AUBURN, Ala. – Purdue divers Tyler Wills and Daryn Wright teamed up with Bayleigh Cranford from the University of Texas to win gold medals in the two synchronized 10-meter events at the USA Diving National Championships, earning bids to the World Aquatics Championships this summer.
Wills & Cranford were victorious together in mixed 10-meter synchro Friday. Wright & Cranford teamed up to win the women's 10-meter synchro event Saturday.
Boilermakers Sophie McAfee and Kaden Springfield also teamed up to win silver together in their debut as a mixed 10-meter synchro pairing.
Incoming Boilermaker Nathaniel Grannis claimed bronze in men's 3-meter synchro, teaming with fellow Northern Virginia native Ivor Brown for the medal-winning performance.
The World Aquatics Championships are set for July 11-Aug. 3 in Singapore. Wills and Wright have both competed for USA Diving at Worlds previously. Wright will be making her synchro debut at Worlds, opting to focus on that event after being an Olympian individually on the tower last summer. Wright competed in a synchronized event Saturday for the first time since the 2019 USA Diving Winter Nationals.
Wills & Cranford were also victorious together in mixed 10-meter synchro at the 2023 USA Diving Winter Nationals, earning the right to compete at Worlds in February 2024.
Mixed 10-meter synchro was just one list of five dives, with Wills & Cranford winning by 46 points. Prelims and finals were contested for the traditional same-gender synchro events.
Wright & Cranford were in a close contest with Anna Lemkin and Lanie Gutch through three rounds in the finals. Gutch & Lemkin led after the morning preliminary as well as after rounds one and three in the final. Wright & Cranford held the top spot after round 2. The pairs were separated by 3.09 points or less after each of those rounds in the final.
Both teams executed the same inward 3 ½ tuck (407C) in round 4 and a big score of 82.56 for Wright & Cranford was ultimately the difference in the victory. They enjoyed a 19-point scoring edge in the round and it carried the duo to a 15-point victory in the two-list overall total.
"It was super fun. I think synchro's just a fun event in general and having a competitive event was fun to see. We haven't had that in a while," Wright said.
"I knew that we were pretty close. I was kind of like, 'OK, we need to do something here.' And I think we did, so that was good," Cranford said.
Willis & Cranford finished their list Friday with a reverse 3 ½ tuck (307C) that earned 84.66 points. They won with a list score of 312.06.
"I felt pressure, but we deal with it. It's our favorite dive, so we're both extra confident in it, and I guess that helps," Wills said.
"[Winning] already in previous years, coming in, I think we were pretty confident in our synchro. We just wanted to have fun, and I think we did that. It's a really fun event," Cranford said.
McAfee, Springfield and Wills are all scheduled to compete individually on 10-meter later this week at the USA Diving National Championships.
DAILY SCHEDULES AT USA DIVING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Upcoming Individual Events
Monday, May 12
• Men's 1-Meter – Prelim at 2 p.m., Final at 7:40 p.m. ET: Max Miller (725.20, 5th), Holden Higbie (674.20, 7th), Nathaniel Grannis (269.35, 20th in Prelim)
Tuesday, May 13
• Men's 3-Meter – Prelim at 11 a.m., Semifinal at 5 p.m. ET: Max Miller (409.00, 7th in Semifinal), Nathaniel Grannis (289.50, 27th in Prelim)
• Women's 10-Meter – Prelim at 2 p.m., Semifinal at 6:35 p.m. ET: Sophie McAfee (300.20, 7th in Semifinal), Kaitlin Simons (209.80, 16th in Semifinal)
Wednesday, May 14
• Men's 10-Meter – Prelim at 1:30 p.m., Semifinal at 6:35 p.m. ET: Tyler Wills (434.65, 2nd in Semifinal), Jordan Rzepka (407.60, 3rd in Semifinal), Kaden Springfield (383.95, 6th in Semifinal), Nathaniel Grannis
Thursday, May 15
• Men's 3-Meter Final at 1 p.m. ET: Max Miller (776.30, 8th)
• Women's 10-Meter Final at 2:45 p.m. ET: Sophie McAfee (619.10, 5th)
Friday, May 16
• Men's 10-Meter Final at 2:35 p.m. ET: Jordan Rzepka (866.45, 2nd), Tyler Wills (844.15, 4th), Kaden Springfield (731.85, 6th)
Completed Synchro Events
Friday, May 9
• Mixed 10-Meter Synchro: Tyler Wills with Bayleigh Cranford (312.06, Gold Medalists), Sophie McAfee & Kaden Springfield (265.44, Silver Medalists)
Saturday, May 10
• Women's 10-Meter Synchro: Daryn Wright with Bayleigh Cranford (569.43, Gold Medalists)
• Men's 3-Meter Synchro: Nathaniel Grannis with Ivor Brown (649.29, Bronze Medalists)
Wills & Cranford were victorious together in mixed 10-meter synchro Friday. Wright & Cranford teamed up to win the women's 10-meter synchro event Saturday.
