ATHENS, Ga. – Florida Gulf Coast University divers Alexandra Andueza and Bella Pfeil are set to compete at the NCAA Zone B Diving Championships, beginning Sunday, March 8, at the Bauerle Pool inside Gabrielsen Natatorium in Athens, Georgia. The competition will continue through Wednesday, March 11, bringing together a strong field of divers from across the region.
The NCAA Zone B Diving Championships serve as a crucial qualifying event for the NCAA Championships. Divers will be vying for a limited number of spots to advance to the national stage, making the competition particularly intense. FGCU will be among a competitive roster of teams including Alabama, Auburn, Davidson, Duke, East Carolina, FAU, FIU, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Southern, Georgia Tech, Miami (Fla.), NC State, North Carolina, Queens, South Carolina, Tennessee, and UNC Wilmington.
Andueza, a standout performer for the Eagles, is scheduled to participate in the 1-meter, 3-meter, and platform diving events. Pfeil will focus her efforts on the 1-meter dive. The schedule begins Sunday with the women’s 1-meter preliminary round at 12:15 p.m., followed by the finals at 2:55 p.m. The 3-meter competition is slated for Monday, starting with prelims at 11:15 a.m. And concluding with finals at 1:40 p.m. Platform diving will accept center stage on Tuesday, beginning with prelims at 11:15 a.m. And finals at 12:40 p.m.
The championship format dictates that the top 18 finishers in the preliminary rounds will advance to the finals. In the women’s events, a total of 11 divers will qualify for the NCAA Championships on the 1-meter, nine on the 3-meter, and seven on the platform. A unique qualification pathway exists for divers who automatically qualify in one event; they can potentially add additional events to their NCAA program by achieving a top-12 finish in those events.
Andueza enters the competition with a decorated resume, including back-to-back NJCAA Swimming and Diving National Championships while attending Indian River State College according to FGCU Athletics. She currently dives for the Florida Gulf Coast University, coached by Murray Kris as indicated by DiveMeets. Her recent performances demonstrate her consistent ability to score highly in multiple diving disciplines.
At the 2026 Atlantic Sun Diving Championships, Andueza achieved impressive results, securing fourth place in the Women’s 1m Championship (6 Dives) with a score of 264.05, second place in the Women’s 3m Championship (6 Dives) with a score of 286.65, and winning both the Women’s Platform (5 Dives) with a score of 220.95 and the Women’s 1m Championship (6 Dives) with a score of 287.40 according to her DiveMeets profile. She also showcased her talent at the Phil Hansel Invitational @Houston, winning the Women’s 3m Championship (6 Dives) with a score of 298.80 DiveMeets data shows.
Pfeil will be competing in the 1-meter dive, aiming to leverage her training and skill to secure a qualifying spot. Both Andueza and Pfeil represent a strong presence for the FGCU swimming and diving program, and their performance at the Zone B Championships will be closely watched.
Fans can follow the FGCU swimming and diving team for the latest updates on Instagram and X at @FGCU_WSwimDive.
The NCAA Zone B Diving Championships represent a critical step for these FGCU athletes as they pursue their goals of competing at the NCAA Championships. The results from Athens will determine which divers will continue their seasons and represent their university on the national stage.
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