INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Bentley University Nicola Mancini (Falmouth, Maine/Falmouth HS) earned her fourth career All-America award Wednesday night during the NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships after storming back in the prelims of the three-meter diving during the afternoon session to just qualify for the finals.

Competing at the Indiana University Natatorium on the campus of IUPUI, Mancini finished sixth with a school record score of 471.30. She missed a top four showing by only 1.40 points.

Mancini turned in three 50-point dives during the evening session with a high of 54.00 on an inward two-and-a-half somersault tuck on her penultimate dive of the competition. She followed that with an even 50.00 on a forward one-and-a-half somersault two twist free.

Mancini began the evening session with a score of 50.40 on a back one-and-a-half somersault one-and-a-half twist free.

Eight divers emerged out of the prelims and Mancini found herself in 18th place after five of eleven dives. She finished strong, making up about ten points on her final dive to edge Henderson State's Tatiana Kurach by less than a point, 444.40 to 443.55.

Mancini closed the prelims with scores of 46.20 (inward two-and-a-half somersault pike) and 45.15 (forward one-and-a-half somersault one twist free). Her best dive of the prelims earned her 54.00 points on a forward two-and-a-half somersault pike.

Monica Amaral of West Florida captured gold by about 23 points with a winning score of 550.20.

                Mancini will have Thursday off before returning to the diving well on Friday for the one-meter championships.