Saint John's freshman divers Jack Grabinski and Connor Reed compete at the NCAA Central Regional this Friday and Saturday, Feb. 28-29, on the campus of Denison College in Granville, Ohio. – Live Results | Live Video | Regional Website

THE SCHEDULE:
-Friday, Feb. 28: 3-meter dive at 2 p.m. ET
-Saturday, Feb. 29: 1-meter dive at 12 p.m. ET

HOW THEY GOT THERE: To qualify for one of the four NCAA Diving Regionals, a student-athlete must meet one of the following criteria:

1. Achieve the qualifying standard at least twice on the same board during the qualification period; or
2. Once at his/her conference championship meet on either board.

The qualifying standard for the men on the 1-meter dive was 275 for six dives and 425 for 11, and 285 for six dives and 440 for 11 on the 3-meter board.

Grabinski (Sauk Rapids, Minn./Sauk Rapids-Rice) surpassed the regional-qualifying marks in both dives at the MIAC Championships, for a total of five times in the 1-meter dive and three times in the 3-meter board. Reed (Elk River, Minn.), meanwhile, exceeded the 1-meter mark three times, including at the conference meet.

A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's finished third out of eight teams at the 2020 MIAC Swimming & Diving Championships Feb. 12-15 at the University of Minnesota's Jean Freeman Aquatic Center in Minneapolis. Gustavus Adolphus won its second consecutive conference title with 946 points, followed by St. Thomas (739), SJU (493), Carleton (434) and St. Olaf (343.5).

Grabinski was named the MIAC Men's Co-Diver of the Year and CSB/SJU's Jon Hazen earned the MIAC Diving Coach of the Year Award for the second time (2015) following the four-day meet. Grabinski won the MIAC title in the 3-meter dive (505.05) and took second in the 1-meter board (481.70), while Reed claimed third in the 1-meter dive (434.05).

Junior Mitchell Dockendorf (St. Stephen, Minn./Sartell-St. Stephen) just missed his first All-MIAC honor (top three) with a fourth-place finish in the 200-yard individual medley. He touched the wall in 1:54.71, 0:00.09 from third. Junior Eli Greenblat (Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata) followed in eighth (2:00.43). Dockendorf also took eighth (47.56) in the 100-yard freestyle.

Sophomore Steven Froehle (DuPont, Wash./Steilacoom) claimed seventh (21.70) in the 50-yard freestyle and freshman Beau Brinkman (Wayzata, Minn.) won the event's B final, ninth overall, with a time of 21.67 seconds.

Five Johnnies scored team points in the 200-yard backstroke in the final night of competition. Junior Mick Olson (Fullerton, Calif./Troy) led the way in fifth place (1:56.41) and freshman Ethan Huber (Mitchell, S.D.) followed in eighth (1:57.79). 

Junior Eli Greenblat (Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata) finished eighth (2:11.73) in the 200-yard breaststroke.

TIE-BREAKERS AT THE REGIONAL: In the event of a tie between two or more divers from a regional qualifying meet, the tie will be broken by comparing each of the diver's total optional score on the board in which the tie has occurred. The diver with the highest total optional score would have the higher finishing position at their regional event. In the event there is a tie on the total optional score, the tie will be broken by the higher place on the opposite board. If one competitor is not competing on the opposite board, the competitor who is competing on the opposite board automatically will receive the higher selection position. All ties must be broken prior to diving qualifications/allocations being identified.

QUALIFYING FOR NATIONALS: When all results are made final, including any tie-breakers, the allocated spots will be determined as follows (refer to the Diving Selection Criteria for the allocation formula):

1. First-place finishers from each board will be selected, using two of the allocated spots. If the
same person finishes first on both boards, only one allocation will be used for that athlete.

2. Next, second-place finishers from each board will be selected, using two of the allocated spots. If
the same person finishes second on both boards, or one/both of the athletes have already been
selected, only one or no allocations will be used.

3. This will continue with each finishing spot (third, fourth, fifth, etc.) until all the allocated spots
have been assigned for each of the four regions.

4. If there is one allocation left and two divers who have not been selected are up for qualification,
finishing in the same ranking on each board, the committee will use the divers combined score
made up of their 1-meter and 3-meter scores. The competitor who has the highest score
will be invited to the meet, earning the final allocation.

WHAT'S NEXT: The Central Regional will be allocated eight spots, in each dive (see the qualifications above), for the 2020 NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships held March 18-21 at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, N.C. The men's 3-meter dive begins with prelims at 10 a.m. ET Wednesday, March 18, followed by finals at 6 p.m. ET. The 1-meter dive follows the same time schedule and will be held Friday, March 20.