The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Texas Diving to receive 2020 USA Diving Collegiate Impact Award
12.01.2022 | Men's Swimming and Diving, Women's Swimming and Diving
The Longhorns will be recognized during the Team USA Collegiate Recognition Awards in Las Vegas on Dec. 6.
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Diving will be honored with the 2020 USA Diving Collegiate Impact Award, as announced today by USA Diving. The award recognizes the top-contributing school on the 2020 U.S. Olympic Diving Team in Tokyo. As part of the recognition, Chris Plonsky, chief of staff and executive senior associate athletics director at The University of Texas, will be recognized during the Team USA Collegiate Recognition Awards that will run in conjunction with the National Football Foundation's 64th Annual Awards celebration on Dec. 6, 2022, in Las Vegas.
"The University of Texas Diving Team is honored to accept the USA Diving Collegiate Impact Award," said Texas head diving coach Matt Scoggin. "We take tremendous pride in working toward our divers' Olympic, collegiate and world class goals both on the boards and in the classroom."
At the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, 100% of the U.S. Olympic Diving Team competed collegiately. Texas had three divers competing in the Games, the largest representation of any program on Team USA in Tokyo, which earned the Longhorns the 2020 USA Diving Collegiate Impact Award.
"NCAA programs are invaluable to USA Diving's success at the international level. We couldn't do it without the additional resources, training, and competitive opportunities they provide our athletes," said USA Diving President Lee Michaud. "The University of Texas is one of the top collegiate programs in the country, and coach Matt Scoggin brings a unique perspective to the team. As an Olympian himself, Matt is able to share his experiences with his athletes and help prepare them for success at the highest level of competition.
"It does not stop there, however. The principles that create champion athletes also lend to creating champion people. Not everyone will become an Olympian, but everyone must learn to navigate the challenges they encounter on their own individual journey. The lessons learned from hours of training teach discipline, character and perseverance. Today we celebrate and honor an institution devoted to developing champions in and out of the pool."
USA Diving joins seven other National Governing Bodies that will participate in this year's Team USA Collegiate Recognition Awards – a celebration that will honor sport-specific contributors (NGB Collegiate Impact Awards) and overall Team USA contributors (Team USA Collegiate Impact Awards) to the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 and the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.