Born: 1962 (Ashland, Kentucky)
Biography:
Megan Neyer (born June 11, 1962) is an American former competition springboard and platform diver. Neyer was a member of the ill-fated 1980 U.S. Olympic team, the 1982 world champion springboard diver, a fifteen-time U.S. national diving champion, and an eight-time NCAA champion.
Early years:
Neyer was born in Ashland, Kentucky in 1962, but moved to Mission Viejo, California to further her athletic training with the Mission Viejo Nadadores.
Diving career:
Neyer’s diving career started to gain prominence when she won the United States Olympic trials in both springboard and platform diving in 1980. However, she did not get the opportunity to participate in the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow due to the American-led boycott arising from the Soviet Union’s 1979 invasion of Afghanistan. Instead, she was one of 461 athletes who received a Congressional Gold Medal.
Neyer accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, where she competed in NCAA competition as a member of coach Randy Reese’s Florida Gators swimming and diving team from 1982 to 1986. In her freshman year in 1982, she was part of the Gator women’s NCAA championship team, which included notable swimmers Theresa Andrews, Amy Caulkins, Tracy Caulkins, and Kathy Treible. Additionally, she won her first two individual NCAA championships in the women’s one-meter and three-meter springboard events.
In August 1982, only four months after her NCAA championships, Neyer won the gold medal in the women’s springboard competition at the World Aquatics Championships in Guayaquil, Ecuador. This victory highlighted her exceptional skills and marked her as one of the best divers in the world at the time.
Throughout her college diving career, Neyer achieved remarkable success. She won a remarkable eight NCAA diving championships, sweeping the one-meter and three-meter springboard events in all four years of college diving. This accomplishment established her as one of the most dominant divers in NCAA history. Moreover, she earned All-American recognition eight times.
Following her college career, Neyer faced a setback in the 1984 U.S. Olympic Trials where she placed third, failing to qualify for the U.S. Olympic team. This was a tremendous disappointment for her, as the Olympic dream was within reach. The setback prompted her to take eighteen months off from competitive diving to regroup and reassess her future in the sport.
However, Neyer’s commitment and passion for diving led her back to the University of Florida for her senior season in 1986. Remarkably, she won the NCAA championships in both the one-meter and three-meter springboard events once again, showcasing her extraordinary talent and resilience.
Aside from her on-the-board accomplishments, Neyer also excelled academically. She was recognized as an Academic All-American in 1983 and 1986, and graduated from the University of Florida with a 3.5 cumulative grade point average and a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1986.
Neyer’s success extended beyond the collegiate level. Between 1981 and 1988, she won fifteen national springboard diving championships in both outdoor and indoor events. In 1987, she claimed the U.S. national championship in the indoor three-meter springboard event and the outdoor one-meter springboard, as well as the three-meter springboard silver medal in the 1987 Pan American Games.
Her competitive diving career concluded after winning her fifteenth and final U.S. national championship in 1988. Neyer retired from competition diving following the 1988 Olympic Trials, ending her journey as one of the most accomplished divers of her generation.
Throughout her diving career, Neyer’s remarkable performances and numerous accolades have left an indelible mark on the sport. Her dedication and determination have inspired aspiring divers around the world, as she remains an icon in the annals of diving history.
Awards:
– Congressional Gold Medal (1980)
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