Grapner Announces Departure as Head Diving Coach
June 04, 2020 10:00 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Michael Grapner of the West Virginia University swimming and diving team officially announced his resignation as the Mountaineers' head diving coach on Thursday.
A native of Celina, Ohio, Grapner joined the Mountaineer swimming and diving family in December of 2010.
"This has been a tough decision for me," Grapner said. "WVU has been my home for the past 10 years, and these divers and this team have become my family. It has been an honor to serve as head diving coach for the Mountaineers, and I am incredibly grateful to Vic Riggs for his guidance and support. Thank you also to Shane Lyons and Terri Howes for believing in me, and thank you to all the divers I have had the opportunity to coach through the years."
"It was with great sadness that I accepted Coach Grapner's resignation as our head diving coach," Mountaineer head coach Vic Riggs said. "Mike informed me of a business opportunity that is just too good for him to turn down, and I am very excited for him and his future. Mike has been a part of the WVU Swimming and Diving family for the past 10 years and during this time, he has raised the diving program to one that is competitive at all levels, culminating with his first two NCAA qualifiers this season. Mike has led, developed and created an environment in our diving program that challenges the athletes to be the best they can be personally, academically and athletically."
Grapner's departure comes after the Mountaineer divers saw one of their most successful seasons in over 30 years in 2019-20, as a pair of men's divers qualified for the NCAA Championships for the first time since 1983. Redshirt sophomore Jacob Cardinal Tremblay and sophomore Nick Cover also became Grapner's first NCAA qualifiers in his coaching career. The duo earned spots at the national championships after placing inside the top four in the platform finals at the 2020 NCAA Zone A Diving Championships, hosted by the Mountaineers at the Aquatic Center at Mylan Park in Morgantown.
Although the 2020 NCAA Championships were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Tremblay and Cover were honored as CSCAA All-Americans after the CSCAA Board of Directors altered the selection criteria, becoming the first divers to receive the honor in program history.
"Every diver has made an impact on me and helped make me a better coach year after year," Grapner said. "The program has significantly changed in my time here, and I'm incredibly proud of the progress we have made. This team is a better team than it was 10 years ago, and I'm looking forward to watching it continue to grow and develop."
Grapner has coached his divers to multiple program records during his time at WVU, most recently at the 2020 Big 12 Championships when Cover, redshirt senior Austin Smith and freshman Holly Darling reached record-breaking marks during their respective platform competitions.
In previous seasons, Grapner also has led multiple divers to qualify for the NCAA Zone Championships, as well as be recognized with All-Big 12 honors at the conference meet. Additionally, Grapner was voted the Men's Diving Coach of the Meet at the Big 12 Championship in 2018 and 2020.
Grapner's final season with the Mountaineers also was highlighted by the team's move from the WVU Natatorium to its new home at the Aquatic Center at Mylan Park. The swimmers now had the luxury of an Olympic-sized competition pool, while the divers were able to train year-round on a 10-meter diving tower for the first time in program history. The introduction of the tower into the divers' training regimen, along with Grapner's devotion to his team's continued success, immensely contributed to the team's accomplishments in 2019-20.
"I am so very grateful for Mike's commitment, dedication and passion for our sport over the years," Riggs said. "His impact on the diving program and the Mountaineer swimming and diving family will be felt for years to come. When we look at what it means to be a diving member at WVU, we know that it has much to do with Mike. I wish him the best in his future and know he will be a Mountaineer for life!"
A national search for a new head diving coach for the Mountaineer swimming and diving team is set to commence immediately.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUSwimDive on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
A native of Celina, Ohio, Grapner joined the Mountaineer swimming and diving family in December of 2010.
"This has been a tough decision for me," Grapner said. "WVU has been my home for the past 10 years, and these divers and this team have become my family. It has been an honor to serve as head diving coach for the Mountaineers, and I am incredibly grateful to Vic Riggs for his guidance and support. Thank you also to Shane Lyons and Terri Howes for believing in me, and thank you to all the divers I have had the opportunity to coach through the years."
"It was with great sadness that I accepted Coach Grapner's resignation as our head diving coach," Mountaineer head coach Vic Riggs said. "Mike informed me of a business opportunity that is just too good for him to turn down, and I am very excited for him and his future. Mike has been a part of the WVU Swimming and Diving family for the past 10 years and during this time, he has raised the diving program to one that is competitive at all levels, culminating with his first two NCAA qualifiers this season. Mike has led, developed and created an environment in our diving program that challenges the athletes to be the best they can be personally, academically and athletically."
Grapner's departure comes after the Mountaineer divers saw one of their most successful seasons in over 30 years in 2019-20, as a pair of men's divers qualified for the NCAA Championships for the first time since 1983. Redshirt sophomore Jacob Cardinal Tremblay and sophomore Nick Cover also became Grapner's first NCAA qualifiers in his coaching career. The duo earned spots at the national championships after placing inside the top four in the platform finals at the 2020 NCAA Zone A Diving Championships, hosted by the Mountaineers at the Aquatic Center at Mylan Park in Morgantown.
Although the 2020 NCAA Championships were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Tremblay and Cover were honored as CSCAA All-Americans after the CSCAA Board of Directors altered the selection criteria, becoming the first divers to receive the honor in program history.
"Every diver has made an impact on me and helped make me a better coach year after year," Grapner said. "The program has significantly changed in my time here, and I'm incredibly proud of the progress we have made. This team is a better team than it was 10 years ago, and I'm looking forward to watching it continue to grow and develop."
Grapner has coached his divers to multiple program records during his time at WVU, most recently at the 2020 Big 12 Championships when Cover, redshirt senior Austin Smith and freshman Holly Darling reached record-breaking marks during their respective platform competitions.
In previous seasons, Grapner also has led multiple divers to qualify for the NCAA Zone Championships, as well as be recognized with All-Big 12 honors at the conference meet. Additionally, Grapner was voted the Men's Diving Coach of the Meet at the Big 12 Championship in 2018 and 2020.
Grapner's final season with the Mountaineers also was highlighted by the team's move from the WVU Natatorium to its new home at the Aquatic Center at Mylan Park. The swimmers now had the luxury of an Olympic-sized competition pool, while the divers were able to train year-round on a 10-meter diving tower for the first time in program history. The introduction of the tower into the divers' training regimen, along with Grapner's devotion to his team's continued success, immensely contributed to the team's accomplishments in 2019-20.
"I am so very grateful for Mike's commitment, dedication and passion for our sport over the years," Riggs said. "His impact on the diving program and the Mountaineer swimming and diving family will be felt for years to come. When we look at what it means to be a diving member at WVU, we know that it has much to do with Mike. I wish him the best in his future and know he will be a Mountaineer for life!"
A national search for a new head diving coach for the Mountaineer swimming and diving team is set to commence immediately.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUSwimDive on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
Diving
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Diving
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Diving
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Diving
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