MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Purdue alumnus Brandon Loschiavo ripped five 80-point dives as part of an impressive 500-point list, winning gold and another national title on 10-meter at the USA Diving Nationals Championships on Wednesday.
Loschiavo completed a gold-medal sweep of the 10-meter events at the national showcase and will represent USA Diving in both the individual and synchronized 10-meter events at the World Aquatics Championships in Japan this summer (July 14-30 in Fukuoka, Japan). The Olympian earned a bid to Worlds for the third time in his career.
Wednesday, Loschiavo won his second career individual USA Diving national title and seventh overall. He was also the champion on the tower at the NCAA Championships and U.S. Olympic Team Trials in 2021.
Fellow Boilermakers Jordan Rzepka (4th on 10-meter), Daryn Wright (4th on 10-meter), Greg Duncan (5th on 3-meter) and Sophie McAfee (6th on 10-meter) also finished top six in an individual event this week. Like Loschiavo, all four moved up from their place in the cumulative scoring entering the final.
Loschiavo's list score of 504.55 in the final is believed to be a career best at a USA Diving event. He also posted 500-point lists for Purdue while winning the on the tower at the 2018 and 2019 Big Ten Championships as well as the ACC/Big Ten Challenge in November 2018.
"I kind of wanted to feel that heat a little bit. I started the first cumulative round pretty badly, and so I wanted to lock in and feel like I was behind the whole time. I thrive under that pressure, and so I liked the challenge," Loschiavo said. "The whole goal was just shutting my mind off for every single dive. I know how to do every single one, so putting all the pieces together was my goal."
Loschiavo overcome a nine-point deficit in the cumulative scoring, moving up from third place to a 36-point victory while improving on his semifinal list score by 58 points. In the final, he ripped a forward 4 ½ (109C) for a big score of 94.35 and also earned marks of 86.40 in both the second and sixth rounds.
Rzepka finished strong with his best score of 85.50 on a forward 2 ½ 3-twister (5156B) to move into fourth place.
Wright had two excellent list scores in the women's 10-meter competition. She won the prelim round (317.60) and had the second-best list score (313.70) in the final. But a slow start coupled with a missed dive in round 4 of the semifinal kept her off the podium. The cumulative-scoring format was based on the semifinal and final. Wright medaled in the event at both the 2021 and 2022 USA Diving Winter Nationals.
Duncan (3-meter) and Rzepka (10-meter) also qualified for the World Championships as part of the winning teams in the synchronized events at nationals.
PURDUE IN THE INDIVIDUAL EVENTS AT THE USA DIVING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
WEDNESDAY
Men's 10-Meter Final
Brandon Loschiavo – 950.90 2-List Total, 504.55 Final; Gold Medalist
Jordan Rzepka – 815.80 2-List Total, 405.75 Final; Finished 4th
TUESDAY
Men's 3-Meter Final
Greg Duncan – 752.90 2-List Total, 380.40 Final; Finished 5th
Women's 10-Meter Final
Daryn Wright – 583.70 2-List Total, 313.70 Final; Finished 4th
Sophie McAfee – 546.60 2-List Total, 277.35 Final; Finished 6th
MONDAY
Men's 10-Meter Prelim & Semifinal
Brandon Loschiavo – 446.60 Prelim, 446.35 Semi; 3rd Place
Jordan Rzepka – 399.80 Prelim, 410.05 Semi; 5th Place
SUNDAY
Men's 3-Meter Prelim & Semifinal
Greg Duncan – 341.80 Prelim, 372.50 Semi; 6th Place
Women's 10-Meter Prelim & Semifinal
Daryn Wright – 317.60 Prelim, 270.00 Semi; 5th Place
Sophie McAfee – 281.55 Prelim, 269.15 Semi; 9th Place
Loschiavo completed a gold-medal sweep of the 10-meter events at the national showcase and will represent USA Diving in both the individual and synchronized 10-meter events at the World Aquatics Championships in Japan this summer (July 14-30 in Fukuoka, Japan). The Olympian earned a bid to Worlds for the third time in his career.
Wednesday, Loschiavo won his second career individual USA Diving national title and seventh overall. He was also the champion on the tower at the NCAA Championships and U.S. Olympic Team Trials in 2021.
Fellow Boilermakers Jordan Rzepka (4th on 10-meter), Daryn Wright (4th on 10-meter), Greg Duncan (5th on 3-meter) and Sophie McAfee (6th on 10-meter) also finished top six in an individual event this week. Like Loschiavo, all four moved up from their place in the cumulative scoring entering the final.
Loschiavo's list score of 504.55 in the final is believed to be a career best at a USA Diving event. He also posted 500-point lists for Purdue while winning the on the tower at the 2018 and 2019 Big Ten Championships as well as the ACC/Big Ten Challenge in November 2018.
"I kind of wanted to feel that heat a little bit. I started the first cumulative round pretty badly, and so I wanted to lock in and feel like I was behind the whole time. I thrive under that pressure, and so I liked the challenge," Loschiavo said. "The whole goal was just shutting my mind off for every single dive. I know how to do every single one, so putting all the pieces together was my goal."
Loschiavo overcome a nine-point deficit in the cumulative scoring, moving up from third place to a 36-point victory while improving on his semifinal list score by 58 points. In the final, he ripped a forward 4 ½ (109C) for a big score of 94.35 and also earned marks of 86.40 in both the second and sixth rounds.
Rzepka finished strong with his best score of 85.50 on a forward 2 ½ 3-twister (5156B) to move into fourth place.
Wright had two excellent list scores in the women's 10-meter competition. She won the prelim round (317.60) and had the second-best list score (313.70) in the final. But a slow start coupled with a missed dive in round 4 of the semifinal kept her off the podium. The cumulative-scoring format was based on the semifinal and final. Wright medaled in the event at both the 2021 and 2022 USA Diving Winter Nationals.
Duncan (3-meter) and Rzepka (10-meter) also qualified for the World Championships as part of the winning teams in the synchronized events at nationals.
PURDUE IN THE INDIVIDUAL EVENTS AT THE USA DIVING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
WEDNESDAY
Men's 10-Meter Final
Brandon Loschiavo – 950.90 2-List Total, 504.55 Final; Gold Medalist
Jordan Rzepka – 815.80 2-List Total, 405.75 Final; Finished 4th
TUESDAY
Men's 3-Meter Final
Greg Duncan – 752.90 2-List Total, 380.40 Final; Finished 5th
Women's 10-Meter Final
Daryn Wright – 583.70 2-List Total, 313.70 Final; Finished 4th
Sophie McAfee – 546.60 2-List Total, 277.35 Final; Finished 6th
MONDAY
Men's 10-Meter Prelim & Semifinal
Brandon Loschiavo – 446.60 Prelim, 446.35 Semi; 3rd Place
Jordan Rzepka – 399.80 Prelim, 410.05 Semi; 5th Place
SUNDAY
Men's 3-Meter Prelim & Semifinal
Greg Duncan – 341.80 Prelim, 372.50 Semi; 6th Place
Women's 10-Meter Prelim & Semifinal
Daryn Wright – 317.60 Prelim, 270.00 Semi; 5th Place
Sophie McAfee – 281.55 Prelim, 269.15 Semi; 9th Place