FEDERAL WAY, Wash. – Daryn Wright and Sophie McAfee finished top 10 in 3-meter diving Friday to secure All-America accolades in the first of their two events this weekend at the NCAA Championships.
Wright placed fourth of 48 in the prelim to qualify for the championship final, securing her third career All-America honor. She placed eighth in the final while becoming the latest Boilermaker to be a full-fledged (top 8) All-American on both a springboard and the platform during her career.
After placing 12th in the prelim, McAfee won the consolation final with a 350-point list to finish ninth overall – good for honorable mention All-America recognition. It was her fourth career top-10 finish at the national championship meet and her fifth career All-America honor overall.
Jenna Sonnenberg placed 17th in the prelim, posting a career-best finish at NCAAs for the second day in a row. She was one spot shy of qualifying for the consolation final. Avery Worobel finished 38th Friday after being an honorable mention All-American on 1-meter Thursday.
Wright joined Carrie McCambridge (2003-06), Amanda Miller (2006-07), Emily Bretscher (2018-22) and McAfee (2022-25) as Purdue's female divers to be a top-eight All-American on a springboard and the tower during their careers.
TOP 8 ALL-AMERICANS ON A SPRINGBOARD & PLATFORM
• Daryn Wright – 2024 on Platform, 2025 on 3-Meter
• Sophie McAfee – 2024 on 3-Meter & Platform
• Emily Bretscher – 2021 on 3-Meter & Platform
• Amanda Miller – 2006 on Platform; 2007 on 1-Meter, 3-Meter & Platform
• Carrie McCambridge – 2005 on 1-Meter, 3-Meter & Platform; 2006 on 1-Meter
In part because the coronavirus pandemic led to the cancellation of the 2020 NCAA Championships, McAfee has joined Maggie Merriman (2021-23) and McCambridge (2004-06) as the Boilermakers' only female divers to be an All-American in three consecutive years at the national championship meet. McAfee joined Casey Matthews (1-meter in 2013) and Merriman (platform in 2023) as Purdue's female divers to win a consolation final at NCAAs.
McAfee improved on her prelim list total by 32 points in the consolation final. She accounted for the top-scoring dives in rounds three and five of the consolation final and edged out Texas' Hailey Hernandez by 2.75 points for the top spot.
A missed dive in round 2 of the championship final kept Wright out of medal contention. The same dive – an inward 2 ½ tuck (405C) – also produced her lowest score of the prelim.
The Boilermakers joined Texas and University of Miami as teams to have multiple top-10 finishers on 3-meter.
McAfee, Sonnenberg and Wright all compete again Saturday on platform to close out the NCAA Championships.
3-METER DIVING FRIDAY AT NCAAs
• Daryn Wright, 344.60 (Prelim Score) – Finished 8th in Championship Final; All-America
• Sophie McAfee, 350.90 – Won Consolation Final, 9th Overall; Honorable Mention All-America
• Jenna Sonnenberg, 304.15 – Finished 17th in Prelim
• Avery Worobel, 265.10 – Finished 38th in Prelim
Wright placed fourth of 48 in the prelim to qualify for the championship final, securing her third career All-America honor. She placed eighth in the final while becoming the latest Boilermaker to be a full-fledged (top 8) All-American on both a springboard and the platform during her career.
After placing 12th in the prelim, McAfee won the consolation final with a 350-point list to finish ninth overall – good for honorable mention All-America recognition. It was her fourth career top-10 finish at the national championship meet and her fifth career All-America honor overall.
Jenna Sonnenberg placed 17th in the prelim, posting a career-best finish at NCAAs for the second day in a row. She was one spot shy of qualifying for the consolation final. Avery Worobel finished 38th Friday after being an honorable mention All-American on 1-meter Thursday.
Wright joined Carrie McCambridge (2003-06), Amanda Miller (2006-07), Emily Bretscher (2018-22) and McAfee (2022-25) as Purdue's female divers to be a top-eight All-American on a springboard and the tower during their careers.
TOP 8 ALL-AMERICANS ON A SPRINGBOARD & PLATFORM
• Daryn Wright – 2024 on Platform, 2025 on 3-Meter
• Sophie McAfee – 2024 on 3-Meter & Platform
• Emily Bretscher – 2021 on 3-Meter & Platform
• Amanda Miller – 2006 on Platform; 2007 on 1-Meter, 3-Meter & Platform
• Carrie McCambridge – 2005 on 1-Meter, 3-Meter & Platform; 2006 on 1-Meter
In part because the coronavirus pandemic led to the cancellation of the 2020 NCAA Championships, McAfee has joined Maggie Merriman (2021-23) and McCambridge (2004-06) as the Boilermakers' only female divers to be an All-American in three consecutive years at the national championship meet. McAfee joined Casey Matthews (1-meter in 2013) and Merriman (platform in 2023) as Purdue's female divers to win a consolation final at NCAAs.
McAfee improved on her prelim list total by 32 points in the consolation final. She accounted for the top-scoring dives in rounds three and five of the consolation final and edged out Texas' Hailey Hernandez by 2.75 points for the top spot.
A missed dive in round 2 of the championship final kept Wright out of medal contention. The same dive – an inward 2 ½ tuck (405C) – also produced her lowest score of the prelim.
The Boilermakers joined Texas and University of Miami as teams to have multiple top-10 finishers on 3-meter.
McAfee, Sonnenberg and Wright all compete again Saturday on platform to close out the NCAA Championships.
3-METER DIVING FRIDAY AT NCAAs
• Daryn Wright, 344.60 (Prelim Score) – Finished 8th in Championship Final; All-America
• Sophie McAfee, 350.90 – Won Consolation Final, 9th Overall; Honorable Mention All-America
• Jenna Sonnenberg, 304.15 – Finished 17th in Prelim
• Avery Worobel, 265.10 – Finished 38th in Prelim