photo by: Mike Gunnoe/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas sophomore Shiyun Lai flips through the air in the 3-meter diving event in a meet against Iowa State in Robinson Natatorium Friday, Feb. 7, 2025.

Kansas diver Shiyun Lai has completed one of the most decorated seasons in her program’s recent history.

Lai reached sixth place in the 3-meter dive at NCAA nationals in Federal Way, Washington, with a score of 357.40, and seventh place in the 1-meter dive at 309.10.

In doing so, she claimed the highest individual finish for a Jayhawk since Michelle Rojohn won the 3-meter event in 1996 — and her performance was also enough to elevate KU as a team to 25th in the national championship, its highest showing since that same 1996 season.

Lai, just a sophomore, earned a first-team All-American nod for each performance and also another from the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America on Monday.

“We’re all so happy for Shiyun and her performance at NCAAs,” KU coach Clark Campbell said in a press release. “She competed at the highest level and we could not have asked for a better representative of our program. It was an outstanding way to end our season.”

The performance was a marked improvement for Lai after she had finished in 14th nationally, good for honorable-mention status, last year in her first season as a Jayhawk.

The native of Guangdong, China, was the Big 12 Conference’s diver of the week on five separate occasions during the 2024-25 campaign; junior Lize van Leeuwen also earned one such honor on Dec. 11, and freshman swimmer Anna Gearhart was newcomer of the week that same day.

Lai’s fifth and final award came after she set a pool record for KU’s Robinson Natatorium by scoring 336.30 in the 1-meter dive in the Jayhawks’ 181-117 victory over Iowa State on Feb. 7, in which she swept her pair of events.

She won the 1-meter title at the Big 12 championship, while finishing in second place in the 3-meter competition and fifth place in platform diving. Because Lai had won the 3-meter title the prior season, she became the second athlete in KU history to win gold on multiple occasions in Big 12 competition, after Kate Steward.

KU’s diving coach Allen Feng said in a KU Athletics social media post on Wednesday that Lai had elevated the program.

“We are fortunate to have Shiyun on board,” Feng said. “Her talent, her hard work and — most importantly — her eagerness to become the best version of herself makes her an incredible diver.”

photo by: Landon Cory/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas freshman Shiyun Lai competes in the 3-meter diving event during the meet against Arkansas on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024, at Robinson Natatorium.

photo by: Landon Cory/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas freshman Shiyun Lai competes in the 3-meter diving event during the meet against Arkansas on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024, at Robinson Natatorium.