SMU divers Peter Sitz and Grant Cates are set to compete at this week’s NCAA Championships in Atlanta, beginning Thursday with the 1-meter springboard event. Both athletes will also participate in the 3-meter springboard on Friday, while Cates is scheduled for the platform event on Saturday.
Sitz comes into the championships following a strong season, having won gold and bronze at the ACC Championships and securing victories in both springboard events at the NCAA Zone D Championships earlier this month. Head diving coach Bob Schmidt said of Sitz, “I tell him all the time, but he’s got superpowers. It’s hard to describe, but yeah, he just has that. The talent is there, the spatial awareness, and then just the mind game to compete. Well, he’s got all three. And if he’s in a meet, he’s got a chance to win.”
Sitz attributes his performance under pressure as key to his success: “I think performing under pressure and viewing pressure as a privilege. I think that helps me a lot whenever I’m training and competing,” he said. “So I think coming off a big success, that motivates me more to keep striving further and accomplish something greater.” Over the past two years Sitz has been named ACC Diver of the Week eleven times and earned four ACC medals along with All-America honors.
Cates secured his place at nationals after rebounding from what he described as a rough meet at conference by delivering one of his best performances of the season at Zones: “I had a really rough meet at conference, and to be able to go to zones and have a great meet… It’s a big confidence booster after not really knowing where I was at after ACC,” he said.
Schmidt praised Cates’ development as well: “Grant’s come in and made his name for himself as a talented freshman going to the big dance,” Schmidt said. He noted that competing across all three events would help Cates acclimate before focusing on his specialty—the platform—on Saturday.
Both divers expressed clear goals for their championship runs. Cates aims for an A Final appearance on platform: “I definitely want to be in the A Final on platform… I know that my best on platform will put me in the A Final,” he said. Sitz hopes not only to reach finals but also break his own SMU record: “Obviously trying to go into final and win… But honestly I’m just going out there and competing to best that I can that day… So I think that’s my ultimate goal—just give 110% no matter how I finish.” For both athletes—and their coach—the experience is enhanced by being able to support each other throughout competition.
