Todd Kolean, who served as assistant diving coach at New York University from 2009-16, was promoted to head diving coach prior to the 2016-17 season. He formerly served as head diving coach from 1990-2000.
Currently, Kolean also serves at Natatorium Manager of the Palladium Athletic Facility.
Kolean added to his outstanding coaching resume in 2024-25 as he produced another pair of All-Americans. Issara Schmidt earned First (1-meter) and Second (3-meter) Team honors, while Maya Williams earned two Second Team distinctions. Schmidt was also the NCAA Regional 3-Meter Diving Champion. On the men’s side, William Hopkins earned Academic All-District honors from the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA).
The combined performances of the divers and swimmers at the NCAA Division III Championships helped lead the Violets to best-ever team finishes (women 2
nd, men 4
th) in program history.
In total, five of Kolean’s divers earned UAA Winter All-Academic honors while both the men and women received CSCAA Scholar All-America Team accolades.
Under Kolean’s tutelage in 2023-24, Williams was an NCAA Qualifier in both the 1m and 3m events while Schmidt (twice), Hopkins (twice) and Meera Kasturi all earned University Athletic Association (UAA) Athlete of the Week honors.
The NYU swimming & diving teams combined to post the programs’ then-best-ever finishes at the 2024 NCAA Division III Championships with the women’s team placing third and the men taking fourth. Both the men’s and women’s squads were also named CSCAA Scholar All-America Teams while eight divers earned UAA Winter All-Academic honors.
Kolean’s divers posted highlight performances during the 2022-23 season. Schmidt earned a pair of NCAA All-America honors, finishing eighth in the one-meter dive and 11
th in the three-meter dive at the NCAA Division III Championships. She was the NCAA Northeast Regional Champion in both events and placed third in the one-meter at the UAA Championships. Schmidt also excelled outside of the pool, earning College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honors as well as being named an Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar.
On the men’s side, Hunter Whitbeck was a two-time UAA Athlete of the Week selection and also a CSC Academic All-District Team honoree.
Overall, the women’s team tied its then-best-ever finish at the NCAA Championships (fifth place), while the men placed 13
th.
In 2021-22, Schmidt finished sixth in the one-meter dive at the NCAA Championships, becoming the first female freshman in program history to earn All-America honors. She also earned UAA Athlete of the Week honors three times.
On the men’s side, Whitbeck was an NCAA Qualifier and a two-time UAA Athlete of the Week honoree.
The season concluded with the both the men’s team (11
th) and women’s team (13
th) finishing among the best in the nation at the NCAA Championships as a total of 38 All-America honors were achieved by the swimmers and divers.
NYU did not compete in 2020-21 due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, a total of 16 men and 16 women earned UAA All-Academic honors.
In 2019-20, three of Kolean’s divers earned All-America honors. Carmen White of the women’s team, as well as Cole Vertin and Whitbeck of the men’s team all qualified for the NCAA Championships. Although the competition was canceled due to Covid-19, the trio was recognized as All-Americans in both the one- and three-meter dives.
During the season, White was recognized four times as the UAA Athlete of the Week and earned Second Team All-UAA honors in the three meters. Vertin and Whitbeck received UAA Athlete of the Week honors once each, while both earned College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Scholar All-America accolades. The men’s duo, along with Nick Lemieux (also a CSCAA Scholar All-American), posted top-10 finishes in both events at the UAA’s as NYU earned Men’s Diving Co-Coaching Staff of the Year honors.
The contributions Kolean’s divers made throughout the year helped NYU’s women to a #6 ranking and the men to a #14 ranking in the CSCAA’s final season national poll.
In 2018-19, several of Kolean’s divers had strong seasons. Vertin (sixth) and Lemieux (10
th) finished among the top 10 at the NCAA Northeast Regional Championships in the one-meter dive, while Kelly Ryser took 10
th place in the women’s competition.
Overall, Kolean’s divers earned UAA Athlete of the Week honors 11 times during the season while four were named UAA All-Academic. In addition, Claire Liu was NYU’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Student Athlete Award recipient.
Kolean’s divers had a terrific season in 2017-18. Connor Brisson led the way for the men’s squad as he earned two All-America honors, placing second at the NCAA Championships in both the one-meter and three-meter dives. He also captured the NCAA Region III three-meter and UAA one-meter and three-meter championships. The women’s season was highlighted by the performances of White, who earned All-America Honorable Mention in the three-meter dive and was named the UAA Female Diver of the Year after winning both the one-meter and three-meter dives at the UAA Championships.
For his efforts, Kolean received both UAA Men’s and Women’s Diving Staff of the Year honors.
During the ‘17-18 season, the men posted a near-perfect 7-1 record while the women ended the season at 4-4. Both teams had numerous qualifiers for the NCAA Championships as the men posted a sixth-place national finish and the women produced a 10
th-place result. In addition, both teams achieved second-place finishes at their respective UAA Championships.
