Diving coach Omar Ojeda and senior diver Ben Grado were recognized as the Pac-12 Coach of the Year and Pac-12 Diver of the Year, Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott announced Monday.
Grado became the first diver to win all three diving events at the Pac-12 Championships since ASU’s Micky Benedetti did in 2008. Grado was the first Arizona diver to claim a conference title since Ojeda did so in 2001 and 2002, winning six events.
Grado ended his career on a high note by becoming the first diver in school history to win a national championship for the platform during the NCAA Championships in Federal Way, Wash. Grado posted a score of 487.25 and earned ninth place honors in both the one-meter and three-meter.
Ojeda was able to coach two of his divers, Grado and Andres Guerra, to the NCAA Championships in his first year at the UA. During his time competing as a Wildcat, Ojeda earning five All-American recognitions from 2000 to 2002 and earned the Pac-10 Men’s Diver of the Year award in 2001 and 2002.
Grado said he hopes to make the Olympic team and compete in the 2012 Summer Olympics.