Two SMU divers, Kristin Schild and Preston Holcombe, are in Austin this weekend to compete in the Conference USA zone meet.

The meet runs today through Saturday at the Jamail Swimming and Diving Center at the University of Texas.

Last week, the women’s team defended its C-USA title and won a conference championship for the 11th consecutive time. The Men also won their second straight C-USA Invitational title.

Zone competition is unlike regular meets. Only the divers with the best scores from every school qualify to compete. The top competitors from both the men and women will advance to the NCAA finals.

Schild is one of 40 women competing for six invitations to the championship meet.

“Competition is going to be very stiff,” Schild said. “I’m diving against the best of the best, but I feel like I’m well prepared.”

Holcombe is the only freshman on the diving team and will be competing in his first qualifying zone meet. He is excited about the competition.

“I’m not nervous. It feels like everything is coming to an apex,” Holcombe said.

Holcombe and Schild have reworked each dive in preparation for the zone meet, concentrating on the details.

“Right now we have mastered the basics of the dives, and we are working on being cleaner,” Holcombe said. He will be competing against eight other male divers in the conference.

A top finish for either Holcombe or Schild will qualify them for the NCAA championship meet next week in Minneapolis.