Rampart’s Ivy Buckley claims 4A diving state championship

THORNTON – As a standout freshman diver last season, the only thing standing between Ivy Buckley and a Class 4A diving state championship was her older sister Maggie Buckley.

At the 2021 state meet, the Buckley sisters went one-two in the 1-meter dive, with elder Maggie Buckley going home with her third straight gold in the event. With Maggie Buckley now diving for Louisiana State University, this year’s diving championship appeared to be Ivy Buckley’s for the taking.

She didn’t miss her opportunity.

With a score of 502.60, Ivy Buckley won the 4A diving title to make the 2022 championship the fourth straight to leave Veterans Memorial Aquatics Center for the Buckley household. And this one is Ivy Buckley’s own, giving her a chance to potentially match her older sister as a three-time diving champion.

“It’s definitely nice to not be in her shadow and to be able to kind of build my own career, and to advance as much as I want to and achieve the goals that I’ve set for myself,” Ivy Buckley said. “Winning state is pretty great. It’s pretty amazing.”

With her first-place finish, Ivy Buckley scored 24 points for Rampart in the overall team competition. Rampart senior Aubrey Ellenwood placed third with 414.70 points, combining with Ivy Buckley to score 42 team points and setting the Rams up well for the 4A swimming finals that will take place Friday evening.

Heritage senior Morgan Divita, who placed fourth last season and will dive for the University of San Diego next year, finished runner-up with a score of 448.

“I just want to thank Tim Hardy, my coach, for pushing me past limits I didn’t even know I had,” Divita said. “He pushed me so hard and was really my motivation since it’s his last season coaching too. I was nervous coming into today because I know how good (Ivy) is. I actually didn’t watch any of her dives because I didn’t want to get in my own head and I wanted to do the best I could do.  So, when I found out I got second, I was so surprised because I didn’t even know what place I was in.”

Pueblo West senior Hailey Garner (412.70) was fourth, Dakota Ridge senior Grace Miller (406.50) was fifth, Liberty junior Ashley Van Milligan (405.95) was sixth, Silver Creek sophomore Leslie Broz (374.95) was seventh, Standley Lake sophomore Tess Grudle (373.30) was eighth, Heritage senior Emma Nathan (372.70) was ninth and Durango senior Alexis Behn (370.15) was 10^th.

Voted on by the coaches, Air Academy senior Meredtih Clabaugh was named 4A Diver of the Year. Since seventh grade, Clabaugh has undergone three knee surgeries to repair torn ligaments, as well as a brain surgery last year to remove a benign brain tumor. She was only able to compete in five meets this season, returning just in time to place 14^th at state as a senior.

“When I first got here, I didn’t have any high expectations because I was just happy to be here, happy to make it to state, Clabaugh exclaimed. “As the meet kept going on I felt better and better and I was very happy with how I placed, and how I received this award. I’ve had a lot of setbacks, but I’m just really happy that I was able to compete.”

Air Academy diving coach Jack Elbert added, “I think this recognition means so much to her, just because she’s been through so much. Coming back from the things that she recovered from, she’s just put in a lot of work and she deserves this award just from her achievement of being able to be here today.”

Rampart dive coach Abbey Graham was voted 4A Coach of the Year.