University urges Ohio legislature to award them the national title, it worked

To say that the COVID-19 decimated the sports world is an understatement. College seniors will never get to hoist the trophy they may have won had their seasons not been cancelled.

On March 14, the Florida State Legislature voted in a very unbiased manner to name Florida State basketball the Men’s NCAA 2020 National Champions.

In a similar move, Xavier University has pressed the Ohio legislature to pass something similar for its diving team.

In a unanimous decision, Xavier was named the 2020 National Diving Champions.

The diving team began the season by making the questionable choice of forgoing a perfectly good pool in the HUB, standing an ample five feet deep and with a whopping four lanes. The team practiced their plunges in the Ohio River instead.

“When I heard that they were draining the O’Connor pool, I was heated,” freshman diver Jack Spritz said. “The team didn’t think that the HUB pool was deep or big enough, but maybe that is just us being picky.”

The team started out of the gates strong, not losing a single match. They endured a rather difficult schedule as they faced the University of Cincinnati to kick the year off and ended the season in a classic rivalry against Villanova.

But then COVID-19 crashed the party and ended the season right before the Big East Championships were able to start.

“It’s sad to have your career end like this,” senior John Morris said. “I was looking forward to competing with my teammates and winning a National Championship. I am glad the legislature sided with us, but I would have very much liked to compete”.

Xavier Diving hopes they have started a new trend for other colleges to follow suit.

“I also think that Xavier football had a phenomenal season. Actually, they have not lost a game since 1973 so I do not understand why they haven’t earned the recognition that they deserve,” diving coach Bob Richards said. “In the occasion that this next football season gets cancelled, Xavier has to take advantage of that.”

The football team and their coaches were not available for comments.
Father Graham echoed this sentiment in a recent email that he sent to the students on Wednesday.

“These last few weeks have been hard within the Xavier community, but in the midst of this we have had many blessings, including the diving team being named the 2020 National Champions. Let us continue to stick to our Jesuit heritage and move through these tough times. Now and always friends, Let’s Go X!”

It is within these tough times of many losses that the Xavier community has had a couple of wins.