Purdue Diver Says NCAA Titles Just A Step Toward His Ultimate Goal

WBAA

Published March 31, 2015 at 12:43 PM EDT

A Purdue freshman is back on campus after claiming two national titles in diving.

Steele Johnson came in first in the ten-meter platform and one-meter springboard events at the NCAA Championships in Iowa City last week.

He is the first men’s diver to win NCAA titles in both springboard & platform in the same year since Purdue alumnus David Boudia in 2009.

Johnson says it’s just a step on the way to his bigger, international goals.

“I’m not going to diminish this. I’m not going to put it down and say “Oh, it’s just an NCAA title.” No, it’s super-big and super-cool and I’m really proud that I was able to do it for my school," says Johnson. "But now it’s time to move on to the next thing and start refocusing for the Olympics.”

Johnson and Boudia are training together as synchronized diving partners under Purdue diving coach Adam Soldati.

They came in third in the ten-meter event at last year’s USA Diving Synchronized National Championships and are preparing for the 2015 competition, which begins April 9^th in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Purdue Diver Says NCAA Titles Just A Step Toward His Ultimate Goal

Johnson and Boudia are training together as synchronized diving partners under Purdue diving coach Adam Soldati.

They came in third in the ten-meter event at last year’s USA Diving Synchronized National Championships and are preparing for the 2015 competition, which begins April 9th in Greensboro, North Carolina.

They came in third in the ten-meter event at last year’s USA Diving Synchronized National Championships and are preparing for the 2015 competition, which begins April 9^th in Greensboro, North Carolina.