| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1968-08-23)August 23, 1968 (age 57) Lansing, Michigan, United States |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Diving |
Julie Farrell-Ovenhouse (born August 23, 1968) is an Americandiver.[1] She competed in thewomen's 3 metre springboard event at the1992 Summer Olympics.[2] She has been described as "the greatest diver, male or female, to ever come through Michigan State".[3]
Farrell-Ovenhouse was born inLansing, Michigan in 1968,[1] and grew up inHolt, Michigan.[4] She competed forMichigan State University, becoming a six-timeAll-American champion,[3] along with tenBig Ten Conference titles.[1][3] At the Big Ten meet, she became the champion in the 1-metre springboard and the 3-metre springboard events in the late 1980s and early 1990s.[1] She replicated the feat, by becoming the 1-metre and 3-metreNCAA champion in 1990 and 1991 respectively.[1][3] In 1990, Farrell-Ovenhouse was named the NCAA Diver of the Year and the Michigan State Sportswoman of the Year.[1] The following year, she was also named theBig Ten Athlete of the Year.[1][3]
Farrell-Ovenhouse had been a member of the United States national team since 1989.[4] Her performances at the 1992 National Championships earned her a place on the US Olympic team.[3] At the1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, she competed in thewomen's 3 metre springboard event,[5] finishing in fifth place, with a dive that passed dangerously close to the board, as her hair brushed against it.[6] After missing out on a medal, Farrell-Ovenhouse said that she "went for it in the end" and that she "would have regretted if I didn't go hard".[7]
Following the Olympics, Farrell-Ovenhouse was inducted into the Greater Lansing Area Sports Hall of Fame,[8] and the Michigan State Sports Hall of Fame.[1][9] She also went on to speak at board meetings at Michigan State University regarding budget cuts in their swimming and diving programs.[10][11]
