Vince Panzano
Last College: Ohio State Position: Head Diving Coach Experience: 35 Years Graduating Year: 1972

Mike Peppe. Ron O'Brien. Vince Panzano. The strong and respected Ohio State University diving program has had only three coaches in its remarkable history and it only seems right that all three are Ohio State graduates. Peppe started the program and coached 44 NCAA champions, including O'Brien, and 25 Olympians. O'Brien coached eight NCAA champions and eight Olympians before turning the program over to Panzano, who was one of O'Brien's divers between 1970-72. Panzano, who has coached 12 NCAA champions and eight Olympians, has been coach at Ohio State since 1977 and now, 35 years later, he is the dean of all Ohio State head coaches.

One of the most highly respected diving coaches, the four-time Olympic coach Panzano most recently guided Katie Bell to the 2012 London Olympics on the 10-meter platform after taking her to the U.S. Championships in August 2009. In 2008, he coached Chelsea Davis and Sean Moore to national championships on the 3-meter and 10-meter platform events, respectively, at the NCAA championship meets.

Panzano was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2004 after both his women and men squads had excellent performances. The women's squad had all four divers score points for the Buckeyes, including a second-place finish on the 3-meter dive by Julie Broms. The men's team had every diver score, earning 113 points, which was 44 points above the second-best diving squad in the conference. Men's diver, Mitch Richeson, was named the Big Ten Diver of the Year and won a Big Ten championship in the 3-meter dive. At the NCAA championships, Mitch Richeson, one of four Buckeye divers, finished sixth in the 1-meter dive and earned All-American honors. Ashley Bourland, who finished sixth in the platform dive, earned honorable mention All-American honors.

Panzano has twice been awarded the "Mike Peppe Award," as U.S. Diving's outstanding coach. Panzano also has been selected NCAA Diving Coach of the Year three times and Big Ten Diving Coach of the Year eight times. In 1996, Panzano was inducted into Ohio State University's Athletics Hall of Fame.

Panzano has a rich coaching experience in diving on the international level. He has served as the Olympic coach on three separate occasions. He has served as coach for the Pan American Team, a World Championship and in World Cup competitions. He also has been actively involved in coaching Junior Olympic divers.

Aside from coaching, Panzano served as meet director for the 1976 Olympic Trials. He hosted the first-ever United States vs. China dual diving meet in 1980 at Ohio State and in 1981 he hosted the indoor U.S. Diving Championships, also held at Ohio State. He has served on the United States Diving Board of Directors, the NCAA Swimming and Diving Rules Committee and the United States Diving International/Olympic Committee.

A native of King of Prussia, Pa., Panzano and his wife, Phyllis, have two boys, Vincent and Bryan.