After missing out on advancing to nationals last year by 0.4 of a point, Amanda Lohman got a bit of revenge.

She was the last diver to make the cut this year by edging someone out by as slim of a margin in the 3-meter dive.

Lohman, a senior at Upper St. Clair High School, will compete in nationals Tuesday through next Thursday in Mission Viejo, Calif. She will vie in the 1-meter and 3-meter events in the 16-18-year-old age group. She qualified for both at the eastern nationals in Rockville, Md.

Following five dives on the 3-meter board, Lohman found herself in 31st place. She had struggled on the voluntary dives, but had managed to climb all the way back to the top 12 to earn a berth in the nationals. She qualified on the 1-meter board by finishing 11th.

Lohman, 17, is the two-time defending WPIAL champion on the 1-meter board. She trains with the husband-and-wife team of Julian and Doe Krug at the Pitt Aquatic Club.

"Amanda is a very powerful diver, and that was noticeable from the very beginning," Doe Krug said. "But she was not all that graceful and her dives were rough.

"It is amazing what she has done, though. She is now among the best rippers [entering the water cleanly] on the team. She had to work very hard for diving."

Diving at the Division I college level is almost a guarantee for Lohman.

She plans to visit Michigan in September, and other schools are showing interest, including North Carolina, Brown, Bucknell and Kentucky.

"I am trying to keep my options open," Lohman said. "It's nice to know that I could probably dive at all these schools where the coaches are calling."

Lohman will be joined in California by two Pitt Aquatic teammates: Samantha Pickens, 16, of Franklin Regional, and Connor Kuremsky, 14, of North Allegheny.

Pickens finished right behind Lohman in the WPIAL 1-meter event this past season, and ended up winning the PIAA crown. Lohman finished fourth at states.

"It makes me more comfortable knowing they will be there because I know I will probably get intimidated," Lohman said. "There are so many good divers there.

"I'll have Sam to talk to during warm-ups and Connor will be there. He knows what it's like because he has been to so many national events."

Sending divers to nationals is nothing new for the Krugs. They have been coaching at Pitt Aquatic Club since 1979, and have sent divers to nationals every year.

"Diving is an individual sport, but team is still very important to feel that you have support," Doe Krug said. "Those three are the best of friends and great teammates. They have tons of fun together."

Lohman shows more consistency on the 1-meter, but she has upped her degree of difficulty on her 3-meter dives. She has upgraded most of her dives since her freshman year.

She started taking diving classes about five years ago at her country club before her coach directed her to Pitt Aquatic Club.