Diver Chris Devine has simply had an amazing season.

First he beat the 1993 Big Ten Champion Yoshi Sakata from Ohio State on the 1-meter board in a dual meet this past January. It proved to be the beginning of something wonderful.

And when this year's Big Ten Championships rolled around, Devine expected to perform better in the 1-meter dive, his stronger event. But he shattered the expectations when he took first on 3-meter.

Now he is the only Penn State representative competing in the 1994 NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships, which begin today at the University Aquatics Center in Minneapolis, Minn., and continue through Saturday.

Devine won his trip to this 3-day event when he garnered first places on both boards two weeks ago at the East Region NCAA Diving Prequalification Meet.

He has earned his share of honors, but can his winning ways continue?

"It's funny. At these meets, anything's possible," the East Region's top diver said. "This is the pinnacle of the collegiate season and I'm definitely more excited."

Diving Coach Craig Brown would be happy if his ace just reached the finals on either board, but Devine told him those sights were not high enough.

"He said to me, 'Like hell Brownie. I want to win one of those boards,' " Brown said. "He has the mind-set that we're going to shoot for top spot."

To do that, he'll have to surpass the 34 other divers from the nation's five regions, including the three others from the East Region --Navy's Nate Smith, Colgate's Greg Sobo and John Soulakis from Pitt.