Long-time Illinois Diving Coach Brings Talents to Hamilton

Mark S. Randall Head Swimming and Diving Coach Andy Waeger has announced the addition of Chris Waters to the Raiders’ coaching staff. Waters, who is coming off an 11-year stint at Illinois, will take over as Colgate’s diving coach.

“I am really excited to have Chris join our program,” said Waeger. “He comes very highly recommended and has the experience, drive and determination to help our program reach the next level.”

A Hudson Falls native, Waters spent the last 11 seasons as the diving coach at the Big Ten’s Illinois. While with the Illini, Waters mentored 24 Academic All-Conference honorees, eight CSCAA Honorable Mention Scholar All-Americans and four Big Ten Distinguished Scholars.

Waters was responsible for developing and implementing the seasonal diving training plan, while incorporating strength training, dry land, belt spotting and water workouts. Waters also handled recruiting, meet management and team travel arrangements while at Illinois.

“I am incredibly excited to come back to my home state to coach,” said Waters. “I’m very thankful for the opportunity that Andy has presented me to work for him. He has laid an incredible foundation for the program and I’m eager to see how far we can go in the Patriot League.”

In addition to his time at Illinois, Waters holds a wide variety of experience as a diving coach. He’s made coaching stops at Tulane, Syracuse, Virginia Tech and Missouri State throughout his career. At Tulane, Waters had a top-12 finisher in both the one and three-meter diving competitions at the Conference USA Championships. Waters also coached one Syracuse diver to the NCAA Zone A Championships in 2005 and had two divers place at the Big East Conference meet.

Waters coached an honorable mention All-American in the one-and three-meter diving competitions at Division III Connecticut College in 2000 and was named Missouri Valley Conference Diving Coach of the Year in 1999 after coaching the Male Diver of the Year and the men’s one-and three-meter champions at Missouri State.

Waters is a member of the United States Diving and Professional Diving Coaches Associations. He graduated from Castleton State University with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 1991 and earned a master’s degree in health promotion and wellness management from Missouri State in 2002.

By martha

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