University of the Pacific to Restart Men’s, Women’s Diving
The University of the Pacific last week announced a plan to revive its men’s and women’s diving programs starting in the fall.
The diving programs will join the formation of men’s cross country program, a men’s track and field program and an expansion of the women’s field program. The California university’s decision is a response to changes in collegiate sports, billing it as an “innovative expansion as part of a long-term plan to position Pacific as a leading competitor in the West Coast Conference while supporting the university’s enrollment initiatives.”
“We owe it to our student-athletes, campus and community to come up with a way to navigate these changes not by cutting, but by growing,” athletic director Adam Tschuor said in a university statement. “These sports additions are the first step in a plan of growth that will transform Pacific for the better—in enrollment, campus life, engagement and competitive success.”
Pacific has men’s and women’s swimming already. (Among its former coaches are Greg Meehan, Ray Looze and hall of fame water polo coach John Tanner.) Those programs are led by Katelyne Herrington, who has been in charge since 2019 and will oversee the diving addition. Herrington led the men’s team to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation championship in 2025.
Pacific touted the move with praise from United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee executive vice president and chief of sport and athlete services Rocky Harris.
“I want to commend President Callahan, Director of Athletics Tschuor and everyone at University of the Pacific for taking a bold approach to collegiate athletics—one of support and growth,” he said. “The impacts of collegiate sport are far greater than performance, and Pacific recognized that offering broad based education and sport opportunities makes their student and university community stronger.
“It’s no secret that we believe in the power of sport and work hard to support its growth. At the same time, we understand the challenges of effectively allocating resources. Pacific has shown that these concepts can work successfully together—and I am thrilled for the current and future student athletes who call Pacific home.”
