Butler grad Calhoun named CSCAA Diving Coach of Year
CLARION — Forget about repeating as the Collegiate Swimming Coach and Diving Association of America’s Diving Coach of the Year or leading a diver to a national title.
As far as 2010 Butler graduate Heath Calhoun is concerned, he’s just keeping the line moving.
Calhoun is in his third year as Clarion University diving coach and has already captured a pair of CSCAA Coach of the Year awards. He coached at Westminster for seven years before accepting the Clarion position.
He became only the third diving coach in the history of Clarion’s program. The first two — Don Leas and Dave Hrovat — coached the team for 24 and 31 years, respectively. Leas coached 36 national diving champions, Hrovat coached 48 ... and Hrovat was named national Coach of the Year 15 times.
“I feel like I’m just getting started,” Calhoun, 32, said. “It’s not about building a program here, even building from what’s already been accomplished. It’s more like maintaining the stellar diving tradition that’s existed here for a long time.”
Calhoun was part of that tradition as a diver himself. A six-time All-American at Clarion, he won the 3-meter national championship in 2014 and was named CSCAA Division II Diver of the Year that season.
So when he took on the Clarion job three years ago, he knew what he was taking on — and never blinked.
“This is the job I’ve been working toward,” said Calhoun, who won numerous Presidents’ Athletic Conference team championships at Westminster. “I’ve always wanted to come back here and coach. I wanted that challenge. I welcomed it. I’m so proud to be part of what’s been happening here.”
Calhoun has been doing more than his part to extend that success.
He took four women divers to the Division II national championships recently and they combined to earn All-American honors (placing among the top eight) in seven of eight events. Alexa Gonczi won the Women’s Diver of the Year award after winning the 3-meter national championship and placing third in the 1-meter dive.
Clarion has won 14 Diver of the Year awards since 2000.
Luna Castellanos placed third in the 3-meter and fifth in the 1-meter, Katie Madigan fifth in 3-metrer and seventh in 1-meter, Colleen Hudson sixth in 3-meter. These results marked the first time since 2007 that four divers from the same school all placed in the final of an event. Clarion was the last school to do that.
“We’re pretty proud of that accomplishment,” Calhoun said of the seven All-American placements. “It shows the depth we have in the program. Our divers know who’s come before them, the tradition they’ve built.
“They are not intimidated by that. They just want to add to that.”
Not only did Calhoun succeed as a diver at Clarion, he met his wife, Sarah, there. She was an eight-time All-American diver.
Calhoun was a three-time state placer at Butler. He said he was attracted to Clarion by its diving tradition and knows others are, too.
Seneca Valley graduate Mackenzie Clark is transferring to Clarion as a gradate student and will be diving for Calhoun’s squad as well. The national All-Americans are coming back next year as we,ll.
“It’s almost inevitable we’re going to get a lot of talent,” Calhoun said. “It’s a privilege to work with them and watch them succeed on the national stage. I know we’re not finished yet.”
Calhoun has already coached three national champions in his three-year tenure, as well as 26 All-Americans with the men’s and women’s diving teams, combined.
