimmer or diver has earned All-ACC honors. Since 2001, Duke has had an All-ACC representative in 17 of the 19 seasons. In addition, Esposto's squad has now had a women's diver earn All-ACC status in four of the past five seasons.
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Prior to the cancellation of the NCAA Championships due to COVID-19 concerns, Watson placed fourth in the platform event at the NCAA Zone B Diving Championships to qualify for the NCAA Championships.
Â
"Too bad she was not able to compete at NCAAs, but I am looking forward to next year with her," Esposto said. "Hopefully she will do well again next year at ACCs and get to compete at NCAAs."
#GoDuke
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