Freshmen Divers Add To Georgia's Successes
October 29, 2014 | Swimming & Diving
Oct. 29, 2014
It's not often that Georgia's top divers are freshmen.
Ohio native Olivia Ball and Pennsylvanian Ian Forlini decided to sign with Georgia after meeting each other on a recruiting trip to Athens.
"We were always talking throughout the whole recruiting process about what we liked about each school," Ball said. "We honestly helped each other pick here because we knew we would both really like it and that we could push each other."
Their decisions have paid immediate dividends for Georgia.
Forlini has been the top Bulldog on both springboards the first three meets and already has Zone qualifying scores of 346.73 on 1-meter and 367.95 on 3-meter. Ball has paced the Lady Bulldogs in their four meets and boasts Zone qualifying tallies of 289.80 on 1-meter and 328.58 on 3-meter.
As the only two freshmen in Georgia's diving well, Ball and Forlini have encouraged each other through the first part of the season and continue to push each other in their training.
"It's definitely fun having him here and I'm so glad I came in with another freshman that is as good as he is," Ball said. "We definitely do play off each other, so it's been really nice."
Though Forlini admittedly was nervous during the first meet against Alabama, you wouldn't have guessed it by his performance as he was first on 1-meter and second on 3-meter.
"I was shaking on the board on my first dive and then after that dive was over, I was pretty relaxed," Forlini said. "Each meet is a different experience, so you take bits and pieces from each one and learn."
He came back with stellar efforts in Georgia's back-to-back meets at North Carolina and North Carolina State last week to earn SEC Diver of the Week honors.
With the help of Georgia's older and more experienced divers, Ball and Forlini have been able to make a smooth transition into their freshman year.
"They're adjusting to college really well in and out of the pool, which is great since they are both from out of state and so far away from home," senior Darcie O'Brien said. "The first meet, I think they were both a little nervous because they didn't know what to expect. College meets are so much different than the age group meets they were used to, and you can't really know the environment until you are in it. But I can tell they've gotten more comfortable with every meet we've had and improved with every one.
"It's awesome having them on the team. They came in from the start and fit right in with our team dynamic. We all support each other in learning new dives, and they've jumped right in with pushing everyone to get the harder dives."
Ball, who swept the springboards at North Carolina State last week, is excited about being at Georgia.
"It truly is a family here and I look to these girls and guys for everything," Ball said. "I just knew that this was a place where I was going to get that."
On Friday at 11 a.m., Georgia will host Florida in its biggest dual meet of the season thus far. The Lady Bulldogs were ranked No. 2 in the initial College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) poll released last week, while Florida was No. 3. On the men's side, Georgia was No. 4 in the first poll of the season released Thursday, with the Gators coming in at No. 5.
The meet will serve as a great indicator as to where the Georgia teams are and where they are headed, according to head diving coach Dan Laak.
However, keeping the SEC and NCAA championships in mind, Laak said, "It's not always how good you are in October and November, it's how good you are in February and March."
Kelly Williams is a junior from Atlanta, Ga., majoring in public relations and also pursuing a sports media certificate within the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications. She is in her first year as a student assistant within the UGA Sports Communications office.
"Coming Attractions" is a weekly feature published on georgiadogs.com spotlighting a UGA student-athlete who will be competing in a key home event during the upcoming weekend. Previous stories include:
August 28 - David Andrews (football vs. Clemson) September 4 - Carly Hamilton (cross country in Bulldog Invitational)
September 11 - Tirah Leau (volleyball in Benson Hospitality Invitational)
September 18 - Mariel Gutierrez (soccer vs. Vanderbilt)
September 25 - Toby Johnson (football vs. Tennessee)
October 2 - Emma Sonnett (soccer vs. Tennessee)
October 9 - Jared Markham (swimming & diving vs. Alabama)
October 16 - Gaby Smiley (volleyball vs. Kentucky and Tennessee)
October 23 - Bella Hartley (soccer vs. Kentucky)
By Kelly Williams
It's not often that Georgia's top divers are freshmen.
