Another year at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships means a new mindset for TCU men’s diver Kelly McCain, who will compete today in the NCAA Championship Meet.McCain, a senior, made history last year as TCU’s first male diver to qualify for the NCAA Diving Championships. This year, he is the men’s swimming and diving team’s only representative at the meet.

McCain is making his second appearance at the championships and said this time he knows what he is doing. The senior said his nerves have faded since last year and he is more mentally prepared for the competition in Atlanta.

Now that McCain and diving coach Wayne Chester know what to expect, they said they are training accordingly.

The competition at the championship meet is different from the regular season, Chester said. Instead of four divers doing the required six dives, 36 men will be diving.

For McCain, that means training for a lot more downtime.

“The NCAA Championships are different because there is 20 minutes between each dive,” McCain said. “I have to train to dive and then to sit around before the next one.”

If the training pays off, the diver said he will be happy with placing in the top 16. His coach, however, said he sees more potential.

“I expect top 16,” Chester said, “but I hope for top eight.”

Either placement would be an improvement from last year’s 21st place finish.

McCain said he is happy and relaxed about diving in his final competition.

“I will just dive and get it over with,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of other stuff to do.