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| Ruth on the awards stand at the 2011 DIII NCAA National meet. |
Hometown: Knoxville, TN
Year: Junior
Major: Engineering with a minor in mathematics
Summer Job: Chemistry Reseach at Trinity
Diving Accomplishments at Trinity:
2011 Nationals - 3rd place on 3-meter and 12th on 1-meter, NCAA All-American
2011 SCAC Championships - 1st place on 1-meter and 2nd on 3-meter
2010 SCAC Championships - 4th place on 3-meter and 4th on 1-meter
Thoughts on last season's National meet?
"My main goal for last season was to make Nationals since they were in Knoxville and I really wanted to compete at that pool again. I was really surprised about how well I did on three meter. Getting 3rd was really cool. I went into nationals just hoping to not get last place, maybe if I was really lucky, to make finals. It was really fun being at Knoxville. I got to see a lot of my old teammates, I knew the life guards that were there while we were competing, and even one of my old coaches was there so I was really glad I did really well."
How did you balance the demands of being a Trinity student with those of being a National level diver?
"It's always hard balancing school and a sport, but last year I just told myself that no matter what I was going to practice everyday. That didn't end up happening, but I went to a lot more practices last year than the year before. Last year was WAY harder than freshman year, but in a way it was good for my diving because I viewed diving more as a break from school than an obligation that kept me from everything else I was doing."
What makes Trinity diving so special for you?
"We have a really good and a really big team. I love the girls on this team so much. They're why I came here instead of Denison. We just have a lot of fun together and we really support, encourage each other, and push each other."
How has Stan developed your talent as a diver?
"Stan has been really great. Compared to other coaches he's really laid back and kind of leaves it up to us to push ourselves. I wasn't used to his coaching style freshman year and had a really hard time motivating myself, but I figured it out this year and it has really helped having to motivate myself instead of having someone else forcing me to do something. Stan is really understanding which is really good. He understands that bad days happen and sometimes school is too much. He really helped develop my confidence by believing in me. Confidence is one of the most important things as a diver.
What are your goals for this season?
I definitely want to make Nationals again and do a lot better on 1-meter. I also want to do harder dives on 3-meter.
We'll be rooting for Ruth and the rest of her team-mates as they strive to reach their goals this season. Check back here and on the Trinity Swimming and Diving homepage for updates on the season.
-Coach Leta
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