ROSEMONT, Ill. – A quartet of accomplished seniors featuring All-Americans and program record holders has been selected to represent Purdue Swimming & Diving on the Big Ten preseason watch lists.
Swimmers Brady Samuels and Maggie Love as well as divers Jordan Rzepka and Sophie McAfee were selected for the preseason recognition. The conference office introduced the preseason watch lists for swimming & diving for the first time this season. All programs were invited to highlight one swimmer and one diver of each gender.
Selected Big Ten teams open their schedules this weekend and the NCAA season really gets rolling in October. The Boilermakers open their schedule on Friday, Oct. 4 at Michigan's Be Better Invitational in Holland, Michigan. Grace College and Hope College are also scheduled to compete at the non-scoring event, which serves as a fundraiser for the Be Better Foundation (mental health awareness).
Love, McAfee, Rzepka and Samuels are all three-year scorers at the Big Ten Championships entering their senior seasons. Love eclipsed the Purdue women's program record in the 200-yard individual medley last season. Samuels has owned team records in the 100-yard backstroke and 100-yard butterfly since his underclassman seasons.
McAfee and Rzepka are multi-year All-Americans that have represented USA Diving internationally at showcases like the World University Games, World Aquatics Championships and Pan-American Games. They're also CSCAA Scholar All-Americans as three-year NCAA Championships qualifiers.
Purdue's first home meet is Saturday, Oct. 12 for the annual Dan Ross Indiana Intercollegiate, which features a variety of teams from around the state. The Boilermakers are also hosting the three-day, six-session Purdue Invitational (Nov. 21-23) for the fourth year in a row.
Swimmers Brady Samuels and Maggie Love as well as divers Jordan Rzepka and Sophie McAfee were selected for the preseason recognition. The conference office introduced the preseason watch lists for swimming & diving for the first time this season. All programs were invited to highlight one swimmer and one diver of each gender.
Selected Big Ten teams open their schedules this weekend and the NCAA season really gets rolling in October. The Boilermakers open their schedule on Friday, Oct. 4 at Michigan's Be Better Invitational in Holland, Michigan. Grace College and Hope College are also scheduled to compete at the non-scoring event, which serves as a fundraiser for the Be Better Foundation (mental health awareness).
Love, McAfee, Rzepka and Samuels are all three-year scorers at the Big Ten Championships entering their senior seasons. Love eclipsed the Purdue women's program record in the 200-yard individual medley last season. Samuels has owned team records in the 100-yard backstroke and 100-yard butterfly since his underclassman seasons.
McAfee and Rzepka are multi-year All-Americans that have represented USA Diving internationally at showcases like the World University Games, World Aquatics Championships and Pan-American Games. They're also CSCAA Scholar All-Americans as three-year NCAA Championships qualifiers.
Purdue's first home meet is Saturday, Oct. 12 for the annual Dan Ross Indiana Intercollegiate, which features a variety of teams from around the state. The Boilermakers are also hosting the three-day, six-session Purdue Invitational (Nov. 21-23) for the fourth year in a row.
| INDIVIDUAL HONORS OF NOTE – BOILERS ON BIG TEN PRESEASON WATCH LISTS | |
| Jordan Rzepka – Senior Diver • 2-Time U.S. Olympic Team Trials Qualifier • 3-Year NCAA Championships Qualifier • Competed for USA Diving at World Aquatics Championships & Pan American Games • 4-time Medalist at the Big Ten Championships (3 Silver, 1 Bronze) • 2022 & 2024 All-American on Platform • 2022 H.M. All-American on 1-Meter • Qualified for NCAAs in all 3 events all 3 years • Gold Medalist on 10-Meter at 2022 USA Diving Winter Nationals • Accounted for 228 career points at Big Tens while being 9-for-9 in career top-10 finishes • Ranks among top 7 in team history in all three diving events (4th on Platform) • CSCAA Scholar All-America & Academic All-Big Ten • 3-Time Big Ten Diver of the Week |
Sophie McAfee – Senior Diver • 2-Time U.S. Olympic Team Trials Qualifier • 3-Year NCAA Championships Qualifier • 2-time Bronze Medalist on 10-Meter at the 2023 World University Games • 2024 All-American on Platform as just Purdue's fourth female diver to be a top-8 All-American on both a springboard & the tower in the same year • 2023 H.M. All-American on 3-Meter & Platform • Silver Medalist on 10-Meter at 2022 USA Diving Open Championship • Accounted for 203 career points at Big Tens while being 9-for-9 in career top-10 finishes • Ranks among top 15 in team history in all three diving events (7th on Platform) • Distinguished Big Ten Scholar, CSCAA Scholar All-America, Academic All-District, Academic All-Big Ten • Big Ten Diver of the Week in January 2024 |
| Brady Samuels – Senior Fly/Free/Back • 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Qualifier • 2022 & 2023 NCAA Championships Qualifier • 2023 H.M. All-American in 100 Back • 2022 H.M. All-American with Purdue's 400 Free Relay • Team Record holder in 100 Back & 100 Fly plus 400 Free Relay • 2-Time Big Ten Medalist in Relay Events • Accounted for 191 career points at Big Tens while scoring in all three of his individual events all three years • Ranks among top 4 in team history in five different individual events as well as 12 relays that are top 10 • Continues to hold team freshman records in the 100 Free, 100 Back, 100 Fly • 2-Time Big Ten Swimmer of the Week |
Maggie Love – Senior IM/Breast/Free • Team Record holder in 200 IM, eclipsing a benchmark that had stood since 2012 as Purdue's longest-standing individual mark at the time • Ranks among top 15 in team history in five different individual events • 3-year scorer at the Big Ten Championships, accounting for 34 team points • 2-time Big Ten Swimmer of the Week as first Boilermaker since 2013-14 to win it twice in same season • Part of five relay teams that rank among the team's all-time top 10 • Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, CSCAA Scholar All-America, Academic All-District, Academic All-Big Ten |