FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- UC Davis senior Lucy Lafranchise became the first Aggie diver to reach a final at the NCAA Zone "E" Championships in the program's Division I Era, finishing 17th on the 1-meter board to close out day one at the Wall Aquatic Center on the campus of Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Ariz.

The Bakersfield, Calif., native finished with a total score of 515.55 after placing 16th during the preliminary round with a score of 263.45 to earn a spot among the final group. During the season, Lafranchise posted seven of the Aggies' top 10 scores on the low board, including a school-record score of 291.30 in a dual against Loyola Marymount on Oct. 31.

Competing for a fourth consecutive year at the Zone Championships, Lafranchise's previous best finish on the 1-meter was a score of 232.35 during the preliminary round as a sophomore in 2014 to finish 33rd.

Also competing during Monday's first day of competition was senior Audrey DeNeffe, who placed 42nd with a score of 236.90 during the prelims. It is also a career-best finish for the Menlo Park, Calif., native, who finished 49th (219.55) on the low board in her first appearance at the Zone Championships as a junior last season.

Nevada's Krysta Palmer and Sharae Zheng finished 1-2 in the event with a score of 654.80 and 643.25, respectively. UCLA's Maria Polyakova, who placed first in the prelims, finished third with a score of 625.25.

The Aggies' duo continues competition on Tuesday morning (March 8) at 11 a.m., with the prelims of the 3-meter board. The finals begin later in the day at 2:35 p.m.

2016 NCAA ZONE "E" DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Day One Results - March 7, 2016
(Winners plus UC Davis finishers)

WOMEN'S 1-METER DIVING
1. Krysta Palmer (Nevada), 654.80; 17. Lucy Lafranchise (UC Davis), 515.55… PRELIMS: 1. Maria Polyakova (UCLA), 319.60; 16. Lucy Lafranchise (UC Davis), 263.45; 42. Audrey DeNeffe (UC Davis), 236.90.