Kushner and Moran Travel to Canadian Nationals

FAYETTEVILLE – University of Arkansas sophomore diver Brieanne Kushner and former Lady Razorback Mandy Moran are in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada to compete at the Canadian Senior National Diving Championships and Commonwealth Games Trials, Friday, Jan. 27, and Sunday, Jan. 29.

Kushner and Moran are competing in the one- and three-meter springboards while Moran is also teaming with Martha Dale in the three-meter synchronized event.

The one-meter preliminary competition is at 10:00 a.m., Friday, with the finals at 3:00 p.m. and the three-meter synchro prelims are scheduled for 1:05 p.m. and the finals are at 5:55 p.m.

The Lady’Back duo is trying to qualify for a spot on the six-member, Canadian National Team, which competes at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia in March.

Arkansas diving coach Scott Reich said the experience of national competitions should benefit Kushner’s postseason performance.

“Brie’s coming off a pretty good meet at Florida,” he said. “This (nationals) should help her sprints going into conference and the other big meets this season. Since she’s one of the youngest competitors, her goal is to make the top 12 and anything higher would be icing on the cake.”

Reich said Moran, who was a three-time all-American at Arkansas, is a serious contender after she finished seventh in the three-meter synchronized event at the FINA World Championships in Montreal in July.

“She is diving better than she ever has in her life,” he said. “She’s been working on a couple of new dives. Her goal is to finish in the top two. If Mandy puts it together, she controls her destiny and can go wherever she wants to go.”

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