By Marty Gordon
Christiansburg diver Natalie Jones is headed to James Madison University..
In her four years at CHS, Jones has captured three state titles in 1-meter diving, set the school record in 2020, and beat this record recently at the state meet a few weeks ago. In December, she won the 3-meter event at a Charlotte swim invite.
James Madison has an outstanding swimming and diving program, and Jones said that was one reason for her decision.
“Also, the campus really feels like home. In my free time I love hiking, and Harrisonburg is a gorgeous area with a lot of hiking opportunities,” Jones said. “Overall, I am very excited about my next four years at James Madison University and am very grateful for everyone who has helped me get there.”
Jones’s goal is to have the smallest “splash” in the pool. “In all seriousness, though, I just want to keep pushing myself and physics to see how far I can go, and I believe JMU is the perfect place to help me become the best diver I can be,” she said. “Another goal I have is to continue to be a supportive teammate and help encourage my teammates to reach their goals.”
Jones plans on majoring in psychology and/or political science. After college, she would like to use her degree to either enter law school and specialize in governmental law on the path to maybe become a Supreme Court Justice/clerk or attend graduate school and become a psychologist/therapist.
“While these two are very different from each other, I will use college to determine my strengths and weaknesses which will in turn help with the decision,” she said.