ROSEMONT, Ill. – Avery Worobel and Holden Higbie have helped the Purdue Divers open the season 10-for-10 in event victories over the first four meets, teaming up for a sweep of the Big Ten Diver of the Week awards after their wins during a springboard-centric weekend.
Worobel swept the 1-meter and 3-meter springboard events in Friday’s triple dual vs. Iowa and UCLA in Iowa City while competing in the same aquatic center that will host the women’s Big Ten Championships meet in February. She was also victorious on 1-meter Saturday at the home opener, making the junior 3-for-3 in event wins for the weekend and 4-for-5 for the season.
Higbie won on 3-meter Saturday in his season debut, posting a strong 410-point list (a team season best) that coach David Boudia called the top performance he had witnessed so far this season. Higbie also finished third on 1-meter at the home opener as the Purdue men went 1-2-3-4 on 1-meter and 1-2 on 3-meter.
Higbie and Worobel both earned their second career Big Ten weekly honors. They were both named Big Ten Diver and Freshman of the week simultaneously during their debut seasons – Higbie in January 2024 and Worobel in February 2025.
They’re the Boilermakers’ first Big Ten Diver of the Week honorees this season while joining Freshman of the Week honorees Caroline Mallard (Oct. 7) and Aran Bissett (Oct. 14) on the league’s weekly honor roll lists over the first month of the campaign.
Multi-year Big Ten medalists Daryn Wright and Jordan Rzepka teamed up for three Big Ten Diver of the Week sweeps during the 2024-25 campaign, the last coming in late January of that season. Higbie’s other Diver of the Week honor during January of his freshman season was also part of a Diver of the Week sweep with Sophie McAfee.
Worobel’s team season-best list scores in Iowa City – 315.35 on 1-meter, 379 on 3-meter – made her a runaway winner. Even as the Boilermakers went 1-2 in both events, the junior won by 27 points on 1-meter and 58 points on 3-meter. Lucy Dovison was the runner-up each time and then posted her first collegiate victory Saturday with a win on 3-meter. Worobel’s 3-meter list score was a career-best at Purdue and moved her into sixth place in program history.
Nathaniel Grannis posted the Boilermakers’ other victory of the weekend, winning on 1-meter Saturday with a list score of 382.75. His top 1-meter showing at Purdue moved the sophomore into 12th place in team history.
The Boilermakers host Oakland this weekend for a two-day dual meet. Louisville’s divers will also be in attendance and all diving events will be contested as part of Friday’s 5 p.m. session.
