GREENSBORO, N.C. – Illinois State senior diver Wenting Zhang finished in 32nd place at the NCAA Division I Swimming and Diving Championships Friday at Greensboro Aquatic Center.
Zhang turned in a score of 295.45 in Thursday's preliminary round.
"I feel happy and accomplished to finish my senior year at the NCAA championships," Zhang said. "It has been my honor to represent ISU and to compete one last time. I have had fun and enjoyed competing with all of the very best divers in the country. Thank you to my coaches Phil (Hoffmann) and Steve (Paska) and all my teammates, family and friends for their support."
Friday's performance came one day after Zhang took seventh place in the 1-meter diving event Thursday. The seventh-place finish earned Zhang All-America status for the third time in her career.
"What a wonderful career for Wendy," head diving coach Phil Hoffmann said. "She has truly been a complete joy and honor to coach for the past four years. She has taken our program to new heights and has done so with class, dignity, and respect. I know she is very honored to have accomplished what she has. Becoming Illinois State swimming and diving's first NCAA All-America not once, but three times is nothing short of extraordinary.
"She will no doubt go down as one of the finest athletes to compete not just for our program, but for Illinois State Athletics," Hoffmann continued. "It's an end of a chapter of her life, but I have enjoyed being a little part of the story."
Friday marked the end of Zhang's standout career at Illinois State. She finished as the only All-American in Illinois State swimming and diving history, and leaves with both school and Horton Pool records in both 1- and 3-meter diving.
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