Boilermakers Sophie McAfee and Kaden Springfield also teamed up to win silver together in their debut as a mixed 10-meter synchro pairing.
Incoming Boilermaker Nathaniel Grannis claimed bronze in men's 3-meter synchro, teaming with fellow Northern Virginia native Ivor Brown for the medal-winning performance.
The World Aquatics Championships are set for July 11-Aug. 3 in Singapore. Wills and Wright have both competed for USA Diving at Worlds previously. Wright will be making her synchro debut at Worlds, opting to focus on that event after being an Olympian individually on the tower last summer. Wright competed in a synchronized event Saturday for the first time since the 2019 USA Diving Winter Nationals.
Wills & Cranford were also victorious together in mixed 10-meter synchro at the 2023 USA Diving Winter Nationals, earning the right to compete at Worlds in February 2024.
Mixed 10-meter synchro was just one list of five dives, with Wills & Cranford winning by 46 points. Prelims and finals were contested for the traditional same-gender synchro events.
Wright & Cranford were in a close contest with Anna Lemkin and Lanie Gutch through three rounds in the finals. Gutch & Lemkin led after the morning preliminary as well as after rounds one and three in the final. Wright & Cranford held the top spot after round 2. The pairs were separated by 3.09 points or less after each of those rounds in the final.
Both teams executed the same inward 3 ½ tuck (407C) in round 4 and a big score of 82.56 for Wright & Cranford was ultimately the difference in the victory. They enjoyed a 19-point scoring edge in the round and it carried the duo to a 15-point victory in the two-list overall total.
"It was super fun. I think synchro's just a fun event in general and having a competitive event was fun to see. We haven't had that in a while," Wright said.
"I knew that we were pretty close. I was kind of like, 'OK, we need to do something here.' And I think we did, so that was good," Cranford said.
Willis & Cranford finished their list Friday with a reverse 3 ½ tuck (307C) that earned 84.66 points. They won with a list score of 312.06.
"I felt pressure, but we deal with it. It's our favorite dive, so we're both extra confident in it, and I guess that helps," Wills said.
"[Winning] already in previous years, coming in, I think we were pretty confident in our synchro. We just wanted to have fun, and I think we did that. It's a really fun event," Cranford said.
McAfee, Springfield and Wills are all scheduled to compete individually on 10-meter later this week at the USA Diving National Championships.
DAILY SCHEDULES AT USA DIVING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Upcoming Individual Events
Monday, May 12
• Men's 1-Meter – Prelim at 2 p.m., Final at 7:40 p.m. ET: Max Miller (725.20, 5th), Holden Higbie (674.20, 7th), Nathaniel Grannis (269.35, 20th in Prelim)
Tuesday, May 13
• Men's 3-Meter – Prelim at 11 a.m., Semifinal at 5 p.m. ET: Max Miller (409.00, 7th in Semifinal), Nathaniel Grannis (289.50, 27th in Prelim)
• Women's 10-Meter – Prelim at 2 p.m., Semifinal at 6:35 p.m. ET: Sophie McAfee (300.20, 7th in Semifinal), Kaitlin Simons (209.80, 16th in Semifinal)
Wednesday, May 14
• Men's 10-Meter – Prelim at 1:30 p.m., Semifinal at 6:35 p.m. ET: Tyler Wills (434.65, 2nd in Semifinal), Jordan Rzepka (407.60, 3rd in Semifinal), Kaden Springfield (383.95, 6th in Semifinal), Nathaniel Grannis
Thursday, May 15
• Men's 3-Meter Final at 1 p.m. ET: Max Miller (776.30, 8th)
• Women's 10-Meter Final at 2:45 p.m. ET: Sophie McAfee (619.10, 5th)
Friday, May 16
• Men's 10-Meter Final at 2:35 p.m. ET: Jordan Rzepka (866.45, 2nd), Tyler Wills (844.15, 4th), Kaden Springfield (731.85, 6th)
Completed Synchro Events
Friday, May 9
• Mixed 10-Meter Synchro: Tyler Wills with Bayleigh Cranford (312.06, Gold Medalists), Sophie McAfee & Kaden Springfield (265.44, Silver Medalists)
Saturday, May 10
• Women's 10-Meter Synchro: Daryn Wright with Bayleigh Cranford (569.43, Gold Medalists)
• Men's 3-Meter Synchro: Nathaniel Grannis with Ivor Brown (649.29, Bronze Medalists)