Knapton, Haebig Earn All-America Awards

Greensboro, N.C. - Nebraska's Abigail Knapton captured first-team All-America honors on the three-meter springboard, while Autumn Haebig added her second All-America award in as many days with a ninth-place finish in the 200 freestyle at the 2021 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships at the Greensboro Aquatic Center on Friday night.

"This was a great day, with both our swimming and diving parts in full force," Nebraska Head Coach Pablo Morales. "This is huge for our program, and we are excited about the finale tomorrow."

Knapton, a fifth-year senior from Omaha, captured the fifth overall All-America award of her illustrious diving career at Nebraska and her fourth first-team honor by posting a 342.90 to take eighth in the finals. She advanced to the championship round with a 339.20 in Friday's prelims. It was Knapton's best career NCAA finish on the three-meter, well ahead of her 15th-place finish on the event in 2019, which earned her honorable-mention All-America accolades.

Knapton's performance earned Nebraska 11 team points, and sets her up for Saturday's platform competition. Already the most accomplished diver in Nebraska history, Knapton is a three-time first-team All-American on platform and is bidding to make more history as the first Husker diver or swimmer to earn four first-team All-America awards in the same event. She will also be taking aim at the first podium finish by a diver in an NCAA event in Nebraska history.

"Abi battled to earn a spot in the championship final on the three meter. She was great and finished eighth, but she made a serious run at a top-three finish," Morales said. "For her, this was a fantastic lead-in to her forte event tomorrow. Always the platform specialist, today just highlights how hard she has worked in all facets of her diving, adding All-America status in springboard to the status she has attained every year on platform."

While Knapton racked up big points for the Big Red in the diving well, Haebig continued to score for the Huskers in the pool. The senior from Grafton, Wis., won the consolation final in the 200 freestyle by tying her career best and her own Nebraska school record with a time of 144.39. Haebig, the 2021 Big Ten Conference champion in the event, qualified for the consolation final with the 15th-fastest time (145.74), before finding more speed in the evening session. 

"Autumn got things going this morning by making her second final of the meet," Morales said. "It got better from there with Autumn winning the consolation final heat from the outside lane. Autumn earning trips to the finals in both her events so far has helped put Nebraska swimming on the map at these NCAA Championships, especially by winning the consolation final in very exciting fashion."

Haebig's two top-16 finishes make her the first Husker swimmer to capture All-America honors in two individual events at the NCAA Championships since Elvira Fischer (5th, 200 Breast; 8th, 100 Breast) at the 2001 NCAA Championships.

Haebig's performance earned Nebraska eight team points, giving her 11 total team points after also earning honorable-mention All-America accolades with her 14th-place finish in the 500 free on Thursday.

Nebraska's other NCAA competitor on Friday was diver Sara Troyer. The junior from Goshen, Ind., finished 27th in the prelims on the three-meter board with a score of 281.30. 

"Sara completed a solid first showing at NCAAs with her 27th-place finish on three-meter," Morales said. "This undoubtedly lays the foundation for future success at the the championships."

Through 14 events at the NCAA Championships, the efforts of Knapton and Haebig have propelled Nebraska into 24th in the team standings with 22 points, as each of the senior All-Americans have earned 11 points.

The 22 points scored by Nebraska is already the most by the Huskers at the NCAA Championships since scoring 27 on their way to a 23rd-place team finish in 2001. With Haebig and Knapton both earning All-America honors, it also marks the first time since 2001 that the Big Red has had multiple swimming and diving All-Americans at the same championship.

In the final day of competition on Saturday, Haebig will return to the water to compete in the 100-yard freestyle prelims, before Knapton competes in the platform prelims. During the afternoon session, junior Audrey Coffey will compete in the 1,650 free. Finals in the 100 free and platform competition are set for Saturday's evening session.

NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships
March 17-20, 2021
Greensboro (N.C.) Aquatic Center

Team Standings (Through 14 Events)
1. Virginia - 344
2. NC State - 241
3. Texas - 224
4. California - 210
5. Ohio State - 177.5
6. Alabama - 155
7. Stanford - 140
8. Michigan - 127.5
9. Georgia - 115
T10. Kentucky - 114
T10. North Carolina - 114
12. Tennessee - 90
13. Louisville - 81
14. Missouri - 79
15. Florida - 74.5
T16. Texas A&M - 64
T16. Northwestern - 64
18. Indiana - 63
T19. USC - 42
T19. Miami - 42
21. Minnesota - 40
22. Wisconsin - 39
23. Virginia Tech - 28
24. Nebraska - 22
25. Arkansas - 21
26. Arizona - 17.5
27. Georgia Tech - 16
28. Purdue - 13
29. LSU - 9
T30. Houston - 6
T30. San Diego State - 6
T32. Notre Dame - 4
T32. Duke - 4
34. Akron - 3