BERLIN – Purdue Divers Sophie McAfee, Kaden Springfield and Max Miller all won medals for USA Diving in mixed synchronized events at the World University Games, marking the fourth straight Summer Universiade in which a member of Purdue Swimming & Diving has medaled.
The Boilermakers that competed for Team USA in Germany were part of six top-five finishes and eight top-10 showings overall.
McAfee and Springfield teamed up to win silver in mixed synchronized 10-meter. McAfee medaled at the World University Games for the second time in her career after winning bronze individually on 10-meter two years ago in China.
Miller teamed up with North Carolina’s Ellie Joyce to win bronze in mixed synchronized 3-meter.
Individually, McAfee was fourth on 10-meter (in both the prelim and final). Miller placed fifth on 1-meter and ninth on 3-meter. He was fifth in both the prelim and final on 1-meter and moved up from 15th to ninth on 3-meter while improving on his list score by 14 points.
Holden Higbie continued to make positives strides while continuing a comeback from the injury that sidelined him for all of the NCAA season. He finished seventh on 1-meter. Springfield placed 12th on 10-meter and would have advanced under normal conditions, but the World University Games limits the individual diving finals to two competitors per country.
Matheo Mateo raced for Paraguay in a pair of swimming events, finishing 21st among a field of 42 in the prelims of the 200-meter individual medley and winning his heat of the 50-meter butterfly.
Purdue will have six athletes competing at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore starting this weekend. World Championships qualifiers include divers Jordan Rzepka, Daryn Wright, Tyler Wills and David Colturi (all USA) as well as swimming alumni Nikola Aćin (Serbia) and Jinq En Phee (Malaysia).
Synchro 🥈 in Berlin
— Purdue Diving (@PurdueDivers) July 23, 2025
Sophie & Kaden team up to close out the World University Games on a high note for @USADiving & @USAUniTeam. #BoilerUp 🇺🇸 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/Jz5z7QVOYx
BOILERMAKERS AT THE 2025 WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES
Sophie McAfee (USA)
• Mixed 10M Synchro: 291.36, Won Silver with Kaden Springfield
• 10-Meter: 322.15, Finished 4th
• 3M & 10M Team Diving: 393.50, Finished 4th with Lanie Gutch, Luke Sitz & Drew Bennett
Max Miller (USA)
• Mixed 3M Synchro: 265.65, Won Bronze with Ellie Joyce
• 1-Meter: 337.65, Finished 5th
• 3-Meter: 365.15, Finished 9th
Kaden Springfield (USA)
• Mixed 10M Synchro: 291.36, Won Silver with Sophie McAfee
• 10-Meter: 336.00, Finished 12th in Prelims as 3rd of 3 Americans
Holden Higbie (USA)
• 1-Meter: 328.55, Finished 7th
Matheo Mateos (Paraguay)
• 200m IM: 2:03.41, Finished 21st Overall in Prelims
• 50m Fly: 25.04, Won Heat 3, Finished 42nd Overall in Prelims
SUMMER MEDALISTS SO FAR
• Sophie McAfee – Gold on 10-Meter at Bolzano Diving Meeting, Silver in Mixed 10M Synchro at World University Games, Silver in Mixed Team Diving at American Cup
• Daryn Wright – Gold in 10-Meter Synchro at American Cup, Silver in 10M Synchro at Bolzano Diving Meeting
• Max Miller – Silver in Mixed Team Diving at American Cup, Bronze in Mixed 3M Synchro at World University Games
• Kaden Springfield – Silver in Mixed 10M Synchro at World University Games
• Nathaniel Grannis (Incoming Freshman) – Silver in 3-Meter Synchro at Canada Cup & American Cup