DIVING COACH: Gordon Spencer

Gordon Spencer, in his 15th year at Columbia, has built the Lions' diving program into one of the most respected in the East, most recently with Jodi Norton and 1995 Eastern placewinner Danette Daniels.

While his Columbia divers have been a deciding factor in many a Lion victory, Spencer has also made a name for himself away from Morningside Heights. In 1991 he was named the Junior Olympic Zone A Coach of the Year.

Spencer came to Columbia from Kent State University, where he built a diving power in just two years. A native of Canton, Ohio, he was a three-time state finalist at Canton McKinley High School and attended Indiana University, where he competed under the legendary Hobie Billingsley, reaching the national championships. He later coached at Billingsley's diving school.

After his 1977 graduation, Spencer became an assistant diving coach at two Miami high schools. He returned to Kent State in 1981 and earned a master's degree in athletic administration.

Spencer is very active in the diving scene outside of Columbia. He has served as a judge for the Senior National Diving Championships. He coaches an elite U.S. Diving club comprised of some of the best Junior Olympic divers in the nation. The program consistently produces East Coast champions and national age group finalists on both platform and springboard. In fact, his top men's diver this season, Daniel Brown, dived for Spencer's famed Morningside Muggers.

Spencer, his wife Bertica and their 11-year old daughter Caitlin reside on Morningside Heights.