BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The 2021 season for the Saginaw Valley State University swimming and diving team ended at the NCAA DII National Championships with team history being made Saturday at the CrossPlex in Birmingham, Ala.

Senior Justin Ott became the first-ever NCAA First Team All-American for the men's program, taking seventh place in the 1-meter diving event.

Ott opened the day with a seventh-place performance in the preliminary round, earning a spot in the finals and guaranteeing an All-American finish. In the finals, Ott scored a total of 455.45 on 11 dives for the Cardinals.

The Britton, Mich., native is the first SVSU men's student-athlete to be named a First Team All-American. In 2016, the Cardinals had two All-American Honorable Mentions, Max Buxton in the 1-meter diving and Shaun Yap in the 200-meter breaststroke.