University of Richmond Athletics
Richmond Hires Diane Maiese As Diving Coach
07/25/2008 | Women's Swimming & Diving
July 25, 2008
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - The seven-time Atlantic 10 Champion Richmond Swimming & Diving team has announced the hiring of Diane Maiese as its new diving coach. Maiese joins head coach Matt Barany's staff after a successful five-year run in the same position at La Salle where she was named the A-10 Diving Coach of the Year five times.
"I am beyond thrilled to have this opportunity," said Maiese. "The diving program enjoyed a great run during my time at La Salle and I'm looking forward to making the same contribution to the championship-caliber program here at Richmond."
Maiese coached both the men's and women's teams for the Explorers from 2002 to 2007, winning the Men's Diving Coach of the Year Award four times and the Women's Coach of the Year once.
In that time, she mentored men's diver Karo Isajan to four-consecutive Most Outstanding Diver awards from 2004-07. He was the A-10's 3-meter champion in each of those years. On the women's side, Katie Guilford was the 1-meter champion in 2007 and tabbed the A-10's Most Outstanding Diver that year.
"The Spider swimming & diving program improves immediately with the hire of Diane," said Barany. "With time, Diane will be able to build a program worthy of national attention. Her ambitions mesh quite well with the ambitions of the established swimming program. With deliberate recruiting and tireless training, we hope Diane will have the diving program healthy and successful."
A native of Cherry Hill, N.J., Maiese graduated with a bachelor's degree in corporate fitness/exercise science in 1998 from The College of New Jersey where she was a four-time NCAA All-America selection and the 1997 NCAA Division III National Champion in the 1-meter.
She began her collegiate coaching career in 2001 as the head men's and women's diving coach at the University of Denver, spending one season there before taking the La Salle position.
Maiese, a certified personal trainer and member of the National Strength & Conditioning Association, spent last year as a personal trainer in Philadelphia. She also owned Liberty Diving in Philadelphia where she coached and trained junior and senior national-level athletes for competition.
