Staff
Program Director - Hongping Li
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Coach Li has been the Head Diving Coach at the University of Southern California since 1999. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education from the University of Southern California in 1989. Before emigrating to the USA, Coach Li was a 12 time Chinese National Champion and a member of both the 1980 and 1984 Chinese Olympic teams. He earned a Gold Medal at the 1981 FINA World Cup 10 meter platform competition in Mexico City, a Bronze Medal on the 3 meter springboard at the 1986 World Championships in Madrid, Spain and was the 3 meter NCAA Champion in 1986. |
Honors
Hall Of Fame - World Acrobatics Society 2019
Pac-12 Men's Diving Coach of the Year 2009, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2023
Pac-12 Women's Diving Coach of the Year 2012, 2013, 2014, 2021
Pac-10 Diving Coach of the Year 2011, 2010, 2009, 2006, 2005, 2003, 2002, and 2001
NCAA Women's Coach of the Year 2006 and 2002
USOC Diving Development Coach of the Year 1999 and 1998
Coaching Highlights
2024 French Open - USA Diving Coach
2023 Pam Am Games - USA Team Coach
2022 FINA Diving World Cup, USA Diving Head Coach
2018 Canada Grand Prix - USA Team Coach
2017 World University Games - USA Team Head Coach
2011, 2015 World Championships - USA Diving Team Manager
2014 Canada Grand Prix - USA Team Assistant Coach
2010 Inaugural Youth Olympic Games - Head Coach/Team Leader
2010 FINA World Cup - Diving Assistant Coach
2009 World Championships - Diving Head Coach
2009 Canada Open Grand Prix - Diving Head Coach
2008 Olympic Games Beijing - USOC Administrative Personnel
2004 Olympics Athens - Diving Team Coach
2003 FINA Grand Prix - USA Diving Team Head Coach
2001 World Games - USA Team Leader
Notable Athletes Coached
Katrina Young – 2022 World Championships and World Cup 10m platform synchronized diving silver medalist
Morenike Agunbiade – 2022 World Cup 10m platform bronze medalist and synchronized diving silver medalist
Haley Ishimatsu - 2013 and 2014 NCAA Women’s Platform Champion, 2012 USA Diving Winter National 10m Champion, 2010 World Cup Team Champion, 2009 World Championships 10m Synchronized Silver Medalist, 2008 Olympic Games finalis, 2014 Pac-12 Diver of the Year, 2014 All-American
Tory Ishamatsu - 2013 USA Diving National 1m Champion, 2012 NCAA Women’s 1m Champion, 7 Time Pac-10 Champions, and 2009 USA National Championships 1m Silver Medalist
Blythe Hartley - 2005 World Champion, 2004 Olympic Games Canadian Bronze medalist, 5 NCAA Championship Titles, and 3 Time NCAA Women’s Diver of The Year, 2002, 2005 and 2006
Ariel Rittenhouse - 2009 World Championships 3m Finalist, 2008 Olympic Games 3m Synchronized Diving Finalist, 2006 World Cup Silver Medalist, and 2005 Junior National Platform Champion
Rachelle Kunkel - 2004 Olympic Games Finalist and 6 Time USA Diving National Champion
Dashiell Enos - 2013 USA Junior National Champion (3m and 10m Synchro)
Olivia Rosendahl - 2013 USA Junior National Champion (1m)
Harrison Jones - 2009 All American - NCAA 1m, 10m
Doerte Lindner - 2000 Olympic Bronze Medal 3m, 1997 NCAA Title, MVP
More notable athletes: Jake Fielding, Sophie McAfee, Henry Fusaro, Collin Pollard, Harrison Jones, Erin Sones, Nicci Fusaro, Raymond Vincent, Michael Hilde, Kenny Jenkins, and Kellie Brennan. USA Diving National Champions & NCAA All Americans.
Co-Head Coach - Ryan King
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Ryan King has been a valuable member of the Trojan coaching team since 2017. He brings with him a wealth of coaching experience at the Novice, CIF High School, Junior Olympic Club, California Community College Athletic Association, and NCAA Division 1 levels. Throughout his many years at Trojan Dive Club, he has been fortunate enough to work with all levels and ages of divers. A lifetime of passion for the sport of diving and a commitment to the growth of each individual athlete drives Ryan's dedication as a coach and a role model. Since 2017 he has helped qualify and accompanied the Junior Olympic team to the USA Junior National Championships, achieving several national championships for the club.