Kolean’s divers also produced historic seasons in 2016-17. Brisson broke all four NYU men’s diving records on his way to both one-meter and three-meter UAA and NCAA Region 3 Championships. At the NCAA Championships, he finished second in the three-meter and third in the one-meter, earning two All-America honors. For the women’s team, White broke three of four NYU records as she placed 13
th in the three-meter at the NCAA’s and earned Honorable Mention All-America honors. The women finished eighth at the NCAA Championships, posted an 8-0 record and extended their dual-meet winning streak to 26. The men were 4-3 in dual meets and produced a best-ever fifth-place finish at the NCAA’s. In addition, the women placed second and the men took third at the UAA Championships.
In 2015-16, the women went a perfect 8-0 and captured a then-best-ever eighth-place finish at the NCAA Championships, while the men went 8-1 and earned a then-best-ever ninth-place finish for the second consecutive season.
In 2014-15, Kolean helped produce both men’s and women’s NCAA qualifiers. Austen Blease capped off his career with an Honorable Mention All-American performance in the one-meter dive, while Austin Campitelli barely missed out on All-America honors. Blease qualified for nationals by winning the 11-dive one-meter competition at the NCAA Regional Championships, while Campitelli finished second in the 11-dive three-meter competition. Both divers also won the one-meter competitions at the UAA Championships and were named Divers of the Meet.
In 2013-14, Kolean helped produce an All-American in Blease, who posted a sixth-place finish in the one-meter dive at the NCAA Championships. Blease also won the UAA title and produced a then-school record in the event (11 dive). Kolean also helped oversee the development of two record-breaking divers on the women’s team as Ashlie Pankonin set a new mark for the one-meter dive and Nia Sorgente established a record in the three-meter dive. Pankonin was also named Diver of the Meet at the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championships.
In 2012-13, Kolean helped guide Blease to first-place finishes in both the one- and three-meter dives at the ECAC Championships. Blease went on to finish second in the one-meter dive at the UAA Championships and sixth at the NCAA Regional Championships. Meanwhile, Nealey Wallis placed second at the UAA Championships.
In 2011-12, Blease earned Honorable Mention All-America honors by finishing 15
th in the one-meter dive at the NCAA Championships. He set then-team records in both the one- and three-meter (6) dives and went on to capture the one-meter title at the UAA Championships.
That same season, Kolean helped guide Kelly Dietz to UAA titles in the one- and three-meter dives, as she captured UAA Female Diver of the Year honors. In 2010-11, Dietz earned the third All-America accolade of her career, placing 11
th in the three-meter dive at the NCAA Championships and receiving Honorable Mention All-America accolades.
In ‘09-10, two of Kolean’s divers, Dietz and Max Norris, qualified for the NCAA Championships, where they both earned Honorable Mention All-America status. Dietz placed 12th in the three-meter dive and 13th in the one-meter dive, while Norris placed 15
th in the one-meter dive. Norris was also named UAA Men’s Diver of the Year after winning both the one- and three-meter dives at the UAA Championships.
During Kolean's first tenure as head coach at NYU, four of his divers earned NCAA All-America honors. He also produced 10 UAA champions and received UAA Coaching Staff of the Year honors in 1997.
Following his first stint at NYU, Kolean served as head coach at Hamilton College where he produced three national champions. He earned NCAA Diving Coach of the Year honors in 2006 and from the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) twice (2005, 2006). Kolean then moved on to the Head Coach position at Old Dominion University, where three of his divers earned All-Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) honors.
Kolean also served seven seasons as head coach of NYU's men's and women's golf teams and continues to serve as an assistant coach of both programs. In 2015-16, he led the women to their first-ever UAA Championship, third Liberty League Championship and second consecutive NCAA Championship appearance while guiding the men to seven top-five finishes. A two-time UAA and three-time Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year honoree, Kolean led the women's squad to a then-program-best 10
th-place finish at the 2015 NCAA Championship.
A 1988 graduate of the University of North Dakota with Bachelor of Arts degrees in history and political science, Kolean is a native of Holland, MI, and resides in Jersey City, NJ.
Kolean's NYU All-Americans
| Men |
Event |
Year |
| Cole Vertin |
1m & 3m |
2020** |
| Hunter Whitbeck |
1m & 3m |
2020** |
| Connor Brisson |
1m & 3m |
2018, 2017 |
| Austen Blease |
1m |
2015 (HM), 2014, 2012 (HM) |
| Max Norris |
1m & 3m |
2010 (HM in both) |
| Women |
Event |
Year |
| Issara Schmidt |
1m |
2025, 2023, 2022 |
|
3m |
2025 (ST), 2023 (HM) |
| Maya Williams |
1m |
2025 (ST) |
|
3m |
2025 (ST) |
| Carmen White |
1m |
2020** |
|
3m |
2020**, 2018 (HM), 2017 (HM) |
| Kelly Dietz |
1m |
2010 (HM) |
|
3m |
2011 (HM), 2010 (HM) |
^Kolean produced four additional All-Americans during his first stint at NYU from 1990-2000
** The 2020 NCAA Division III Championships were canceled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic; all qualifiers were honored as All-Americans
(HM) - Honorable Mention
(ST) - Replaced "Honorable Mention" in 2025
