March 15, 2008

HOUSTON - Mizzou junior Kendra Melnychuk earned a bid to next week's NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships in Columbus, Ohio, with her fourth-place score in 3-meter diving at the NCAA Zone D Diving Championships on Saturday. The Canadian's NCAA berth is her second in as many years.

Melnychuk opened the day with a prelim score of 306.95 and returned in finals to post the third-highest score of the round (314.85) for a twelve-dive total of 621.80 points. She will be allowed to compete in all three diving events at Nationals simply by participating in Sunday's platform diving competition.

Freshman Abby Zepeda compiled 470.15 points on the day to score a top-15 finish. The Scottsdale, Arizona, native has a chance to be one of three more divers to be offered an NCAA bid during Sunday's platform competition at Zones. Action on the tower is slated to begin at 12:30 p.m., with finals to follow shortly after.

MIZZOU 3-METER DIVING FINAL STANDINGS (POINTS)

4. Kendra Melnychuk (621.80)

15. Abby Zepeda (470.15)