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Athletic Honors
Four-time California CCAA State Chmpionships All American
2009 Western States 1 Meter and 3 Meter Conference Champion
2010 Big Eight 1 Meter and 3 Meter Conference Champion
NCAA D-1 Sunbelt Conference Diver of the Week, Fall 2010.
Education
BA in Sociology (Minor in Anthropology) from Florida Atlantic University (2012)
Aerial Training Certified (Emphasis on Dryland Spotting and Belt Work)
Program Director of Pre-team, Lessons/Master Program - Nick Nocita
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Nick is a recent Harvard graduate with impressive credentials as a 4x Ivy League Champion team member, an Ivy League Championship B-Final competitor, and a Zone finalist. He brings valuable experience from coaching athletes aged 8-18 at the Harvard Swim & Diving Clinic from 2019-2024. |
Assistant Coach - Katrina Young
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2016 and 2020 Olympian Katrina Young began diving at age nine and her favorite dive is 407C. One of the moments she remembers most throughout her diving career was competing at the 2005 Junior Pan American Championships in Fort Lauderdale when Hurricane Katrina hit. After breaking her right leg across the growth plates in 2007, Katrina worked hard to regain her diving mentality. During meets she likes to visualize and listen to music. Katrina graduated from Florida State with a degree music in 2015 and enjoys the outdoors, hiking, music and language. For more details see Katrina's USA Diving profile. |
Honors
World Championships Silver Medalist on 10 meter platform synchronized diving in 2022
World Championships Bronze Medalist on 10 meter platform synchronized diving in 2019
USA National Champion on 10 meter platform individual and synchronized diving in 2018
2 x Olympian in 2016 and 2020
3 x NCAA All American
Assistant Coach - Joey Cifelli
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Joey joins the Trojan Dive Club from Purdue and has a long and successfull career in diving. At Purdue he majored in Marketing and Management . For more details see his Team USA profile.
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U.S. Olympic Team Trials Finalist (3-Meter Diving)
Two-time Big Ten Diver of the Week
Six-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week
All-America honors (1-Meter)
World University Games Qualifier (1-Meter for Team USA)
4x NCAA Championships Qualifier (1-Meter & 3-Meter)
Academic All-Big Ten
Assistant Coach - Madi Witt
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Coach Madi, is a former member of USC’s Diving Team from 2015-2019. At her time at USC, she was a five-time Pac-12 finalist and a four-time NCAA Championships participant. Her career highlights include a 3rd-place finish on 3 meter at the 2016 PAC-12 Championships. She attended Flintridge Prep in Calif. where she was a prep All-American who won the 2013 CIF Southern Section Division III title. She competed at the FINA Grand Prix, finishing fourth on 3-meter and third on synchro 3-meter. |
Assistant Coach - Kim Pop
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Coach Kim Popp has been diving since the early 2000's and coaching since a student diver at USC. As a member of the USC Dive Team, she finished her career (2005-08) as a two-time NCAA Championships participant and a four-time Pac-10 finalist. Her career highlights included a 12th-place finish on platform at the 2007 NCAAs and a pair of second-place platform finishes at the 2006 and 2007 Pac-10s. Coach Kim prepped at Palos Verdes Peninsula (Calif.) High School, where she was a three-year gymnast and competed as a diver in 2004. She was fourth in the CIF Southern Section diving finals in 2004 and was an all-league gymnast in 2002 and 2003. |
Honors
Two-time Pac-10 Medalist, Platform
NCAA All-American Honorable Mention
2x USA Diving Senior National Finalist Platform
Assistant Coach - Brayden Schachle
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Brayden is a former student-athlete who competed for the University of Wisconsin-Madison and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in legal studies and philosophy. He grew up in Wasilla, Alaska, and started diving his junior year of high school after being an elite gymnast for several years. He has coached at Ripfest Diving Academy in Indiana, Mile High Dive Club in Denver, and was the head coach for Slovakia at the 2021 World University Games in China. |
