Having been named WAC diver of the week three times this season, Evan Honer, freshman business administration major and diver for the men’s swim and dive team at California Baptist University, has won multiple diving events and broke the 3-meter board dive record Jan. 10 in a dual meet against Claremont Mudd-Scripps.
Currently, in Honer’s first year competing for CBU he has broken the 10-meter platform record and scored top three in the all-time program record for the 2- and 3-meter boards.
Rick Rowland, head coach of the swim and dive team, said Honer is currently one of the top in the program covering all three levels of diving.
Jeff Couto, diving coach of men and women’s swim and dive, recruited Honer from Liberty High School in Peoria, Ariz. During high school, Honer placed second in Arizona State Championships and was voted most valuable diver for the Liberty High Lions.
“Evan (Honer) has a unique background; he did diving as hobby,” Couto said. “He has always been into extreme sports such as trampoline and free running.”
Rowland said Honer only started competing in the 10-meter platform event in college but his athleticism and bravery helped him to excel.
“He does things on land that other divers probably do, too, but he is on another level,” Rowland said. “Honer looks like he can be a stunt man.”
Apart from his talent, Couto said Honer has a great work ethic.
“He is extremely driven and determined,” Couto said. “When he sees a mistake he does not let it get him down but he tries to get better.”
Honer said he is happy with his current performance this season and has significantly improved.
“I have learned so many new dives and my (dive) list is completely different since before I came to college,” Honer said. “There is still a lot I can improve on, which is promising.”
Honer said his main goal this season is to place within the top three in the 1-meter dive at WAC Championships. Honer will be competing against UC San Diego at Lancer Aquatics Center on Feb. 1.
