Upcoming Event: Swimming & Diving versus Boston College on September 26, 2025 at 4 p.m. Diving / 5 p.m. Swimming
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4 p.m. Diving / 5 p.m. Swimming
Swimming & Diving
vs Boston College
Diver Ali Watson Has Loved Every Moment
3/2/2021 4:30:00 PM | Swimming & Diving
Sophomore diver Ali Watson continues to excel this season on and off the diving boards.
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Watson was recently named All-ACC in platform diving for the second consecutive year at the ACC Swimming & Diving Championships. Additionally, she was named Blue Devil of the Month by GoDuke the Magazine for her performances at the conference meet.
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With her feat at ACCs, Watson became the second Duke diver in Program history to earn back-to-back All-ACC honors in the same event.
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In addition to her sport, she has been able to excel while also being pre-med as a Neuroscience major with minors in psychology and chemistry at Duke. Even through the rigors of academic work and collegiate diving, Watson has "loved every moment of it."
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In her time at the ACC Championships last year and this year, Watson was able to earn bronze as a freshman and silver this season as a sophomore. Her teammates joke with her that her progression means gold is next, but Watson isn't fazed.
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"It's not about what's on the record board at the pool; it's about my own personal record," Watson said.
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We each have moments in our lives that can define what we want to do and where we want to go. For Watson, the loss of her grandfather that had Alzheimer's led her to the decision in getting involved with the medical field and therefore enrolling in pre-med at Duke.
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In Watson's downtime, which isn't much as a pre-med student and collegiate diver, she enjoys spending time with her teammates who she also defines as one big family. Watson also loves dogs and spends time at the Canine Cognition Center.
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Watson has several people that she looks up to as role models in life and diving. Within Duke diving history, her biggest role model is former Blue Devil and Olympian Abby Johnston. Johnston was in pre-med as an undergrad at Duke, just as Watson is. Johnston went on to medical school at Duke and was able to continue to compete in diving, just as Watson hopes to do. Being able to see Johnston succeed in medical school and diving shows Watson that her aspirations are possible.
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There is already one similarity between Johnston and Watson, diving under the tutelage current Duke head diving coach Nunzio Esposto. To Watson, Esposto has been a great teacher, mentor and confidante during her two seasons at Duke.
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"As long as I am diving, I don't want to go to any other coach," Watson said. "We've really bonded in the past year and a half and he has done some amazing things for my diving."
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Watson's biggest role model in her life is her dad. Her dad is one of the most hard-working and most driven people that she has ever met, but more importantly her dad is always there for her no matter the circumstance.
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Watson qualified for the NCAA Championships prior to the event being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This season, she has hopes of qualifying and competing at the event. Watson is extremely thankful to Duke Athletics for allowing her and her teammates the opportunity to compete this season and wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
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Watson and the Blue Devils will compete in the NCAA Zone B Championships in Greensboro, N.C. on March 7-9 to vie for qualification to the NCAA Championships.
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#GoDuke
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Watson was recently named All-ACC in platform diving for the second consecutive year at the ACC Swimming & Diving Championships. Additionally, she was named Blue Devil of the Month by GoDuke the Magazine for her performances at the conference meet.
Â
With her feat at ACCs, Watson became the second Duke diver in Program history to earn back-to-back All-ACC honors in the same event.
Â
In addition to her sport, she has been able to excel while also being pre-med as a Neuroscience major with minors in psychology and chemistry at Duke. Even through the rigors of academic work and collegiate diving, Watson has "loved every moment of it."
Â
In her time at the ACC Championships last year and this year, Watson was able to earn bronze as a freshman and silver this season as a sophomore. Her teammates joke with her that her progression means gold is next, but Watson isn't fazed.
Â
"It's not about what's on the record board at the pool; it's about my own personal record," Watson said.
Â
We each have moments in our lives that can define what we want to do and where we want to go. For Watson, the loss of her grandfather that had Alzheimer's led her to the decision in getting involved with the medical field and therefore enrolling in pre-med at Duke.
Â
In Watson's downtime, which isn't much as a pre-med student and collegiate diver, she enjoys spending time with her teammates who she also defines as one big family. Watson also loves dogs and spends time at the Canine Cognition Center.
Â
Watson has several people that she looks up to as role models in life and diving. Within Duke diving history, her biggest role model is former Blue Devil and Olympian Abby Johnston. Johnston was in pre-med as an undergrad at Duke, just as Watson is. Johnston went on to medical school at Duke and was able to continue to compete in diving, just as Watson hopes to do. Being able to see Johnston succeed in medical school and diving shows Watson that her aspirations are possible.
Â
There is already one similarity between Johnston and Watson, diving under the tutelage current Duke head diving coach Nunzio Esposto. To Watson, Esposto has been a great teacher, mentor and confidante during her two seasons at Duke.
Â
"As long as I am diving, I don't want to go to any other coach," Watson said. "We've really bonded in the past year and a half and he has done some amazing things for my diving."
Â
Watson's biggest role model in her life is her dad. Her dad is one of the most hard-working and most driven people that she has ever met, but more importantly her dad is always there for her no matter the circumstance.
Â
Watson qualified for the NCAA Championships prior to the event being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This season, she has hopes of qualifying and competing at the event. Watson is extremely thankful to Duke Athletics for allowing her and her teammates the opportunity to compete this season and wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
Â
Watson and the Blue Devils will compete in the NCAA Zone B Championships in Greensboro, N.C. on March 7-9 to vie for qualification to the NCAA Championships.
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#GoDuke
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