Former University of Hawaii and NCAA champion diver QiongJie “Ajie” (Huang) Drew finished eighth in the 3-meter springboard event at Sunday’s U.S. Olympic Diving Trials in Indianapolis.
Drew, a 2013 UH Sports Circle of Honor inductee, was in fifth place after Tuesday’s semifinals, having risen from 10th in the preliminaries at the IU Natatorium. She finished with 845.50 points, her best dive coming on her fifth and last, a forward 21⁄2 somersault with a twist pike, where she had the second-best score of the final round. Drew, 34, was the oldest female competitor at the meet.
Claiming the two Olympic team berths were Kassidy Cook (1,003.65) and Abby Johnston (949.30).
Drew, a 2005 NCAA champion, was an eight-time All-American and five-time conference champion, medaling in both 1-meter and 3-meter diving. She and former Olympian Ariel Rittenhouse finished second in the 3-meter synchronized diving at last December’s USA Diving Winter Nationals, which would have qualified them for the Olympic team had the U.S. qualified for that event in Rio de Janeiro.
U.S. sweeps Italy in World League
Playing what head coach John Speraw said was “the best match of World League so far,” the U.S. men’s national volleyball team swept host Italy 3-0 on Sunday in Rome.
Setter Micah Christenson (Kamehameha) had 25 assists and a block, and libero Erik Shoji (Punahou) had 11 digs in the 25-22, 25-23, 25-23 victory at Pala Lottomatica. Reserve setter Kawika Shoji (‘Iolani) did not play.
The U.S. takes a 5-1 record into this week’s final pool-play round in Dallas where the Americans will play Bulgaria (0-6), Australia (0-6) and Russia (3-3) at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Arena. The U.S., in third place overall behind Serbia (6-0) and Brazil (6-0), is vying for a top-five finish that would advance the team to the final round in Poland next month.
McNulty 101st at Olympic swim trials
Erin McNulty, a swimmer from the University of Hawaii, placed 101st in the women’s 100-meter fly at Sunday’s U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha, Neb.
McNulty, who recently completed her senior year, finished in 1 minute, 1.68 seconds. She was the only swimmer with Hawaii ties to compete on the first day of the eight-day competition. San Diego State’s Summer Harrison, a Mid-Pacific graduate, did not start in the 100 fly.
Moniz-Kahoohanohano at Honolulu QB Club
Marilyn Moniz-Kahoohanohano, Hawaii’s associate athletics director and senior woman administrator, will be the guest speaker at today’s Honolulu Quarterback Club luncheon.
The luncheon is open to the public and starts at 11:30 a.m. at Maple Garden Restaurant. The program begins at noon.
Baxter takes overall title at SUP event
Maui’s Connor Baxter finished second in Sunday’s long-distance race to claim the overall title of the Mercedes-Benz SUP World Cup, the second stop of the Stand Up World Series tour in Scharbeutz, Germany.
Baxter also finished second in Saturday’s sprint race, giving him enough points to earn the Stop 2 championship. He charged hard in the last lap of the seven-lap race but came up short in the final few feet, placing behind winner Michael Booth of Australia.
