In her thirteenth season as head coach, Diana Caskey hopes to field her most competitive team yet.

Record-breaking performances and monumental accomplishments have been the norm during Caskey's Columbia head coaching tenure. Under her tutelage, Columbia and the Ivy League had their first NCAA champion, all university records have been broken and Lion swimmers won individual and relay titles for the first time at the Ivy Championships (Easterns until 1998). In 1993, Columbia had its first-ever NCAA qualifier in Danicia Ambron and then in 1996, its first ever Olympian in Cristina Teuscher.

It's a trend that figures to continue this season as Caskey returns a veteran-packed squad and welcomes another-strong first-year class.

Caskey's coaching career at Columbia began in 1991 when she served as a men's and women's assistant coach. She took over the women's program the following year, leading the Lions to one of their most successful seasons ever with a fourth-place Ivy League finish. Prior to Columbia, Caskey spent three years at her prep school alma mater, the Peddie School in Hightstown, New Jersey, teaching English and assisting with both the school and USS club swim teams. During her tenure, the school team won two National High School championships. At the club level, Peddie Aquatics placed second in two Senior National Championships. Caskey coached two Olympians as well as numerous Olympic qualifiers, NCAA finalists, USS National Champions and senior and junior national qualifiers.

A 1985 graduate of Princeton University, Caskey was a standout swimmer for the Tigers, earning All-America and All-Ivy League honors. She held the Princeton record in the 500 freestyle for 14 years and led off the 800 free relay that won the AIAW Intercollegiate Championships in 1982. Before graduating from Peddie in 1981, she also enjoyed a fine prep swimming career. The team captain, she set school records in both the 200 and 500 freestyle and won Peddie's scholar-athlete award.

Caskey lives in Morningside Heights with her husband, Larry, and their 3-year old daughter, Sierra.

 dbc3@columbia.edu
 

Abby Brethauer joined the Columbia coaching staff in May following a year working in Park City, Utah. Prior to that, she coached at Hamilton College in Clinton, NY, where she helped guide the women's team to 14th and the men to 15th at the NCAA Division III Championships.

Abby graduated from Kenyon College in 2002 with a B.A. in women's & gender studies. She also earned All-American status as a member of the swim team in each of her four years. In her senior year, she was runner-up in both the 200 yard backstroke and 200 yard butterfly at NCAAs.

"Abby is a strong recruiter and has a very positive and confident presence," says head coach Diana Caskey. "She will bring a lot of zeal and enthusiasm to recruiting, practices and meets."

agb2105@columbia.edu

Gordon Spencer, in his 19th 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.

 gs19@columbia.edu