BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Purdue's Jordan Rzepka and Avery Worobel both staged memorable rallies to surge up the leaderboards in their finals and win silver medals Sunday as the weeklong USA Diving Winter National Championships wrapped up.
Rzepka ripped three 80-point dives in the men's 10-meter final (434.55), improving on his prelim list score by 77.15 points while rising from eighth place to second. He was in sixth place entering round 5 (of 6) until big scores of 86.95 and 85.50 on his final two dives – a forward 4 ½ (109C) and forward 2 ½ 3-twister (5156B) – earned him a place on the podium. They were the highest scoring dives among the field in both rounds and allowed Rzepka to overtake Andrew Bennett (University of Minnesota) by a tenth of a point for silver.
Worobel was in seventh place after the women's 3-meter prelim (267.90) but a 32-point improvement on her list score in the final (299.90) earned the freshman a place on the podium. She finished third overall and was awarded silver when Canadian Mia Vallée (University of Miami) won the event. Worobel was very consistent in the final, with all five of her dives producing scores between 57.00-64.40. Her top scores came in rounds 2 (64.40) and 4 (61.50), both ranking No. 2 among the field.
Worobel won her first career medal at a USA Diving senior nationals meet. Rzepka paired his silver with the gold he won on 10-meter at the 2022 USA Diving Winter Nationals. Both Boilermakers should have an opportunity to represent USA Diving in their events at the World Aquatics Diving World Cup 2025 (April in Canada, May in China).
Sophie McAfee (6th on 3-meter), Tyler Wills (8th on 10-meter) and Kaden Springfield (9th on 10-meter) were also top-10 finishers for Purdue on Sunday. McAfee and Wills also improved on their prelim list totals in the finals.
Daryn Wright (gold) and McAfee (bronze) medaled Saturday in the women's 10-meter events. They teamed with Rzepka and Worobel to give the Boilermakers four medalists and one medal of each color at this year's edition of USA Diving Winter Nationals.
SUNDAY'S EVENTS AT USA DIVING WINTER NATIONALS
Men's 10-Meter
Jordan Rzepka, 791.95 (357.40 Prelim, 434.55 Final) – Finished 2nd in Final, Silver Medalist
Tyler Wills, 726.95 (359.00 Prelim, 367.95 Final) – Finished 8th in Final
Kaden Springfield, 714.75 (361.95 Prelim, 352.80 Final) – Finished 9th in Final
Women's 3-Meter
Avery Worobel, 567.80 (267.90 Prelim, 299.90 Final) – Finished 3rd in Final, Silver Medalist
Sophie McAfee, 543.10 (262.30 Prelim, 280.00 Final) – Finished 7th in Final (6th Among Americans)
Jenna Sonnenberg, 195.05 – Finished 25th in Prelim
Rzepka ripped three 80-point dives in the men's 10-meter final (434.55), improving on his prelim list score by 77.15 points while rising from eighth place to second. He was in sixth place entering round 5 (of 6) until big scores of 86.95 and 85.50 on his final two dives – a forward 4 ½ (109C) and forward 2 ½ 3-twister (5156B) – earned him a place on the podium. They were the highest scoring dives among the field in both rounds and allowed Rzepka to overtake Andrew Bennett (University of Minnesota) by a tenth of a point for silver.
Worobel was in seventh place after the women's 3-meter prelim (267.90) but a 32-point improvement on her list score in the final (299.90) earned the freshman a place on the podium. She finished third overall and was awarded silver when Canadian Mia Vallée (University of Miami) won the event. Worobel was very consistent in the final, with all five of her dives producing scores between 57.00-64.40. Her top scores came in rounds 2 (64.40) and 4 (61.50), both ranking No. 2 among the field.
Worobel won her first career medal at a USA Diving senior nationals meet. Rzepka paired his silver with the gold he won on 10-meter at the 2022 USA Diving Winter Nationals. Both Boilermakers should have an opportunity to represent USA Diving in their events at the World Aquatics Diving World Cup 2025 (April in Canada, May in China).
Sophie McAfee (6th on 3-meter), Tyler Wills (8th on 10-meter) and Kaden Springfield (9th on 10-meter) were also top-10 finishers for Purdue on Sunday. McAfee and Wills also improved on their prelim list totals in the finals.
Daryn Wright (gold) and McAfee (bronze) medaled Saturday in the women's 10-meter events. They teamed with Rzepka and Worobel to give the Boilermakers four medalists and one medal of each color at this year's edition of USA Diving Winter Nationals.
SUNDAY'S EVENTS AT USA DIVING WINTER NATIONALS
Men's 10-Meter
Jordan Rzepka, 791.95 (357.40 Prelim, 434.55 Final) – Finished 2nd in Final, Silver Medalist
Tyler Wills, 726.95 (359.00 Prelim, 367.95 Final) – Finished 8th in Final
Kaden Springfield, 714.75 (361.95 Prelim, 352.80 Final) – Finished 9th in Final
Women's 3-Meter
Avery Worobel, 567.80 (267.90 Prelim, 299.90 Final) – Finished 3rd in Final, Silver Medalist
Sophie McAfee, 543.10 (262.30 Prelim, 280.00 Final) – Finished 7th in Final (6th Among Americans)
Jenna Sonnenberg, 195.05 – Finished 25th in Prelim