Iowa will send two divers to the USA Diving World University Trials, which will be held Dec. 16-21 in Atlanta on the Georgia Tech campus.

Freshman Sam Tamborski from the women’s team and sophomore Anton Hoherz of the men’s will represent the Hawkeyes. Tamborski qualified as a 2018 USA Diving national finalist on the 1-meter and a 2017 USA Diving national finalist on the tower. Hoherz qualified after he placed in three events last season at NCAA Zone D Championships.

Those who advance will compete at the World University Games in Naples, Italy, from July 1-8, 2019.

The competitions are filled with former Olympians, but both Iowa divers have looked good all season.

Just the week after the Iowa women defeated Iowa State on Dec. 7, Tamborski was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week.

This marks Tamborski’s first career weekly honor; she finished as the runner-up on the 3-meter (321.10) and third in the 1-meter (career-best 294.05). Both scores were NCAA Zone Diving standards.

Tamborski’s 1-meter score ranks her No. 86 in NCAA Division-1 standings. She is ranked higher in the 3-meter — No. 33 with a score of 341.85 that earned her third place at the Hawkeye Invitational on Nov. 16.

Hoherz has also had a spectacular season so far. He is ranked in the top 50 in all three diving events.

In the 1-meter, he sits at No. 50 with a score of 341.80 on the second day of the Hawkeye Invitational. Hoherz sits somewhat better in the 3-meter, ranking 31st (391.40).

That score was good enough to earn him first place when Iowa had a double dual against Denver and Michigan on Nov. 2. 

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Hoherz’s best event this season seems to be the platform. He currently ranks 11th in Division 1 (365.55), which earned him first place in the Denver and Michigan meet.

The World University Trials will not affect either diver’s season, but it is further motivation for them. To be able to represent the Iowa among some of the top athletes at universities all around the world is a big honor.

If either diver qualifies for the games, it will be the first time diving coach Todd Waikel has had someone at the World University Games since 2010-11, when he was coaching at the Indiana.

After the trials, the men will take on Notre Dame Jan. 12 at the Campus Rec to kick of 2019, while the women will face Illinois on the road on Jan. 11.

The Hawkeye men will then begin the Big Ten season at home when Wisconsin comes to town on Jan. 19 at 11 a.m.

The divers have the NCAA Zone D Diving Championships on March 11-13 before the swimming NCAA Championships March 27-30 for the men and March 20-23 for the women.

To stay up to date with the USA Diving World University trials, the event will be streamed on Facebook Live through USA Diving’s Facebook page.