Ohio native Olivia Ball and Pennsylvanian Ian Forlini decided to sign with Georgia after meeting each other on a recruiting trip to Athens.
"We were always talking throughout the whole recruiting process about what we liked about each school," Ball said. "We honestly helped each other pick here because we knew we would both really like it and that we could push each other."
Their decisions have paid immediate dividends for Georgia.
Forlini has been the top Bulldog on both springboards the first three meets and already has Zone qualifying scores of 346.73 on 1-meter and 367.95 on 3-meter. Ball has paced the Lady Bulldogs in their four meets and boasts Zone qualifying tallies of 289.80 on 1-meter and 328.58 on 3-meter.
As the only two freshmen in Georgia's diving well, Ball and Forlini have encouraged each other through the first part of the season and continue to push each other in their training.
"It's definitely fun having him here and I'm so glad I came in with another freshman that is as good as he is," Ball said. "We definitely do play off each other, so it's been really nice."
Though Forlini admittedly was nervous during the first meet against Alabama, you wouldn't have guessed it by his performance as he was first on 1-meter and second on 3-meter.
"I was shaking on the board on my first dive and then after that dive was over, I was pretty relaxed," Forlini said. "Each meet is a different experience, so you take bits and pieces from each one and learn."
He came back with stellar efforts in Georgia's back-to-back meets at North Carolina and North Carolina State last week to earn SEC Diver of the Week honors.
With the help of Georgia's older and more experienced divers, Ball and Forlini have been able to make a smooth transition into their freshman year.
"They're adjusting to college really well in and out of the pool, which is great since they are both from out of state and so far away from home," senior Darcie O'Brien said. "The first meet, I think they were both a little nervous because they didn't know what to expect. College meets are so much different than the age group meets they were used to, and you can't really know the environment until you are in it. But I can tell they've gotten more comfortable with every meet we've had and improved with every one.
"It's awesome having them on the team. They came in from the start and fit right in with our team dynamic. We all support each other in learning new dives, and they've jumped right in with pushing everyone to get the harder dives."
Ball, who swept the springboards at North Carolina State last week, is excited about being at Georgia.
"It truly is a family here and I look to these girls and guys for everything," Ball said. "I just knew that this was a place where I was going to get that."
On Friday at 11 a.m., Georgia will host Florida in its biggest dual meet of the season thus far. The Lady Bulldogs were ranked No. 2 in the initial College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) poll released last week, while Florida was No. 3. On the men's side, Georgia was No. 4 in the first poll of the season released Thursday, with the Gators coming in at No. 5.
The meet will serve as a great indicator as to where the Georgia teams are and where they are headed, according to head diving coach Dan Laak.
However, keeping the SEC and NCAA championships in mind, Laak said, "It's not always how good you are in October and November, it's how good you are in February and March."
Kelly Williams is a junior from Atlanta, Ga., majoring in public relations and also pursuing a sports media certificate within the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications. She is in her first year as a student assistant within the UGA Sports Communications office.
"Coming Attractions" is a weekly feature published on georgiadogs.com spotlighting a UGA student-athlete who will be competing in a key home event during the upcoming weekend. Previous stories include:
August 28 - David Andrews (football vs. Clemson) September 4 - Carly Hamilton (cross country in Bulldog Invitational)
September 11 - Tirah Leau (volleyball in Benson Hospitality Invitational)
September 18 - Mariel Gutierrez (soccer vs. Vanderbilt)
September 25 - Toby Johnson (football vs. Tennessee)
October 2 - Emma Sonnett (soccer vs. Tennessee)
October 9 - Jared Markham (swimming & diving vs. Alabama)
October 16 - Gaby Smiley (volleyball vs. Kentucky and Tennessee)
October 23 - Bella Hartley (soccer vs. Kentucky)
Players Mentioned
Diving
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