Nick Jacobyansky, diving
Nick Jacobyansky was pulled into diving as a sophomore by recent graduates Jordan Hosfelt and Luke Kisiel.
Hosfelt qualified for the WPIAL Class AAA Diving Championships last year and graduated at the top of his class.
Jacobyansky, a senior, is now prepared to take up the mantle left to him by Hosfelt. Like Hosfelt, Jacobyansky sits atop the class academically and he’s working on qualifying for the WPIAL Championships.
Jacobyansky’s performance on the diving board and in the classroom led him to be recognized as Connellsville’s winter sports male representative in the Centennial Chevrolet Scholar/Athlete Spotlight program.
He is the son of Dr. Frank and Nancy Jacobyansky, of Connellsville. He has an older brother Michael, who is a junior at Pitt-Greensburg.
Jacobyansky is relatively new to his sport, entering his third year as a diver for the Falcons.
“Jordan said we needed guys (to dive). I was able to pick it up quickly,” explained Jacobyansky.
He is still working toward qualifying for the WPIAL Class AAA Diving Championships. Jacobyansky actually hit the required number of points needed with his total of 176.70 in the triangular meet with Laurel Highlands and Uniontown, but did not have the necessary degree of difficulty of 9.7.
“I’m working on two dives to get the degree of difficulty. Right now I have a degree of difficulty of 8.8. I’m on the cusp of getting those two dives,” said Jacobyansky.
As he becomes more seasoned in the sport, Jacobyansky has become a student of diving and learns from other divers.
“I’m much more observant of other’s dives,” said Jacobyansky. “If they do something terribly wrong, I can deduce what they did wrong.
“I picked up tips from Jordan and Luke. Now, I’m giving tips. I’m carrying the mantle.”