ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Threes were wild for the Purdue divers on the final day of the Zone C Championships as a trio of Boilermakers punched their tickets to the NCAA Championships and three others clinched their bids in all three diving events at the national championship meet.
All-Americans Maggie Merriman, Maycey Vieta and Ben Bramley all made the most of their lone event at Zones by earning return trips to NCAAs on the platform.
Freshmen Tyler Downs, Jordan Rzepka and Sophie McAfee punctuated the versatility they displayed throughout the week by qualifying on platform to assure they would have an opportunity to compete in all three diving events at NCAAs.
The Boilermakers had nine divers qualify for the NCAA Championships this week, combining for a total of 16 event bids. Purdue will have a entry in every diving event contested in Atlanta, including multiple Boilermakers competing in all but one event (women's 1-meter).
The 2015 NCAA Championships marked the last time Purdue had both male and female divers qualify for all three diving events at the national championship meet in the same season. Steele Johnson and Mary Beth Dunnichay accomplished the feat that year. Brandon Loschiavo (2017) was the last Purdue freshman to qualify in all three events. Michelle Cabassol was the last female diver to accomplish the feat, doing so as a redshirt freshman in 2013.
As seniors, Bramley and Merriman have each qualified for NCAAs all three times they've been able to compete at Zones. If not for the NCAA shut down on day 1 of Zones in 2020, they would likely be four-year NCAA Championships qualifiers now.
Downs was victorious for the second day in a row, posting a pair of 400-point lists on the tower after also winning on 1-meter Tuesday. Jordan Rzepka also finished top five for the second day in a row. Merriman and Vieta placed third and fifth in the women's competition. They only needed finish top nine. Bramley needed a top-11 showing and finished seventh.
With all five men's divers qualifying, Purdue men's swimming & diving is sending a program record 10 student-athletes to the NCAA Championships this season. Five swimmers were also announced as qualifiers Wednesday.
Georgia Tech is hosting the national championship meets later this month. Diving events at the women's NCAAs are set for March 17 to 19 and the men's NCAAs is the following week, March 24 to 26.
WEDNESDAY AT ZONE C DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Women's Platform
• Maggie Merriman 552.25 (257.10 Prelim, 295.15 Final) – Finished 3rd; NCAA Championships Qualifier
• Maycey Vieta, 525.60 (247.80 Prelim, 277.80 Final) – Finished 5th; NCAA Championships Qualifier
• Sophie McAfee, 510.55 (279.20 Prelim, 231.35 Final) – Finished 7th; NCAA Championships Qualifier
• Emily (Bretscher) Pfeiffer, 493.85 (238.45 Prelim, 255.40 Final) – Finished 11th
Men's Platform
• Tyler Downs, 831.85 (431.25 Prelim, 400.60 Final) – Event Winner; NCAA Championships Qualifier
• Jordan Rzepka, 799.45 (415.85 Prelim, 383.60 Final) – Finished 3rd; NCAA Championships Qualifier
• Ben Bramley, 752.75 (396.00 Prelim, 356.75 Final) – Finished 7th; NCAA Championships Qualifier
EVENT BREAKDOWN FOR THE PURDUE DIVERS AT THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
• Tyler Downs – 1-Meter, 3-Meter, Platform
• Sophie McAfee – 1-Meter, 3-Meter, Platform
• Jordan Rzepka – 1-Meter, 3-Meter, Platform
• Greg Duncan – 1-Meter, 3-Meter
• Ben Bramley – Platform
• Maggie Merriman – Platform
• Maycey Vieta – Platform
• Sam Bennett – 3-Meter
• Jenna Sonnenberg – 3-Meter
All-Americans Maggie Merriman, Maycey Vieta and Ben Bramley all made the most of their lone event at Zones by earning return trips to NCAAs on the platform.
Freshmen Tyler Downs, Jordan Rzepka and Sophie McAfee punctuated the versatility they displayed throughout the week by qualifying on platform to assure they would have an opportunity to compete in all three diving events at NCAAs.
The Boilermakers had nine divers qualify for the NCAA Championships this week, combining for a total of 16 event bids. Purdue will have a entry in every diving event contested in Atlanta, including multiple Boilermakers competing in all but one event (women's 1-meter).
The 2015 NCAA Championships marked the last time Purdue had both male and female divers qualify for all three diving events at the national championship meet in the same season. Steele Johnson and Mary Beth Dunnichay accomplished the feat that year. Brandon Loschiavo (2017) was the last Purdue freshman to qualify in all three events. Michelle Cabassol was the last female diver to accomplish the feat, doing so as a redshirt freshman in 2013.
As seniors, Bramley and Merriman have each qualified for NCAAs all three times they've been able to compete at Zones. If not for the NCAA shut down on day 1 of Zones in 2020, they would likely be four-year NCAA Championships qualifiers now.
Downs was victorious for the second day in a row, posting a pair of 400-point lists on the tower after also winning on 1-meter Tuesday. Jordan Rzepka also finished top five for the second day in a row. Merriman and Vieta placed third and fifth in the women's competition. They only needed finish top nine. Bramley needed a top-11 showing and finished seventh.
With all five men's divers qualifying, Purdue men's swimming & diving is sending a program record 10 student-athletes to the NCAA Championships this season. Five swimmers were also announced as qualifiers Wednesday.
Georgia Tech is hosting the national championship meets later this month. Diving events at the women's NCAAs are set for March 17 to 19 and the men's NCAAs is the following week, March 24 to 26.
WEDNESDAY AT ZONE C DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Women's Platform
• Maggie Merriman 552.25 (257.10 Prelim, 295.15 Final) – Finished 3rd; NCAA Championships Qualifier
• Maycey Vieta, 525.60 (247.80 Prelim, 277.80 Final) – Finished 5th; NCAA Championships Qualifier
• Sophie McAfee, 510.55 (279.20 Prelim, 231.35 Final) – Finished 7th; NCAA Championships Qualifier
• Emily (Bretscher) Pfeiffer, 493.85 (238.45 Prelim, 255.40 Final) – Finished 11th
Men's Platform
• Tyler Downs, 831.85 (431.25 Prelim, 400.60 Final) – Event Winner; NCAA Championships Qualifier
• Jordan Rzepka, 799.45 (415.85 Prelim, 383.60 Final) – Finished 3rd; NCAA Championships Qualifier
• Ben Bramley, 752.75 (396.00 Prelim, 356.75 Final) – Finished 7th; NCAA Championships Qualifier
EVENT BREAKDOWN FOR THE PURDUE DIVERS AT THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
• Tyler Downs – 1-Meter, 3-Meter, Platform
• Sophie McAfee – 1-Meter, 3-Meter, Platform
• Jordan Rzepka – 1-Meter, 3-Meter, Platform
• Greg Duncan – 1-Meter, 3-Meter
• Ben Bramley – Platform
• Maggie Merriman – Platform
• Maycey Vieta – Platform
• Sam Bennett – 3-Meter
• Jenna Sonnenberg – 3-Meter