MINNEAPOLIS – Nick Sherman closed out his decorated career with a season-best time in the 100 freestyle and sophomores Brady Samuels and Jordan Rzepka each posted their second top-25 finishes of the week, highlighting the final day of action at the NCAA Championships for Purdue men's swimming & diving.
Sherman broke 43 seconds again in the 100 free, finishing his five-year run as a Boilermaker with a time of 42.94. It was just .06 hundredths of a second off his career best (42.88) from the leadoff leg on the 400 free relay at the 2021 Big Ten Championships, a mark that ranks fourth in team history. The Colorado native and Purdue graduate is the first student-athlete in team history to be both a four-year NCAA Championships qualifier and Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
Samuels finished 23rd of 55 in the 100 free prelims with a time of 42.22, besting his mark (42.41) from the championship final at the Big Ten Championships last month. He qualified for NCAAs with his career-best time of 41.99 at the Boiler-Make-It meet a week later. Samuels earned All-America honors with a scoring finish and program-record time in the 100 backstroke Friday at NCAAs.
Rzepka placed 17th of 47 in the platform diving prelims with a score of 342.65, his second 17th-place finish of the week. One place higher on 1-meter or platform and he would have advanced to the consolation final of the event for a scoring finish and All-America accolades. Rzepka was among the 25 divers nationally to qualify for NCAAs in all three events this week, accomplishing the feat for the second year in a row.
As multi-year NCAAs qualifiers, Sam Bennett, Rzepka and Samuels will headline Purdue's returnees for the 2023-24 season.
PURDUE AT THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Results from the final day of the national championship meet
100 Free
Brady Samuels, 42.22 – Finished 23rd in Prelims
Nick Sherman, 42.94 – Finished 45th in Prelims; Individual Season-Best Time
Platform Diving
Jordan Rzepka, 342.65 – Finished 17th in Prelims
Sherman broke 43 seconds again in the 100 free, finishing his five-year run as a Boilermaker with a time of 42.94. It was just .06 hundredths of a second off his career best (42.88) from the leadoff leg on the 400 free relay at the 2021 Big Ten Championships, a mark that ranks fourth in team history. The Colorado native and Purdue graduate is the first student-athlete in team history to be both a four-year NCAA Championships qualifier and Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
Samuels finished 23rd of 55 in the 100 free prelims with a time of 42.22, besting his mark (42.41) from the championship final at the Big Ten Championships last month. He qualified for NCAAs with his career-best time of 41.99 at the Boiler-Make-It meet a week later. Samuels earned All-America honors with a scoring finish and program-record time in the 100 backstroke Friday at NCAAs.
Rzepka placed 17th of 47 in the platform diving prelims with a score of 342.65, his second 17th-place finish of the week. One place higher on 1-meter or platform and he would have advanced to the consolation final of the event for a scoring finish and All-America accolades. Rzepka was among the 25 divers nationally to qualify for NCAAs in all three events this week, accomplishing the feat for the second year in a row.
As multi-year NCAAs qualifiers, Sam Bennett, Rzepka and Samuels will headline Purdue's returnees for the 2023-24 season.
PURDUE AT THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Results from the final day of the national championship meet
100 Free
Brady Samuels, 42.22 – Finished 23rd in Prelims
Nick Sherman, 42.94 – Finished 45th in Prelims; Individual Season-Best Time
Platform Diving
Jordan Rzepka, 342.65 – Finished 17th in Prelims