The ISU swimming and diving team competed at the Big 12 Championships this past weekend and placed fifth as a team with a total of 328 points.

Senior diver Sarah Nelson shined in the last Big 12 Championships of her career.

“I always try to prepare mentally and physically for the Big 12s,” Nelson said. “I had goals going into the meet and I achieved them.”

Nelson was able to score on all three boards of the championships, cultivating in a spot in the ‘A’ final.

“This is the way you want your senior to go out,” said diving coach Jeff Warrick. “As a coach you always think they could have always done a little better but overall she did a really great job.”

Nelson was able to clinch a spot in the finals by recording the second best total score of her career with 236.55 points in the preliminaries.

“[Sarah] really stepped up,” Warrick said. “She made the finals on the 3 meter and platform. Looking back on it, I thought she had the possibility of making it on the 1 meter and platform but the 3 meter I didn’t think as much but that’s the one made it on. So she just did a fantastic job.”

Nelson followed up her performance in the preliminaries with the second eighth-place finish of her career at the conference meet with a total score of 233.45.

“I think it’s all coming together for her,” Warrick said. “She’s so mentally tough. It’s been a really good season for her. She’s just continued to build and be very steady.”

Nelson, along with teammate Jessica Henderson will be back in action on March 8 for the NCAA Zone ‘D’ Diving Championships.

“We have some little technical things we picked up at the Big 12s that could be better,” Warrick said. “Things that could make the difference of getting that half a point even a full point from each judge. If we can do those things that will be huge.”

The Zone ‘D’ Diving championships will be held in Iowa City and will be Nelson’s final performance of her ISU career.

“It’s been a really fun season for me,” Nelson said. “I feel like I’ve been diving at the highest level which is great for your senior year to reach your potentially and do the best you can.”