Abel Sánchez Named Arkansas Diving Coach
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Abel Sánchez, a three-time All-American at the University of Michigan and a 2000 Summer Olympics participant, has been named the Diving Coach at the University of Arkansas.
“I would like to thank Neil Harper for this opportunity in leading the diving Razorbacks,” Sánchez said. “I look forward to working with Neil and the entire staff in creating a TEAM environment conducive to learning, having fun, and winning. I’m excited to be back coaching elite divers at the university level. Canada was great to us, however, and being out of the country gives me and my family a new appreciation for what we have. Again, with our deepest appreciation, we would like to thank Neil, the athletic department, and all Razorbacks. Go Hogs!”
Sánchez was the CEO/Head Diving Coach at Dive Calgary, along with Dive Canada, Repsol Sports Center, and Dive Calgary, and Rocky Mountain Diving after his stint at the University of North Carolina. When Sánchez arrived at Dive Calgary, their team had two divers compete at Nationals. After his arrival, 11 divers made Nationals, while two went on to win national titles. He also had two divers compete at the Junior Pan-Am Trials and had one diver earn a spot on the the 2021 Junior Pan-Am Championship team.
Sánchez served as the head diving coach at North Carolina from 2013-2019. He was rewarded for his efforts by being named the 2016 ACC Women’s Diving Coach of the Year. UNC qualified four divers for the 2016 NCAA Championships – Elissa Dawson, Maria Lohman, Jack Nyquist, and Ozzie Moyer. Dawson placed ninth in three-meter and platform diving at the NCAA Championships and became only the second UNC women’s diver in history to earn All-American honors in two different years.
Sánchez came to Chapel Hill from the University of New Mexico, where he had served as the diving coach since October 2004.
At New Mexico, he was the 2011 and 2012 Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year. He coached six Mountain West Conference champions, two NCAA All-Americas, 37 MWC finalists, and three performers who won MWC Diver of the Year accolades.
A standout diver in Ann Arbor as a collegian at the University of Michigan, Sánchez was a four-time All-America (twice first team, twice honorable mention) and an Academic All-America. He placed in the Top 10 at the NCAA Championships twice, finishing as high as fourth. Sánchez was also a five-time All-Big Ten Conference honoree. He won two silver medals at the conference championships in his career and helped Michigan to four consecutive Big 10 titles and a national championship for the Maize and Blue in 1995.
Sánchez went on to represent Peru, his father’s home country, on three-meter springboard and platform at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. Sánchez qualified for the Olympics after claiming silver medals on one-meter and three-meter springboards and the 10-meter platform at the South American Championships. He was an eight-time finalist at the U.S. Diving Nationals and a five-time finalist in the FINA Grand Prix circuit.
Sánchez joined the Lobos after coaching the Mission Viejo (Calif.) Nadadores Diving Team. Previously, he served as a member of coaching staffs at Team Orlando Diving (Fla.), L’Equipe Diving (Irvine, Calif.), and The Woodlands Diving Academy (Texas).
Sánchez, a Holland, Mich., native, is married to Leanne and the couple has two daughters, Bryze (12) and Maizie (10), and a son, Rio (7).
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