The women’s diving team made a big splash July 14-16 as Lizzy Flynt, Stacy
Binyon and Jaime Sanger, along with future Lady Vol Kylee Wells advanced to
the US Outdoor National Championship through zone qualifying events at
different regional sites.
Flynt was the top finisher for the Lady Vols as she qualified in the
10-meter platform and the three-meter springboard. The senior posted a
score of 422.65 to take second place in the platform. Flynt then took sixth
place in the three-meter with a score of 429.15 at zone B championship in
Moultrie, Ga.
Prior to the championships, diving coach Dave Parrington said that Flynt
will have a tough time improving on last year.
“I expect her to improve on last year but there’s not much room to
improve,” a confident Parrington said.
Flynt, one of the top returners for the Lady Vols this season, is from
Auburn, Ala. She attended Auburn University before transferring to
Tennessee.
Another platform qualifier was Wells. Wells took home third place in the
10-meter platform with a score of 359.05. Wells earned her qualifying
position by competing with her club team, the Indy Starz.
“Kylee is a highly touted recruit,” Parrington said. “She will be competing
in the platform for us.”
Wells signed with Tennessee earlier this year and will be a freshman this
fall. The native of Russiaville, Ind. competed in zone A which was held in
Pittsburgh, Pa. She also finished 19th in the one-meter springboard and
27th in the three-meter.
Binyon was the third Lady Vol to qualify for the championships in the
10-meter platform. She came out with a score of 355.40 to finish fourth in
the competition at zone B. The fourth-place finish captured positions 2, 3
and 4 for the Lady Vols in the 10-meter platform.
According to Parrington, Binyon is one of the team’s “platform specialists
who should do well this season.”
Binyon is a sophomore from Southlake, Texas, and should be a valuable
contributor for Tennessee this year. She also placed 17th in the
three-meter springboard.
Competing in zone C in Dallas, Texas, was Sanger. Sanger qualified for the
championships in the one-meter and the three-meter springboard
competitions. She placed sixth in the three-meter with a mark of 411.70
followed by a seventh-place finish in the one-meter with a score of
407.35.
Parrington noted that Sanger “was outstanding as a freshman and has the
potential to be an impact diver.”
Sanger is a sophomore from Plymouth, Minn. As a freshman, she finished
sixth in her first US National meet.
The U.S. Diving Outdoor National Championship will be held Aug. 8-13 in
Mission Viejo, Calif. Divers who place in the top eight in the three-meter
springboard and the 10-meter platform can earn a spot on the United States
Senior National Team.
