The Miami diving team currently has just two divers on its men’s squad. The way Miguel Velazquez has been performing recently, that may be enough for the team to make noise in nationals.
Velazquez, who hails from Mexico City, has made a name for himself in his two years with the Hurricanes. The sophomore was recently named an All-American diver for the second year in a row.
Apart from the All-American mention, Velazquez has enjoyed a very successful year individually. In January, he finished second place at the Speedo American Cup diving championship in Bloomington, Indiana. Velazquez followed that performance with a win in the Big East Championships’ one-meter diving event in February.
Velazquez had already qualified for the NCAA Championships by the time he came to the NCAA Diving Zone B regional qualifiers at Auburn University. But that didn’t stop him from finishing third in the event.
A week later, Velazquez showed up at the University of Texas for the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships, placing 17th in the one-meter dive on opening day. Velazquez would rebound to finish fourth in the three-meter dive, a result the sophomore was much more content with.
“It was just a different event, and I missed a dive on Thursday,” Velazquez said.
Velazquez finished the NCAA Championships with the 10th place finish in the men’s platform dive.
“I did as good as I expected to do and I am pleased with my performance this year” Velazquez said.
Velazquez is the lone sophomore on a swimming and diving squad that consists of five seniors. That number pales in comparison to the 23 swimmers and divers on UM’s women’s team, but Velazquez still finds a way to have fun and be competitive.
“I am happy with my performance this year and with the team,” Velazquez said. “I wish we had more divers to make the team bigger but we all get along great.”
Velazquez has enjoyed success at nearly every level of competition. In addition to his accomplishments is placing high for Miami, Velazquez has continued to amass personal best numbers in events like the one-meter springboard, the three-meter springboard and the three-meter platform.
This comes just two years removed from a high school career in which Velazquez was both a district and state champion at Gulliver Prep in Miami.
Unfortunately, the future is uncertain for Velazquez and the other five members of Miami’s men’s swimming and diving team, since the program is being terminated following this season. Until that time, though, Velazquez is continuing to have a positive outlook on things.
Justin Waltz can be reached at j.waltz@umiami.edu.