Issue link: http://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/488386
149 W hen Addison Boschult came to the University of Iowa as a diving recruit, he wanted nothing to do with the plat- form. ree years later, Boschult is an honorable mention All-American…on the platform. e Omaha, Nebraska, native capped his first NCAA Championships appearance with a 10th place finish on the platform. He is the first Hawk- eye diver to earn the distinction since Simon Chri- sander in 2002. Boschult walked on to the Iowa program in 2012 with no platform experience, but that didn't de- ter diving coach Todd Waikel from suggesting Boschult give it a shot off the tower. "I still remember when I was scrambling around, trying to find colleges to go to," said Boschult. "I couldn't get any coaches or anyone to answer my emails. Once I realized Todd was coming here it all fell into place and lined up perfectly. "When I arrived, I remember looking at the plat- form and saying to myself, '(ere is) no way am I doing that.' And now, looking at how far I've come, it's exciting to realize I only started learning about the platform my freshman year… and now, in my junior year, I just finished in the top-10 at the NCAA Championships." With three years down, Boschult now enters a brief offseason before returning for one final go at his senior year. It is a chance for redemption. "is whole experience has been awesome," said Boschult. "Having finished just outside of the finals at the NCAA Championships was hard; I felt I could have made it into the top-eight cut, but I'll have to use it as motivation for next year. "Without question, my goal is to make it into the finals next year. I know I have the potential." Having arrived on campus at the same time as Boschult, Waikel has had the opportunity to share the remarkable ride. "I had never met him before I got here, so we met right before school started," said Waikel. "To ac- complish what he has on this event is remarkable. I couldn't be more proud of him. He turned himself into a tower diver. "We're going to continue to grow, and we want to be on top. I came here not to be good, but to be great. We have the Hawkeye fight about us. is is a great step in the right direction for us as a team and as a program. is week was a good indicator for where we are, and we aren't going to slow down anytime soon." Boschult's competition schedule resumes in May at the 2015 World Championship Trials from May 15-17 in Bloomington, Indiana. "We have the World Championship Trials com- ing up in May and a full summer of competition ahead of us," said Waikel. "He needs to take this burn in his belly and use it to keep training hard and building on everything he has accomplished to this point."