Nicole Lerma Places 13th in 1M Dive at 3C2A State Championships

College of the Canyons diver Nicole Lerma in a dark swimsuit tucks mid-air above a swimming pool during a dive. Overlay text reads “3C2A State Championships – Day 1,” “1M Dive – 13th Place,” and “Nicole Lerma | Canyons,” with a cougar logo and “3C2A California Community College Athletic Association” branding on the left.
Results
May 1, 2026

Story and photo by Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director  

COSTA MESA — College of the Canyons sophomore Nicole Lerma became the first diver to compete at the 3C2A Swim & Dive State Championships in more than a decade during day one action on Thursday at Orange Coast College.

Lerma achieved a score of 124.20 across her six dives to place 13th in the women's 1M dive event.

That score also left Lerma second among divers from the Southern California region and third among Western State Conference (WSC) competition included in the field of nearly 20 entrants.

The sophomore from Saugus High School is the first COC diver to advance to the state championship meet since freshman Alexis Kearns achieved the same feat at the 2015 3C2A Swim & Dive State Championships.

Kearns finished 14th in the 1M event and later took 15th in the 3M version of the event.

Lerma will have a chance to add to her success when she competes in the 3M dive event during day two action on Friday, May 1.

The 3C2A Swim & Dive State Championships are being held April 30 to May 2 at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa.

Stay up to date on all this season's action by following the College of the Canyons Athletic department on social media at @COCathletics on X, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.