Head Coach of Diving Gordon Spencer Retires After 33 Years
4/13/2016 8:51:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving, Women's Swimming and Diving
NEW YORK - After more than 30 years of service, head diving coach Gordon Spencer has announced his retirement from Columbia at the end of 2015-16 school year.
Spencer has played an integral role in both the varsity and recreational aquatics programs at Columbia for over 30 years and the Columbia community has benefitted greatly from his unending commitment to coaching and teaching.
Through more than three decades, he built the Columbia diving program into one of the most respected programs not only the Ivy League, but also in in the region.
Since joining Columbia in 1983, the Lions have tallied a combined nine Ivy League diving titles, five EISL titles, three Ivy League Diver of the Year honors, and three NCAA Championships appearances.
Spencer leaves Columbia on high note with a great 2015-16 diving season. He coached sophomore Jayden Pantel through a spectacular campaign that saw him go unblemished in the three-meter dive in dual-meet action for the second-consecutive season, to boast a 22-0 career record. Pantel capped the year with one-meter dive and three-meter dive Ivy League titles, and a berth in both the platform dive and three-meter dive at the 2016 NCAA Championships. Sophomore diver Brooke Bernardin posted a strong performance in the three-meter dive at NCAA Zones this year and will lead an experienced group of women divers into competition next season.
Head Coach of Men's Swimming, Jim Bolster - "Gordon has had an amazing career here at Columbia and it has been nothing but fun working alongside him for the past 32 years. He has developed Ivy champions, NCAA qualifiers and NCAA finalists, but what I will cherish most about Gordon is his coaching style and his uncanny ability to relate to his athletes. In 33 years I think he had only three divers not complete their four years. My heartiest congratulations and best wishes to Gordon, but I would be lying if I didn't tell you I wish he would stay a few more years. I will surely miss him."
Players Mentioned
