WELLESLEY'S STICCO-IVINS WINS NCAA DIII 3-METER DIVING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

WELLESLEY, Mass.— Wellesley College swimming & diving's Maura Sticco-Ivins (Framingham, Mass.) scored 500.35 in the Women's 3-meter Diving Finals to earn the third NCAA national championship in Wellesley College school history at the 2015 NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships at the CISD Natatorium in Shenandoah, Texas.

The 2015 New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Diver of the Year opened the day with the top score of 489.40 in the preliminary round. She then went on to score 500.35 in the final, earning All-American honors in just her first appearance at the NCAA Championships.

The Wellesley College school-record holder in the 1-meter (11 dives), 1-meter (6 dives), 3-meter (6 dives), Sticco-Ivins earned NEWMAC Diver of the Week honors seven times and ECAC New England Division III Regional Diver of the Week five times this season.

Sticco-Ivins's title is Wellesley College's first NCAA Division III National Championship since Randelle Boots '13 ran to a first place finish in the mile at the 2011 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships. Sticco-Ivins is the third individual national champion in Blue history, as Wellesley Athletics Hall of Famer Karyn Cooper '92 won the 1991 NCAA Tennis Singles Championship.

Sticco-Ivins will aim for her second title of the week on Friday afternoon, March 20, on the 1-meter board. The preliminary round begins at 2:00 PM EST with the finals set for 7:00 PM EST.  Sticco-Ivins took first place in the 1-meter at the NCAA Diving Regional in Springfield, Mass with a Wellesley and NEWMAC record score of 546.65.