Former Ohio State All-American diver Lyle Yost has taken a job at That School Up North, being named the new assistant diving coach at the University of Michigan.
One of sports’ greatest rivalries has had a number of legendary coaches played on both sides of the Michigan-Ohio line. Most dramatically have been football coaches, including former legendary Michigan head football coach Bo Schembechler, who started his career as a graduate assistant at Ohio State under Woody Hayes. The two later led opposing sides of the “Ten Year War,” which fomented an ancient sporting rivalry.
While the Yost hiring won’t set off quite that level of fury among the fanbases, it is still a significant hire for the Wolverines, who brought in recently-retired two-time Olympian Brandon Loschiavo as their new head coach. Of note, Michigan’s current head swimming & diving coach Matt Bowe also crossed that boundary, having served formerly as an assistant at Ohio State.
Yost was a member of the 2025 World Championship team, which in an Instagram post said “was probably the most disappointing performances of my career.”
He finished 33rd in the men’s 1-meter event, including scoring 3s and 4s on some of his later dives.
He had a decorated career at Ohio State that included back-to-back NCAA Championships on 1-meter in 2023 and 2024. 1-meter, his signature event, is not contested at the Olympics.
This continues a trend of elite divers walking right out of competition into spots at big programs, or in Yost’s case, while he’s still competing. He will continue to train with Loschiavo (a former Purdue diver) as his coach.
“Lyle will be an incredible asset to the Michigan team,” said head diving coach Brandon Loschiavo. “Not only will he be a leader on the boards himself and a pro athlete, but he will have the ability to guide our athletes through years of experience on the competition and coaching sides. I couldn’t be happier having him be a part of this program and I’m excited to see where we’re able to take Michigan in these proceeding years.”
Yost previously spent one year after graduation as an assistant diving coach at Ohio State, a program that had six divers compete at the men’s and women’s NCAA Championships.
Yost was a four-time CSCAA Scholar All-American and four-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree. He also won the Big Ten Medal of Honor and the Arthur Ashe Jr. Male Sports Scholar of the Year award.
Love it!
He is a legend. Best of luck Lyle!
Congratulations to Lyle see you on deck
Congrats Lyle! Go Blue!
I had heard that OSU hired him as an assistant coach for this season and then two weeks later let him go because they did not have enough money to pay him. I guess he found a place that values him a little more
Yost is such a legendary Michigan athletics name, he’ll fit right in.
Yeah. This is like hearing that someone with the last name Bryant leaves Auburn for Alabama.