CHENGDU, China – Powered by a 43-point improvement on her list score from the preliminary to the final, Purdue's Sophie McAfee won bronze in 10-meter diving for the United States at the World University Games on Thursday.
McAfee's list score improved from 237.60 in the prelim to 266.25 in the semifinal to 281.40 in the final, as she moved up from sixth to fourth to a place on the podium.
Purdue swimming & diving won a medal at a third straight World University Games dating back to 2017. McAfee became the first Purdue diver to medal in an individual event at the biennial Universiade since Ashley Karnes was a bronze medalist on 1-meter in 2009. Kaersten Meitz (4x200 freestyle relay for USA) and Emily Meaney (10-meter synchro for Australia) were silver medalists in 2017 and Meitz won a pair of golds (400-meter free, 4x200 free relay) in 2019.
Purdue's Sam Bennett also enjoyed a strong debut at the World University Games, finishing fourth in the men's 3-meter final Wednesday. Like McAfee, Bennett is a rising junior and two-time NCAA Championships qualifier. He enjoyed a 34-point improvement on his list score from the semi (353.70) to the final (388.45), moving up from ninth to fourth in the process.
McAfee joined teammate Maycey Vieta as Purdue divers to win international medals this summer. At the Central American and Caribbean Games in July, Vieta won bronze on 10-meter and in mixed 10-meter synchro for Puerto Rico. The Boilermakers were also well represented at the World Aquatics Championships last month in Japan.
In early August last summer, McAfee won silver on 10-meter at USA Diving's U.S. Open Championships in Texas.
Bennett (1-meter) and McAfee (mixed 10-meter synchro) compete again at the World University Games before returning home for the 2023-24 school year and NCAA season.
PURDUE SCHEDULE AT THE WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES
All Days/Times converted to USA's Eastern Time
Men's 3-Meter – Sam Bennett
• Prelim – Monday, July 31 (361.60, 5th)
• Semifinal – Tuesday, Aug. 1 (353.70, 9th)
• Final – Wednesday, Aug. 2 (388.45, 4th)
Women's 10-Meter – Sophie McAfee
• Prelim – Tuesday, Aug. 1 (237.60, 6th)
• Semifinal – Wednesday, Aug 2. (266.25, 4th)
• Final – Thursday, Aug. 3 (281.40, 3rd, Bronze Medalist)
Men's 1-Meter – Sam Bennett (Scratched)
• Prelim – Thursday, Aug. 3 at 10 p.m.
• Semifinal – Friday, Aug. 4 at 1 a.m.
• Final – Saturday, Aug. 5 3:15 a.m.
Mixed 10-Meter Synchro – Sophie McAfee (with Allen Mann)
• Final – Friday, Aug. 4 at 5 a.m. (230.10, 4th)
Team Diving (3M & 10M) – Sophie McAfee (with Allen Mann)
• Final – Monday, Aug. 7 at 3:15 a.m. (323.35, 4th)
McAfee's list score improved from 237.60 in the prelim to 266.25 in the semifinal to 281.40 in the final, as she moved up from sixth to fourth to a place on the podium.
Purdue swimming & diving won a medal at a third straight World University Games dating back to 2017. McAfee became the first Purdue diver to medal in an individual event at the biennial Universiade since Ashley Karnes was a bronze medalist on 1-meter in 2009. Kaersten Meitz (4x200 freestyle relay for USA) and Emily Meaney (10-meter synchro for Australia) were silver medalists in 2017 and Meitz won a pair of golds (400-meter free, 4x200 free relay) in 2019.
Purdue's Sam Bennett also enjoyed a strong debut at the World University Games, finishing fourth in the men's 3-meter final Wednesday. Like McAfee, Bennett is a rising junior and two-time NCAA Championships qualifier. He enjoyed a 34-point improvement on his list score from the semi (353.70) to the final (388.45), moving up from ninth to fourth in the process.
McAfee joined teammate Maycey Vieta as Purdue divers to win international medals this summer. At the Central American and Caribbean Games in July, Vieta won bronze on 10-meter and in mixed 10-meter synchro for Puerto Rico. The Boilermakers were also well represented at the World Aquatics Championships last month in Japan.
In early August last summer, McAfee won silver on 10-meter at USA Diving's U.S. Open Championships in Texas.
Bennett (1-meter) and McAfee (mixed 10-meter synchro) compete again at the World University Games before returning home for the 2023-24 school year and NCAA season.
PURDUE SCHEDULE AT THE WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES
All Days/Times converted to USA's Eastern Time
Men's 3-Meter – Sam Bennett
• Prelim – Monday, July 31 (361.60, 5th)
• Semifinal – Tuesday, Aug. 1 (353.70, 9th)
• Final – Wednesday, Aug. 2 (388.45, 4th)
Women's 10-Meter – Sophie McAfee
• Prelim – Tuesday, Aug. 1 (237.60, 6th)
• Semifinal – Wednesday, Aug 2. (266.25, 4th)
• Final – Thursday, Aug. 3 (281.40, 3rd, Bronze Medalist)
Men's 1-Meter – Sam Bennett (Scratched)
• Prelim – Thursday, Aug. 3 at 10 p.m.
• Semifinal – Friday, Aug. 4 at 1 a.m.
• Final – Saturday, Aug. 5 3:15 a.m.
Mixed 10-Meter Synchro – Sophie McAfee (with Allen Mann)
• Final – Friday, Aug. 4 at 5 a.m. (230.10, 4th)
Team Diving (3M & 10M) – Sophie McAfee (with Allen Mann)
• Final – Monday, Aug. 7 at 3:15 a.m. (323.35, 4th)