Top Achievements
• 2020-21 MVC bronze medalist in 1-meter and 3-meter diving
Honors & Awards
• All-MVC First-team (2021)
• All-MVC Honorable Mention (2018, 2019, 2020)
• MSU Athletic Director's Honor Roll (Fall 2020, Spring 2021)
• MVC Honor Roll (2021)
2020-21 Season (Senior)
Appeared in five meets … Earned All-MVC first team recognition…bronze medalist on both the 1-meter and 3-meter boards at MVC Championships (April 8-10)…NCAA Diving Zone D Championship qualifier…Had a season-best 282.30 mark on the 3-meter boards in her final meet at Hammons Student Center against Little Rock (Feb. 15) … Placed in the top-three in all 10 of her diving events.
2019-20 Season (Junior)
Tabbed as All-MVC honorable mention…Made podium appearances in the 1-and 3 meter competitions at MVC Championships (February 19-22)…Claimed victory in 1-meter dive in home finale versus Evansville (January 11)…Turned in top total on the high dive at Drury (January 20)…Led MSU divers with third-place on 3-meter board at Kansas Double Dual (October 11-12)…Placed second on 3-meter board in Bears’ first meeting versus Drury (December 14)…Totaled a top-10 3-meter score at SMU Invite (November 21-23).
2018-19 Season (Sophomore)
All-MVC Honorable Mention…Podium finish on the 1-meter boards at the MVC Championships…Swept the 1-meter and 3-meter boards at Evansville…First-place finish at Drury on 3-meter.
2017-18 Season (Freshman)
Took fifth on the 1-meter and sixth on the 3-meter against Southern Illinois (Oct. 7) … Earned fifth-place finishes on the 1- and 3-meter boards against Kansas and South Dakota (Oct. 20-21) … Awarded silver medals in the 1- and 3-meter boards at home against Drury (Oct. 27) … In the second meeting against the Panthers (Jan. 18), she took second in the 1-meter board and fourth in the 3-meter board … Earned top-25 finishes on both the 1- and 3-meter boards at the Shamrock Invitational (Jan. 27-28).
Background
A three year letterwinner at Noblesville High School, Popa has competed at the national level several times, including a sixth-place finish on the 1-meter board and a tenth-place finish on the 3-meter board at spring nationals. As a sophomore, the Noblesville, Ind., native placed sixth in the state, breaking the 11 dive school record. In her freshman season, she placed fourth conference and was a participant in the Indiana state meet. Popa was a member of the Indiana International School of Diving club team led by Sean McCarthy.
Personal
Born 5/25/99 in Miami, Fla. ... Daughter of Constantin and Michelle Popa ... Has four siblings, Tristan, Tatiana, Daniella and Dominique ... Father played college basketball ... Majoring in Journalism.
| Career Bests at Missouri State |
| Event |
Score |
Opponent/Meet |
Date |
| 1-Meter |
222.97 |
vs. Drury |
10/27/17 |
| 3-Meter |
234.69 |
vs. Drury |
10/27/17 |
