After Historic League Three-Peat, Harborfields’ Ava Vandor Captures County Championship

GREENLAWN, NY — Less than two weeks after making Harborfields history with her third straight league diving championship, senior Ava Vandor captured her second consecutive Suffolk County diving title and earned a return trip to the New York State Championships.

Vandor, who previously advanced to the final round at last year’s state meet, will now represent Section XI in Rochester on Nov. 21. The scores between Vandor and the second-place finisher were tight, and the junior diver she was chasing had performed well. Vandor surfaced after her final dive, thinking the title might be slipping away — until she saw her coaches.

“I was pretty shocked,” she admitted in an interview with Patch. “My last dive wasn’t the greatest, and I really thought I had lost. When I came to the surface of the water, I was like, ‘Oh, man, that wasn’t so good. But my coaches gave me a really big hug.”

Balancing Championships and College Applications

Vandor practices six days a week, long solo sessions with her coach, Meg McConnell, since she is the only diver on the Harborfields roster. Together, they run her full 11-dive lineup every day, repeating corrections and rebuilding dives until they land cleanly.

“Last year proved to me that I was capable,” she said. “This year showed me how dedication pays off. It was a lot harder because I was worrying about diving and applying to college at the same time. “It’s just a lot of repetition and failing and failing and failing. And then finally you get a really good dive.”

The Coach Behind the Champion

Vandor credits much of her growth to McConnell, with whom she’s formed a close bond through years of two-person practices.

“She is my source of positivity,” Vandor said. “She’s the only person who can keep me positive no matter what. We have dance parties sometimes when I'm nervous. She's always reminding me that I have to trust myself. She’s totally irreplaceable.” Vandor said.

Vandor only began diving as a freshman with no training, relying on her background in gymnastics. She joined when she learned Harborfields didn’t have a diver and was losing points at meets. The role suited her immediately.

“I didn’t want to split time between varsity and club gymnastics, so I tried diving instead,” she said. “I’m really happy I did. I learned a lot and I have so much fun.”

Preparing for the State Championship

At the state championships, divers face multiple rounds of cuts — unlike county competition, where all 11 dives are performed. Vandor advanced to the final round last year and hopes to repeat that success.

“I’m kind of going into it with the mindset of it being a chance for me to show off what I can do,” she said. “I see it more as a showcase and to see how far I can get.”
Vandor said she was more nervous for counties than she expects to be at states. Her family, she said, couldn’t be more excited.

“My parents are probably my biggest cheerleaders. When I came home from the counties, my dad was singing like the Rocky theme song. I think what they're most proud of is how dedicated I am to my team and getting the points for my high school, especially being the only diver.” They're really proud of my work.”

Outside the pool, Vandor loves baking, still practices gymnastics, and enjoys relaxing with her family. Her younger sister, a sophomore, plays volleyball. As for the future, Vandor plans to major in biology and hopes to pursue a career in the medical field. She does not plan to dive at the NCAA level but is open to joining a club team in college. Her top choices include the University of Richmond, Miami, Wake Forest, Tulane, and Clemson.

A Champion Continuing Her Rise

From stepping up as an untrained freshman to becoming a two-time county champion, Vandor said her biggest lesson has been learning to embrace both the hard work and the joy of the sport.
“Romanticizing each practice, making sure that I'm having fun at the same time working hard — that's been something that's important to me,” she said.

Now she heads to Rochester, aiming to end her high school career on the state’s biggest stage — and with a diving legacy that Harborfields won’t soon forget.