Western Kentucky University swimming and diving head coach Bruce Marchionda announced Chelsea Ale as diving coach for the Hilltoppers and Lady Toppers Wednesday afternoon.
An experienced diver, Ale comes to Bowling Green as a Junior World Trials gold medalist on platform, a Junior and Senior National Championship finalist, an Atlantic Coast Conference and NCAA Zone finalist and a three-time Master’s National Champion, and also represented the United States in the Junior World Championships.
“We are excited to add Chelsea to the staff,” Marchionda said. “She brings a wealth of experience, not just individually as a competitor, but also coaching wise. We just feel like she was the right person for the job, so we are going to give her the support she needs to be successful at that end of the pool.”
Ale joins the WKU coaching staff from the Montgomery Dive Club in Maryland where she served as Human Springs Coordinator and National Team/Human Spring Coach. With the club, Ale planned and organized meets, camps and lesson plans while serving as a communicator to parents. She also provided insight and expertise to National Team members. In that role since September 2012, Ale was no stranger to the dive club, as she was also an assistant dive coach and aqua sports camp director in previous years.
From summer 2003-08 and as most recently as this past summer, Ale was the head dive coach for the Montgomery County Dive League, as she taught children ages 4-18 fundamental and advanced dive skills and planned team events and meets.
Ale earned her master’s degree from Florida State University in sport administration in August 2011 with a certificate in collegiate coaching. While in Tallahassee, Ale assisted the FSU diving team as a manager, helping the dive coach in everyday activities along with planning events, meets and camps. She was also a graduate assistant for the sport management department.
A letterwinner for North Carolina State University, Ale had a standout collegiate career for the Wolfpack. From 2007-2009, Ale was a finalist at the conference championships while qualifying for the NCAA Zone Diving Championships. Out of the water, Ale’s academic accomplishments were numerous, including ACC Honor Roll, All-ACC Academic Team, Scholar-Athlete and Dean’s List. She was also active in the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee while participating in the NCAA National Student-Athlete Development Conference and Academic Support Program for Student-Athletes Internship.
Ale graduated from NC State cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in sport management in May 2010.
Diving since 1996, Ale was a 2006 graduate of Blake High School in Maryland where she was an All-American, captain and record holder for an 11-dive list. In 2002, she attended the Junior Worlds in Germany and placed 19th while a finalist at Junior Nationals from 2001-06 and a third-place finisher on the three-meter syncro at the 2006 Senior Zones. Ale also ran the Olympic Torch up the Capitol steps for the Winter Olympics in 2001.
The WKU swimming and diving team is preparing for the upcoming season with offseason workouts. The 2013-14 schedule is set to be released later in the week.
For all the latest news and information on WKU swimming and diving, visit WKUSports.com or follow the program on Twitter via @WKUSwimDive and @WKUSports.
This Western Kentucky University swimming and diving release was provide to swimswam.
