Luke Sitz captured gold in the 1-meter dive to cement his place in SMU swimming & diving history.
Luke Sitz entered the 2026 NCAA DI Swimming & Diving Championships with a target on his back after winning the ACC crown.
He responded by making history yet again. Sitz became the first SMU Mustang in 36 years to take home an individual national title when he won the 1-meter diving competition in Atlanta this week.
The sophomore diver from Prosper claimed gold 428.10 score and marked SMU's first-ever national championship in the event.
Scott Donie was the last Mustang to claim a diving national title in 1990, winning the 3-meter and platform competitions.
"Everything I worked towards paid off tonight," Sitz said, via SMUMustangs.com. "I'm just overwhelmed with joy right now."
Ponies coach Darian Schmidt couldn't hide his excitement for the budding star. "I'm so proud of Luke," he said. "He works so hard every day and stepped up in the biggest spotlight on the biggest stage."
Sitz's showing was highlighted by a Reverse 2 1/2 Somersault Tuck. The accomplishment puts him on a pedestal no Mustangs athlete has reached in over a decade.
SMU's last individual NCAA Championship - in anything - was golfer Bryson DeChambeau's 2015 win.
After completing the spring season, Sitz has his eyes set on representing his country with preparation for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics beginning soon.
Last month, seventeen divers from across the country were named to the USA Diving National Team. Sitz is one of them.
He is the only athlete from Texas to make the roster.
"We are incredibly proud to recognize the first athletes named to the USA Diving National Team under our new structure. These athletes have earned this distinction through their performance at a premier national championship event and have positioned themselves as leaders in our pursuit of Olympic and World success," said USA Diving High Performance Director Leslie Hasselbach Adams.
"This designation reflects sustained excellence at the highest level of domestic competition and our continued focus on preparing athletes to represent the United States with distinction. It also speaks to the dedication of the coaches and daily training environments that support their growth, reinforcing the unified Team USA culture we are building together."
The USA Diving National Championships, which will be held August 5-11 in Morgantown, West Virginia, will mark the next opportunity for athletes to make the National Team.
A strong showing here could but Sitz in the running for an opportunity to represent his country on the grandest stage of all.
With a national title in arm, big stages should no longer be a worry for the SMU All-American.
