DURHAM -- Over the past two weeks, three Duke student-athletes won individual NCAA titles for their respective programs.
The Blue Devils' swimming and diving program received stellar performances from sophomore diver Nick McCrory and junior diver Abby Johnston. Junior fencer Becca Ward became her team's third ever individual champion.
McCrory, who is from Chapel Hill, traveled to Minneapolis on March 27 and collected his second consecutive individual title in the platform event. He scored 548.90 points and set a championship record.
Johnston, from Upper Arlington, Ohio, won the 3-meter springboard diving title in Austin, Texas, on March 19 with a final score of 409.35 after entering the finals in fifth place.
"She led wire to wire in the finals," Duke coach Drew Johansen said in a statement. "She didn't look back."
Ward, from Portland, Ore., entered the second day of NCAA competition in fifth place but won nine consecutive bouts to move into second place in the saber competition. She then rallied in the final match of the day to claim her second national championship with a 15-12 victory at Ohio State on March 27.
'A really big dive'
As a freshman last season, McCrory became Duke's first student-athlete to win an individual NCAA title for the swimming and diving program. He did so in record-setting fashion, combining his routines for a score of 530.45.
McCrory returned to the NCAA championship platform event and performed his collection of dives with even more superiority.
He opened the final round of competition in second place behind Purdue's David Boudia. He led with a front 41/2, which includes 41/2 front flips. It holds the highest degree of difficulty - 3.7 - of all of his dives.
"That was a really big dive to start off with," said McCrory, who received a score of 101 for that dive.
McCrory described his season as "a really long one." It's likely to be a memorable one as well considering he finished the regular season undefeated, won two ACC titles, was voted ACC diver of the year and broke three records.
A fast finish
As a freshman and sophomore, Johnston performed poorly during the NCAA championships, turning in a last-place finish and 15th-place finish. Those days, however, were in the past as she entered this season's event. Relaxed and confident, she entered the 3-meter springboard final with a plan. She first had to hit her back 21/2 pike.
From there on, she cruised through the competition, finishing as the only diver to register a score over 400. Afterward, Johnston walked away from podium a champion, something that so excited her that she left her trophy poolside.
The next morning she played it cool, refusing to call Duke coach Drew Johansen.
"Mom, do you have it?" Johnston asked.
No.
"Dad, do you have it?"
No.
Her coach texted her: "I have something you might be looking for."
More accolades
After 14 bouts on the first day of saber competition at the NCAA championships, Ward wasn't exactly happy with her four losses.
"I was honestly quite angry," she said. "And very motivated to do better."
So she did, closing the gap with a series of strategic moves.
Strategic thinking helped her in the first-to-15 final against Princeton's Eliza Stone. With the bout tied at 12-12, Ward scored the final three points. She said she baited Stone into playing slower and then switched speeds to win the title.
Ward now has two individual titles to add to her three-time All-America status and gold medal won at the Summer Olympics in Beijing. She's only the second women's saber competitor to win two NCAA titles.
