BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Purdue's Daryn Wright was victorious by 80 points over two stellar lists of competition on 10-meter, winning her second career gold medal while also medaling for the fourth consecutive year in the event at the USA Diving Winter National Championships.
Wright won with a two-dive list total of 655.65. Sophie McAfee claimed bronze (571.50) to give the Boilermakers two of the three women on the podium in the event.
As a high school senior in December 2021, Wright was also victorious on the tower the last time Winter Nationals were held at Indiana University's Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatics Center. She won bronze at the December showcase each of the last two years. A runner-up finish on 10-meter at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in June made Wright an Olympian.
Beginning with round 3 of the prelim, Wright accounted for the top-scoring dive in the entire competition for five straight rounds and six of seven across the prelim and final. She won the prelim by 38 points over McAfee and then more than doubled her lead by improving on her prelim list total (322.10) by 11 points in the final (333.55). The scoring is cumulative, carrying over from the prelims to finals, at Winter Nationals.
Anna Lemkin (575.10) and McAfee (571.50) finished within 3.6 points of each other over the two lists to make the chase for silver the only thing in doubt going into the final rounds as Wright cruised to her 80-point victory.
In the men's springboard events, Zach Welsh placed ninth on 1-meter and 3-meter as a finalist in both events. He improved on his list score from the prelims to the finals in both events. Six Boilermakers are scheduled to compete Sunday at Winter Nationals, headlined by Jordan Rzepka in the men's 10-meter. He won gold in the event at the 2022 Winter Nationals. McAfee is also among the entries in women's 3-meter.
Wright's victory represents the first USA Diving national title won by a Boilermaker since David Bouda became the head coach of the Purdue Divers in the summer of 2024. Wright should be USA Diving's top candidate to compete on 10-meter at the World Aquatics Diving World Cup, set for April and May in Canada and China.
Wright began to distance herself from the field with her top-scoring dive of the day, earning a score of 82.5 on a back 3 ½ (207C) in round 4 of the prelim. She did not execute the same dive quite as well in the final (77.55). However, a better showing on her first two dives of the list (102 prelim vs. 140.8 final) led to her extending her lead early with the best scores among the field.
For the day, Wright earned scores of 67-plus on six of her 10 dives. Three years ago, she rode a list score of 330.25 in the final to victory after finishing sixth in the prelim.
McAfee's forward 3 ½ (107B) earned a score of 66 in round 1 of the final as her top-scoring dive of the day. She won her first career medal in an individual event at Winter Nationals. She finished fourth on 10-meter in 2017 as a 14-year-old and was third on the tower at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
Sunday's action features women's 3-meter at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and men's 10-meter at noon and 5:35 p.m.
Women's 10-Meter (Saturday)
Daryn Wright, 655.65 (322.10 Prelim, 333.55 Final) – Event Winner & Gold Medalist
Sophie McAfee, 571.50 (284.10 Prelim, 287.40 Final) – Finished 3rd in Final, Bronze Medalist
Men's 3-Meter (Saturday)
Zach Welsh, 674.70 (320.35 Prelim, 354.35 Final) – Finished 9th in Final
Men's 1-Meter (Friday)
Zach Welsh, 632.25 (311.50 Prelim, 320.75 Final) – Finished 9th in Final
Max Miller, 299.90 – Finished 15th in Prelim
Women's 1-Meter (Friday)
Jenna Sonnenberg, 227.15 – Finished 12th in Prelim, Scratched from Final
Avery Worobel, 225.30 – Finished 14th in Prelim
Kaitlin Simons, 197.95 – Finished 23rd in Prelim
Ruth Anne McCranie, 191.05 – Finished 26th in Prelim
Wright won with a two-dive list total of 655.65. Sophie McAfee claimed bronze (571.50) to give the Boilermakers two of the three women on the podium in the event.
As a high school senior in December 2021, Wright was also victorious on the tower the last time Winter Nationals were held at Indiana University's Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatics Center. She won bronze at the December showcase each of the last two years. A runner-up finish on 10-meter at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in June made Wright an Olympian.
Beginning with round 3 of the prelim, Wright accounted for the top-scoring dive in the entire competition for five straight rounds and six of seven across the prelim and final. She won the prelim by 38 points over McAfee and then more than doubled her lead by improving on her prelim list total (322.10) by 11 points in the final (333.55). The scoring is cumulative, carrying over from the prelims to finals, at Winter Nationals.
Anna Lemkin (575.10) and McAfee (571.50) finished within 3.6 points of each other over the two lists to make the chase for silver the only thing in doubt going into the final rounds as Wright cruised to her 80-point victory.
In the men's springboard events, Zach Welsh placed ninth on 1-meter and 3-meter as a finalist in both events. He improved on his list score from the prelims to the finals in both events. Six Boilermakers are scheduled to compete Sunday at Winter Nationals, headlined by Jordan Rzepka in the men's 10-meter. He won gold in the event at the 2022 Winter Nationals. McAfee is also among the entries in women's 3-meter.
Wright's victory represents the first USA Diving national title won by a Boilermaker since David Bouda became the head coach of the Purdue Divers in the summer of 2024. Wright should be USA Diving's top candidate to compete on 10-meter at the World Aquatics Diving World Cup, set for April and May in Canada and China.
Wright began to distance herself from the field with her top-scoring dive of the day, earning a score of 82.5 on a back 3 ½ (207C) in round 4 of the prelim. She did not execute the same dive quite as well in the final (77.55). However, a better showing on her first two dives of the list (102 prelim vs. 140.8 final) led to her extending her lead early with the best scores among the field.
For the day, Wright earned scores of 67-plus on six of her 10 dives. Three years ago, she rode a list score of 330.25 in the final to victory after finishing sixth in the prelim.
McAfee's forward 3 ½ (107B) earned a score of 66 in round 1 of the final as her top-scoring dive of the day. She won her first career medal in an individual event at Winter Nationals. She finished fourth on 10-meter in 2017 as a 14-year-old and was third on the tower at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
Sunday's action features women's 3-meter at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and men's 10-meter at noon and 5:35 p.m.
Women's 10-Meter (Saturday)
Daryn Wright, 655.65 (322.10 Prelim, 333.55 Final) – Event Winner & Gold Medalist
Sophie McAfee, 571.50 (284.10 Prelim, 287.40 Final) – Finished 3rd in Final, Bronze Medalist
Men's 3-Meter (Saturday)
Zach Welsh, 674.70 (320.35 Prelim, 354.35 Final) – Finished 9th in Final
Men's 1-Meter (Friday)
Zach Welsh, 632.25 (311.50 Prelim, 320.75 Final) – Finished 9th in Final
Max Miller, 299.90 – Finished 15th in Prelim
Women's 1-Meter (Friday)
Jenna Sonnenberg, 227.15 – Finished 12th in Prelim, Scratched from Final
Avery Worobel, 225.30 – Finished 14th in Prelim
Kaitlin Simons, 197.95 – Finished 23rd in Prelim
Ruth Anne McCranie, 191.05 – Finished 26th in Prelim