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Having redshirted the past season to get physically stronger, senior Amanda Blong looked at the Speedo U.S. Open Diving Championships as her focus meet, marking her return to collegiate competition. Unfortunately, when Blong hurt her shoulder over winter break, the injury took her slightly off course.

Now, with the championships just a week behind her, Blong is happy to be competing again. However, she admits feeling slightly frustrated with her performances.

At the meet early last week, Blong competed for UCLA diving in the 1m and 3m. After placing 15th in the 1m qualifying rounds, Blong earned a spot diving at the US Open Championships where she placed 26th with 179.65 points.

“I feel a little disappointed, but I am excited to have a starting point,†she said. “I forgot how nerve-racking competing is.â€

Head coach Tom Stebbins agrees the meet did not go quite as he expected.

“Amanda’s 1m and 3m performances were real steady. They just were not great,†he said.

Although she had some soreness in her shoulder, Blong felt no other physical pain after the long week of diving.

“It was nice for her to knock some of the rust off,†Stebbins said. “Amanda is climbing back from her injury.â€

The meet was a test that Blong prepared for all year. Now she is able to look at her results and assess where she stands heading into her final season of eligibility. One thing Blong realizes is that she wants to do more cardio and get in better shape. Also, she recognizes that some of her techniques need to be improved.

“Basically I have one dive for the 3m that I know needs some work,†Blong said.

The other competing diver from UCLA, freshman Tess Schofield, placed 10th in the platform at the semifinals. That performance allowed her to also dive at the championship meet where she placed 7th on platform with record points.

“Tess was so solid today,†Stebbins said after Schofield’s final day of diving. “I’m real happy with where she is. Her final platform dive was by far her best lift of all.â€

The championship meet was Schofield’s last collegiate competition of the season.

“I felt really good about the meet,†she said. “It was nice that all my hard work paid off.â€

While Schofield expected to qualify for the US Open, she was pleasantly surprised by her final platform performance where she earned a personal best by 20 points.