ATLANTA – In their debuts at the NCAA Championships, freshmen Tyler Downs and Jordan Rzepka finished 1-2 in the 1-meter diving consolation final, highlighting the first full day of action at the national championship meet for Purdue men's swimming & diving.
Downs and Rzepka both finished top 10 overall among a field of 47 divers, earning honorable mention All-America accolades. Downs became the first Boilermaker to win a consolation final at NCAAs since Greg Duncan (on 3-meter) in 2019.
The Boilermakers are in 20th place with 16 team points with seven events complete at the national championship meet.
Purdue posted season-best times in both the 200 freestyle and 200 medley relays over the first two day of the meet. The Boilermakers improved on their all-time rankings in the team record book as well.
Nick Sherman, Ryan Hrosik, Nikola Aćin and Brady Samuels teamed up for a time of 1:16.74 in the 200 free relay, placing 17th overall. They improved on the second-fastest time in the history, which had been good enough for bronze at the Big Ten Championships last month. Aćin led the way with a 50-yard split of 18.85 on the third leg. Purdue finished better than its seed (18th) but came up just .07 hundredths of a second shy of a scoring finish and honorable mention All-America distinction.
The same quartet raced in the 200 medley relay. Even with only Aćin (freestyle) swimming his top stroke, the foursome managed to post a time of 1:24.65 to improve on the team's showing in the event at Big Tens. In the process, they clipped .18 hundredths of a second off the fourth-fastest time in team history.
Downs and Rzepka both improved on their prelim scores by 38 points. Downs had the top-scoring dives (78.4, 75.2) in each of the final two rounds of the consolation final. Rzepka started strong with the top-scoring dives in each of the first two rounds and then closed his list with a score of 72 to take runner-up honors in the consol.
Eight of Purdue's 10 student-athletes in Atlanta this weekend are scheduled to compete Friday as the Boilermakers have 3-meter diving and the 400 medley relay on their schedule. The diving prelim is set for 12:15 p.m. ET and the relay will be the final event of the 6 p.m. finals session.
WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY AT THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
* – Purdue season-best time
1-Meter Diving (Thursday)
Tyler Downs, 383.65 – Won Consolation Final, 9th Overall (9 Points); H.M. All-American
Jordan Rzepka, 372.60 – Finished 2nd in Consolation Final, 10th Overall (7 Points); H.M. All-American
Greg Duncan, 298.15 -- Finished 33rd in Prelims
200 Free Relay (Thursday)
Sherman, Hrosik, Aćin & Samuels, 1:16.74* – Finished 17th Overall; Improved on 2nd-Fastest Time in Team History
50 Free (Thursday)
Nikola Aćin, 19.54 – Finished 40th in Prelims
200 Medley Relay (Wednesday)
Sherman, Samuels, Hrosik & Aćin, 1:24.65* – Finished 27th Overall; Improved on 4th-Fastest Time in Team History
PURDUE'S REMAINING SCHEDULE AT NCAAs
Friday, March 25 – 10 a.m. Swimming Prelims, 12:15 p.m. Diving Prelims // 6 p.m. Finals
• 3-Meter Diving – Sam Bennett, Tyler Downs, Greg Duncan, Jordan Rzepka
• 400 Medley Relay (Last Event of Finals) – Nikola Aćin, Nick Sherman, Brady Samuels, Keelan Hart
Saturday, March 26 – 10 a.m. Swimming Prelims, 12 p.m. Diving Prelims // 6 p.m. Finals
• 100 Free – Nikola Aćin
• Platform Diving – Ben Bramley, Tyler Downs, Jordan Rzepka
• 400 Free Relay (Last Event of Finals) – Nikola Aćin, Keelan Hart, Brady Samuels, Nick Sherman
Downs and Rzepka both finished top 10 overall among a field of 47 divers, earning honorable mention All-America accolades. Downs became the first Boilermaker to win a consolation final at NCAAs since Greg Duncan (on 3-meter) in 2019.
The Boilermakers are in 20th place with 16 team points with seven events complete at the national championship meet.
Purdue posted season-best times in both the 200 freestyle and 200 medley relays over the first two day of the meet. The Boilermakers improved on their all-time rankings in the team record book as well.
Nick Sherman, Ryan Hrosik, Nikola Aćin and Brady Samuels teamed up for a time of 1:16.74 in the 200 free relay, placing 17th overall. They improved on the second-fastest time in the history, which had been good enough for bronze at the Big Ten Championships last month. Aćin led the way with a 50-yard split of 18.85 on the third leg. Purdue finished better than its seed (18th) but came up just .07 hundredths of a second shy of a scoring finish and honorable mention All-America distinction.
The same quartet raced in the 200 medley relay. Even with only Aćin (freestyle) swimming his top stroke, the foursome managed to post a time of 1:24.65 to improve on the team's showing in the event at Big Tens. In the process, they clipped .18 hundredths of a second off the fourth-fastest time in team history.
Downs and Rzepka both improved on their prelim scores by 38 points. Downs had the top-scoring dives (78.4, 75.2) in each of the final two rounds of the consolation final. Rzepka started strong with the top-scoring dives in each of the first two rounds and then closed his list with a score of 72 to take runner-up honors in the consol.
Eight of Purdue's 10 student-athletes in Atlanta this weekend are scheduled to compete Friday as the Boilermakers have 3-meter diving and the 400 medley relay on their schedule. The diving prelim is set for 12:15 p.m. ET and the relay will be the final event of the 6 p.m. finals session.
WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY AT THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
* – Purdue season-best time
1-Meter Diving (Thursday)
Tyler Downs, 383.65 – Won Consolation Final, 9th Overall (9 Points); H.M. All-American
Jordan Rzepka, 372.60 – Finished 2nd in Consolation Final, 10th Overall (7 Points); H.M. All-American
Greg Duncan, 298.15 -- Finished 33rd in Prelims
200 Free Relay (Thursday)
Sherman, Hrosik, Aćin & Samuels, 1:16.74* – Finished 17th Overall; Improved on 2nd-Fastest Time in Team History
50 Free (Thursday)
Nikola Aćin, 19.54 – Finished 40th in Prelims
200 Medley Relay (Wednesday)
Sherman, Samuels, Hrosik & Aćin, 1:24.65* – Finished 27th Overall; Improved on 4th-Fastest Time in Team History
PURDUE'S REMAINING SCHEDULE AT NCAAs
Friday, March 25 – 10 a.m. Swimming Prelims, 12:15 p.m. Diving Prelims // 6 p.m. Finals
• 3-Meter Diving – Sam Bennett, Tyler Downs, Greg Duncan, Jordan Rzepka
• 400 Medley Relay (Last Event of Finals) – Nikola Aćin, Nick Sherman, Brady Samuels, Keelan Hart
Saturday, March 26 – 10 a.m. Swimming Prelims, 12 p.m. Diving Prelims // 6 p.m. Finals
• 100 Free – Nikola Aćin
• Platform Diving – Ben Bramley, Tyler Downs, Jordan Rzepka
• 400 Free Relay (Last Event of Finals) – Nikola Aćin, Keelan Hart, Brady Samuels, Nick Sherman