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Crown Valley Divers doubled as the Overall Team Champions and the Girls Team Champions for the 2013 AAU National Diving Championships in San Antonio Texas. Crown Valley Divers placed 2nd in the boys division with only 5 CVD boys participating. This is the second time in three years that Crown Valley Divers have captured the AAU National Diving Title.

Among the terrific team effort that goes into winning any Overall National Title, there were several outstanding and notable individual performances including Olivia Paquette from Laguna Niguel defending her 2012 National Title on 3 meter for the 9 and Under Girls by topping the field with a score of 145.70, just ahead of her team mate Kaia Bray, also from Laguna Niguel, who placed second with a score of 112.55. Olivia captured the top spot in the 1 meter competition with a score of 135.05 and placed 4th in the 11 and Under platform event with a score of 135.85.

Lauren Pierce, from Laguna Niguel and a student at Dana Hills High School, is also a double Gold Medal National Champion for her efforts on both 1 and 3 meter in the Girls 17 year old division with scores of 323.15 for 1 meter and 357.85 for 3 meter.

In the Synchronized Diving events, for the Boys 13 and Under 3 meter event, the team of Nathan Pellini, from Dana Point, and Alexander Besanceney, residing in Laguna Niguel, captured the national title with a combined score of 134.13. Nathan and Alexander repeated this acheivment in the synchro 1 meter event as well with a score of 159.48, just ahead of their team mates James Fermelia, from Mission Viejo, and Sahil Das, from Laguna Beach, who finished second with a score of137.07. For the Girls 13 and Under 3 meter synchro event, Erin Young, from Dana Point, and Mackenzie Peasley, from Laguna Beach, took the top honors with a score of 124.11 with the team of Lillian Goodyear, from Dana Point, and Rachel Reeves, from Laguna Niguel, placing second with a score of 122.16. Erin Young and Mackenzie Peasley placed 3rd in the 3 and under 3 meter synchro event with a score of 131.01, with Lillian Goodyear and Rachel Reeves finishing 5th in the same event with a score of 122.04.

Kaelyn Casazza, from Laguna Niguel,  and Heather Yoshii, residing in Mission Viejo, captured the national title for the 14-15 Synchro 3 meter Girls event finishing with a score of 213.75.

Other notable individual event finishes go to Erin Young who took 2nd place in the girls Group C 12 year old 3 meter event scoring 233.15 and 3rd in the 1 meter contest with a score of 210.45. Sara Kate Besanceney from Laguna Niguel placed 2nd in the Girls 10 year old 1 meter contest with a score of 160.40 and 3rd in the Girls 10 year old 3 meter contest with a score of 142.40.

Sahil Das captured the Silver medal for his efforts in the Group D platform event with a score of 110.10. Adam Gross, from Coto De Caza, placed third in the 17 year old Boys 1 meter contest with a score of 374.00. Mackenzie Peasley from Laguna Beach took home the bronze medal for her efforts in the Girls 13 year old 1 meter contest scoring 213.15 and 3rd again in the Group C Girls Platform event with a score of 184.30.

Alexander Besanceney finished 3rd in the Group C Boys platform event with a score of 182.85 followed by his team mate and successful synchro partner Nathan Pellini at 4th with a score of 159.00.

Crown Valley divers as a team racked up a bunch of team points for the girls when they had 6 of their divers finish in the top 10 of the Girls Group C Platform event:

3rd-Mackenzie Peasley 184.30

4th-Meghan Starr, from Newport Beach, 176.40

6th-Erin Young 165.80

7th-Rhiannon Yanda, from San Clemente, 157.80

9th-Rachel Reeves 156.40

10th-Lillian Goodyear 144.15

48 teams from across the United States participated in this prestigious National competition. Crown Valley Divers captured the 2013 AAU National Diving Championship Team Title by accumulating 585 combined boys and girls overall points. Alamo Area Divers from San Antonio Texas finished 2nd with 431 points.

To Achieve the overall point total, Crown Valley Divers won the girls AAU National Diving title by amassing 412 points far outreaching 2nd place Glenbrook Aquatics Diving from Illinois with a total of 209 points. In the Boys division, Crown Valley Divers placed 2nd behind Alamo Area Aquatics Diving with a score of 173 to Alamo’s 257.

Congratulations to all of the Crown Valley Divers, Their Coaches, and the Parents of these wonderful athletes.