Micky Benedetti is not your typical redshirt freshman.
The 22-year-old Rome-native has already established himself as one of the premier divers in the Pac-10.
He was also named the Men's Diver of the Meet in the Conference Championships last week in Washington.
Coming into this season, Benedetti knew he had some monstrous shoes to fill, left behind by departing senior and longtime friend Joona Puhakka.
Puhakka's career at ASU was nothing short of prolific, as he claimed NCAA titles in four events, was named the NCAA Diver of the Year in 2004 and Pac-10 Diver of the Year from 2003-2005. He also competed in both the 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens Olympic games.
Understandably, Benedetti was on edge heading into last week's Pac-10 Championships.
"The first day, I was kind of nervous," Benedetti said. "I felt a lot of pressure, and I was thinking, 'I have to do it for the team, I have to do it for [Coach] Mark [Bradshaw], I have to do it for me, and I have to do it because Joona did it for such a long time.'
"At that point I wasn't even diving because I enjoyed it."
Benedetti's inner turmoil showed on the first day of the competition, as he finished in fourth place in the 1-meter diving event.
"Right after the 1-meter, I had a one-hour conversation with Joona," Benedetti said. "I always listen to Joona - he's such a great help."
Whatever Puhakka said apparently helped Benedetti, as he went on to win the 3-meter springboard and 10-meter platform events.
Benedetti said he went into the championship meet expecting to win all three events, but wasn't disappointed with the final results.
"Oh yeah, for sure the meet was a success," Benedetti said. "I was the first student athlete to win the 10-meter in the history of the University, and I had my best dives ever in the 3-meter."
If it weren't for Puhakka, ASU probably wouldn't be lucky enough to have Benedetti to begin with.
"I've known him for about 10 years now," Benedetti said. "He's from Finland, and I'm from Italy, and we met for the first time at a meet in Rome in 1996."
Eight years later, Benedetti started thinking about moving to the United States for school, and, lucky for ASU, he followed Puhakka to the desert.
But it was family that led Benedetti to start his diving career.
"I already had three cousins diving by the time I was 6 years old," Benedetti said. "We had this old, rural house outside of Parma, and one day my aunt just asked me to do a bunch of dives, and it just started."
Later that year, Benedetti started going to pools in Rome with his cousins, and he's been hooked ever since.
"It just started, and I loved it, and I still love it - it's my passion," Benedetti said.
Benedetti is currently the only member of his family in America but still spends
winter break and parts of summer back in his native Italy.
When he's back home, he trains with national team and spends much of his time on foreign soil for international competition.
Up next in America for Benedetti are the Zone E Regionals in Oklahoma City from March 1 to 3. The National Championships are March 8 to 10 in Minneapolis.
"I'll try to get on the podium for all three events in the NCAA's," Benedetti said. "That's my plan, if not to win them.
"But, my first goal is to always get better - even just one point better than the meet I did before, to keep on getting better, and so I can say I did my best."
After the NCAAs, Benedetti will head to Melbourne, Australia with Puhakka for the 2007 World Aquatic Championships from March 18 to April 1.
The meet will mark the first qualifying dives for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
ASU could see two Sun Devils on the springboards during the next summer games.
Reach the reporter at: alex.espinoza@asu.edu.
