Discover the Sport of Diving

Zoe Jespersgaard graduated from UCLA in 2024 with a degree in Applied Linguistics.

After five years of junior competitive diving, Zoe earned strong results at the USA Diving Zone F Championships, including 4th place on 1m springboard and bronze medal honors on 3m springboard in the Girls 16–18 age group. She also qualified for the USA Diving Junior National Championships, finishing 27th nationally.

Through her strong academic performance and diving accomplishments, Zoe earned admission to UCLA with athletic scholarship support.

During her collegiate career, Zoe represented UCLA at the NCAA Division I level and contributed to the program’s success. She won the women’s 1m springboard title at the 2023 Pac-12 Men’s and Women’s Diving Championships, earned bronze medal honors on women’s 3m springboard at the 2024 NCAA Zone E Championships, and finished ranked No. 35 nationally in NCAA competition.

Focused, self-disciplined, and hardworking, Zoe continued to pursue excellence beyond the pool. She completed her undergraduate studies at UCLA one year early with outstanding academic performance and is now pursuing graduate studies in Copenhagen.

“Diving was an extremely important part of my development as a person, even more so than as an athlete. It taught me what it means to be dedicated to something, how to take feedback and constantly work on improvement, and provided me with friends, coaches, and experiences that gave me new perspectives I could apply to other areas of my life.”

— Zoe Jespersgaard

Hayden Henderson graduated from Yale University in 2025 with degrees in Economics and Psychology.

Hayden transitioned from gymnastics to diving. She trained in junior diving for six years and became one of the top athletes in her age group. At the USA Diving Zone F Championships, she earned runner-up honors on 1m springboard.

She went on to place 7th on 1m springboard and 9th on 3m springboard at the USA Diving Junior National Championships.

Through her strong academic background and diving accomplishments, Hayden earned admission to Yale University.

During her collegiate career, Hayden represented Yale University at the NCAA Division I level and achieved outstanding results in Ivy League competition, including winning the women’s 1m springboard title. Her experience reflects how diving can support both high-level athletics and strong academic achievement.

"The discipline and hard work required to succeed in diving are skills I still use every day. Through this sport, I gained an incredible community and learned that I am capable of achieving goals that once seemed impossible."
— Hayden Henderson

Skyler Liu graduated from Indiana University in 2025 with a degree in Sociology.

Born in Guangxi, China, Skyler began diving at a young age and later trained with the Shanxi Province Diving Team, developing through China’s highly competitive provincial diving system. As a junior athlete, she achieved top-eight finishes at Chinese national-level competitions, establishing herself as a strong national-level diver.

With her exceptional diving ability and competitive background, Skyler earned a full athletic scholarship to Indiana University, where she came to the United States to pursue both higher education and NCAA Division I athletics.

During her collegiate career, Skyler represented Indiana University at the highest level of NCAA competition. She became the 2025 NCAA champion on women’s platform and earned bronze medal honors on women’s 3m springboard. She also played a key role in Indiana’s success at the Big Ten Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships, winning conference titles on women’s 3m springboard and platform in 2024 and 2025.

After graduating, Skyler returned to China to continue her diving career and now represents the Anhui Province diving team.

Skyler’s journey reflects how diving can create opportunities across countries, education systems, and competitive stages. From China to NCAA Division I athletics and back to professional training in China, her path continues to show the power of dedication, talent, and perseverance.

"Diving taught me to find the strength to rise upward through countless falls. Becoming a U.S. college student-athlete made me realize that true success is not only about winning competitions, but about learning to still love what you do under the high pressure of academics, training, and daily life."

— Skyler Liu

Owen Stebbins first became interested in diving when he was five or six years old. What started as something fun gradually grew into a real passion, and by age seven, he began structured diving training.

Owen started to emerge as a competitive young diver in 2022, when he won the Boys 11 & Under 1m springboard title and finished second on 3m springboard at the USA Diving Junior National Championships. Since then, he has continued to earn national medals across 1m springboard, 3m springboard, and platform, while also winning multiple USA Diving Zone F Championship titles from 2022 through 2025.

His path has not always been easy, but Owen has continued to show a willingness to keep trying, stay committed to training, and build confidence through challenges. With the support of his family and professional coaching, his talent continues to grow in a healthy and positive environment. Through diving, Owen has found clear dreams for his future: earning the opportunity to attend a top university and competing at the 2032 Olympic Games.

“Diving has given me an opportunity outside of school and everyday life to do something I truly enjoy. It has taught me many life lessons, not only diving-related skills. I would strongly encourage anyone to try diving because it has helped me so much over the years. It is a sport I want more people to experience, and I hope it continues to grow throughout the world.

Training with Wei Wei has helped me understand the true meaning of the sport and has helped me grow both as a person and as a diver. She is a top-tier coach with experience from the Chinese National Team. She has not only been my coach, but also a strong role model and a friend to me and my teammates.”

— Owen Stebbins

Zara Joy Ayazi graduated from the University of Arizona in 2026.

Zara first became interested in diving around age eight.With the support of her family and professional coaching, she developed through years of consistent training and competition. By age 12, Zara had already begun to stand out among divers in her age group.

Throughout her junior diving career, Zara achieved strong results multiple times in USA Junior Diving competitions, highlighted by winning both the 1m springboard and 3m springboard titles at the 2016 USA Diving National Zone F Meet and placing 4th on 1m springboard at the 2021 USA Diving Junior National Championships.

Through her strong academic background and diving accomplishments, Zara earned admission to the University of Arizona with athletic scholarship support and represented the Wildcats at the NCAA Division I level.

During her collegiate career, Zara continued to compete at a high level across all three events. She earned bronze medals on 1m springboard and platform at the 2023 Pac-12 Men’s and Women’s Diving Championships, and later earned bronze on platform at the 2026 Big 12 Conference Dive Championships. That same year, she finished 4th on platform at the NCAA Zone E Championships and qualified for the NCAA Championships in all three events: 1m springboard, 3m springboard, and platform. She also finished the season ranked No. 20 nationally in NCAA competition.

As a student-athlete, Zara showed the ability to balance academic responsibilities with the demands of high-level NCAA competition. Her journey reflects not only athletic talent and dedication, but also the discipline, maturity, and commitment needed to succeed in both school and sport.