ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Three Purdue freshmen qualified for the NCAA Championships in their debuts at the diving qualifier, placing among the top eight Monday at the Zone C Diving Championships.
Tyler Downs and Sam Bennett qualified for NCAAs on 3-meter. Sophie McAfee did likewise on 1-meter. As auto-qualifiers, they only need to place among the top 12 in their upcoming events this week at Zones to add to their schedules at the national championship meet later this month in Atlanta.
Among a 56-diver field to begin the day on 1-meter, McAfee finished sixth with a two-list total of 570.10.
The men's 3-meter field started the day with 33 divers competing. All four Boilermakers among that group finished in the top 11. Downs (820.55) was third and Bennett (780.65) seventh. The top nine in both events auto-qualified for NCAAs Monday.
Greg Duncan and Jordan Rzepka are also in good position after finishing 10th and 11th on 3-meter. As top-12 finishers, they'll be able to compete on 3-meter in Atlanta should they finish among the auto-qualifiers in another event this week at Zones. Rzepka is slated to compete on 1-meter and platform the next two days. Duncan is also entered in Tuesday's 1-meter field.
Emily (Bretscher) Pfeiffer ripped three dives in the 1-meter final that produced top-five scores among the field, including the top-scoring dive of the final round. But missed dives in rounds 1 and 5 cost her an opportunity to finish among the top 12 after being 18th in the prelim. She still improved on her prelim score by 45 points. The fifth-year student-athlete will need to finish among the top nine on platform Wednesday to become a four-year NCAAs qualifier.
All six Boilermakers that advanced to the final Monday improved on their prelim scores. With a 50.55-point improvement, Downs enjoyed the biggest jump in his list scores.
Action at the Zone C Championships continue Tuesday at 1 p.m. with the men on 1-meter and the women on 3-meter.
MONDAY AT ZONE C DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Women's 1-Meter
• Sophie McAfee, 570.10 (281.85 Prelim, 288.25 Final) – Finished 6th; NCAA Championships Qualifier
• Emily (Bretscher) Pfeiffer, 545.10 (263.55 Prelim, 281.55 Final) – Finished 13th
• Jenna Sonnenberg, 254.40 – Finished 25th in Prelim
Men's 3-Meter
• Tyler Downs, 820.55 (385.00 Prelim, 435.55 Final) – Finished 3rd; NCAA Championships Qualifier
• Sam Bennett, 780.65 (382.25 Prelim, 398.40 Final) – Finished 7th; NCAA Championships Qualifier
• Greg Duncan, 745.95 (364.25 Prelim, 381.70 Final) – Finished 10th
• Jordan Rzepka, 743.80 (357.80 Prelim, 386.00 Final) – Finished 11th
PURDUE'S REMAINING DAILY SCHEDULES AT ZONES
Tuesday
• Women's 3-Meter: Jenna, Sophie
• Men's 1-Meter: Greg, Jordan, Sam, Tyler
Wednesday
• Women's Platform: Emily, Maggie, Maycey, Sophie
• Men's Platform: Ben, Jordan, Tyler
AUTOMATIC QUALIFYING SPOTS TO NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS FROM ZONE C
Top 12 in an event also qualify for NCAAs if he or she has already auto-qualified
• 1-Meter - Women: 9 // Men: 9
• 3-Meter - Women: 10 // Men: 9
• Platform - Women: 9 // Men: 11
Tyler Downs and Sam Bennett qualified for NCAAs on 3-meter. Sophie McAfee did likewise on 1-meter. As auto-qualifiers, they only need to place among the top 12 in their upcoming events this week at Zones to add to their schedules at the national championship meet later this month in Atlanta.
Among a 56-diver field to begin the day on 1-meter, McAfee finished sixth with a two-list total of 570.10.
The men's 3-meter field started the day with 33 divers competing. All four Boilermakers among that group finished in the top 11. Downs (820.55) was third and Bennett (780.65) seventh. The top nine in both events auto-qualified for NCAAs Monday.
Greg Duncan and Jordan Rzepka are also in good position after finishing 10th and 11th on 3-meter. As top-12 finishers, they'll be able to compete on 3-meter in Atlanta should they finish among the auto-qualifiers in another event this week at Zones. Rzepka is slated to compete on 1-meter and platform the next two days. Duncan is also entered in Tuesday's 1-meter field.
Emily (Bretscher) Pfeiffer ripped three dives in the 1-meter final that produced top-five scores among the field, including the top-scoring dive of the final round. But missed dives in rounds 1 and 5 cost her an opportunity to finish among the top 12 after being 18th in the prelim. She still improved on her prelim score by 45 points. The fifth-year student-athlete will need to finish among the top nine on platform Wednesday to become a four-year NCAAs qualifier.
All six Boilermakers that advanced to the final Monday improved on their prelim scores. With a 50.55-point improvement, Downs enjoyed the biggest jump in his list scores.
Action at the Zone C Championships continue Tuesday at 1 p.m. with the men on 1-meter and the women on 3-meter.
MONDAY AT ZONE C DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Women's 1-Meter
• Sophie McAfee, 570.10 (281.85 Prelim, 288.25 Final) – Finished 6th; NCAA Championships Qualifier
• Emily (Bretscher) Pfeiffer, 545.10 (263.55 Prelim, 281.55 Final) – Finished 13th
• Jenna Sonnenberg, 254.40 – Finished 25th in Prelim
Men's 3-Meter
• Tyler Downs, 820.55 (385.00 Prelim, 435.55 Final) – Finished 3rd; NCAA Championships Qualifier
• Sam Bennett, 780.65 (382.25 Prelim, 398.40 Final) – Finished 7th; NCAA Championships Qualifier
• Greg Duncan, 745.95 (364.25 Prelim, 381.70 Final) – Finished 10th
• Jordan Rzepka, 743.80 (357.80 Prelim, 386.00 Final) – Finished 11th
PURDUE'S REMAINING DAILY SCHEDULES AT ZONES
Tuesday
• Women's 3-Meter: Jenna, Sophie
• Men's 1-Meter: Greg, Jordan, Sam, Tyler
Wednesday
• Women's Platform: Emily, Maggie, Maycey, Sophie
• Men's Platform: Ben, Jordan, Tyler
AUTOMATIC QUALIFYING SPOTS TO NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS FROM ZONE C
Top 12 in an event also qualify for NCAAs if he or she has already auto-qualified
• 1-Meter - Women: 9 // Men: 9
• 3-Meter - Women: 10 // Men: 9
• Platform - Women: 9 // Men: 11