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The 2011-12 season will be Russ Dekker's eighth year as the head diving coach at Ohio. Under Dekker's guidance, Ohio diver Lindsay Hamilton was named the 2011 Mid-American Conference Diver of the Year after winning the 1-meter boards and setting both the 1-meter and 3-meter school records during the season. Dekker has also helped junior diver MaryRose Hillstrom emerge as one of Ohio's top divers, as she currently ranks second on the Ohio all-time list for both sets of boards. Prior to Ohio, Dekker completed three seasons as the men's and women's diving coach at the University of Wyoming. During his tenure in Laramie, the Cowboys and Cowgirls established themselves as one of the elite diving programs in the Mountain West Conference, highlighted by six divers qualifying for the 2004 NCAA Zone "E" pre-qualification meet. Wyoming divers routinely were named to the all-conference team under Dekker's tutelage. Before going to Wyoming, Dekker was the Ypsilanti High School diving coach from 1996-2001 and the assistant coach of the Legacy and Chippewa USA Diving clubs. During his time in Ypsilanti, Dekker coached three Michigan state diving champions, nine NISCA All-Americans and the 2001 national high school runner-up. Dekker was named the Michigan State High School Diving Coach of the Year for both 1999 and 2000. While with the Legacy Diving Club, he coached 11 junior national qualifiers and three senior national qualifiers. Dekker competed collegiately at Eastern Michigan University. He was selected the Mid-American Conference Diver of the Year in 1995 and was a four-time NCAA zone diving qualifier and a three-time Academic All-MAC selection. He helped lead Eastern Michigan to three MAC team championships in the four years he competed. While attending Eastern Michigan, Dekker earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education with a minor in communications. |
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