Every year, WA sees a handful of talented athletes commit to continuing their athletic careers at a range of universities. Whether it be soccer, basketball, lacrosse, or another sport, we often see a significant number of athletes sign to play at their schools. However, in recent years at WA, commitment for diving has not been as common.

WA Dive team captain Ashley Dias will continue her diving career at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA.      According to Dias, the process all began for her last spring when she filled out a survey for the school and later ended up in contact with Duquesne’s swim coach. Along with the diving program itself, Dias says she was also attracted to the school because of their nursing program.

In June, she met with the swim coach when she visited the school and stayed in contact with him throughout the summer. Recently, Dias was flown out by the university in September to get a more in-depth look at the school and their program.

”I met with a nursing adviser, an academic adviser, and I also met the entire [dive team],” she said.When she gets to the school next August, Dias will be joining a still new dive team. In fact, next year will be the team’s second season, as this year is the inaugural year of Duquesne’s dive team.

Dias is looking forward to joining a still relatively new team next year, as she hopes she can have an impact in her first year there.                          ”I’m really excited […] I can help build up the team and I can help the dive coach […],” she said.

As for getting to know her future teammates, Dias says that the both the divers and the swimmers have their own dorm wings at Duquesne, helping the teams get to know each other. In fact, the teams are able to do weight training and some of their respective practices in the same area.

She says she chose the school because she felt more connected to the swimmers and divers at Duquesne, compared to some of the other schools she considered.

”A lot of [the swimmers and divers] are going into medicine or nursing, so I felt like I would fit in, whereas other schools that I toured, they were [mostly] business majors […]. I just felt really welcomed there,” Dias said.       In the end, Dias is looking forward to having a head start when it comes to making new friends at a new place.“I’m excited that I’m going to college already knowing a bunch of people and you already have your group of people in your family, that’s exciting,” she said.