Mission Viejo Taps Head Diving Coach Michele Mitchell as Executive Director

Michele Mitchell, a two-time Olympic medalist in diving, is the new executive director of the Mission Viejo Nadadores Foundation, set to manage the entire organization across both swimming and diving, the club announced Friday. She’ll assume the role in January 2022.

The news came shortly after head swimming coach and former U.S. National Team director Mark Schubert stepped away from the team two months earlier than anticipated. He announced his retirement in September but was expected to stay through the end of the year.

Mitchell has served as the club’s head diving coach since 2017; diving team membership has grown 300% since she took over, the team said. Over the summer, Mission Viejo won its first national team diving title in nearly two decades.

“After an exhaustive search for the right leader to steer the Nadadores toward LA2028, we realized our new leader was right in our midst! We are thrilled to move her into this new role. She is beloved and trusted by our community and a former Nadadore herself. She possesses a strong business sense of swimming and diving and has forged a close relationship with the City of Mission Viejo. She is a strong leader with a long history in aquatics,” Board of Directors Chair Andy Titus said in the announcement.

The 59-year-old Mitchell previously spent 22 years working in multiple capacities at the University of Arizona, including 17 as head diving coach. She also holds a Master’s degree in sports administration and a Ph.D. in educational psychology. Additionally, Mitchell served as the chair of the USA Diving Board of Directors.

During her competitive career, she was the Olympic silver medalist on the 10-meter platform in 1984 and 1988, and a four-time All-American at Arizona.

“I am honored to have been selected as the Executive Director for the Nadadores,” Mitchell said. “Since the grand re-opening in 2018, the program has returned to the prominence it once held in both swimming and diving. I want to continue the Nadadores’ legacy as a top-notch organization in Mission Viejo, while engaging the thousands of alumni and citizenry, all of whom have fond memories of this place. I invite the world to return to Mission Viejo. This is a unique relationship between a city who understands the value of aquatics and a club with a long, storied, successful history. I am delighted to continue the work to move us forward toward 2028.”

At the Tokyo Olympic Games, Mission Viejo was represented by swimmers Michael Brinegar, Zach AppleHaley Anderson, and Annie Lazor (open water U.S. National Team member David Heron also represents the club).

In the wake of Schubert’s resignation, former Nadadroes swimmer Logan Redondo is stepping in as interim coach for the high performance group, which includes current National Junior Team members Justina Kozan and Katie Crom.

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Sid Frisco
2 years ago

A true blow hard. If you want to hear someone talk about themselves to kick off every meeting you’ve come to the right place.

Jim
2 years ago

Makes a lot of sense. Has found success at all levels and her business acumen in the swim world is next to none. Congrats Michele!

Chas E
Reply to  Jim
2 years ago

Didnt she get fired or “reassigned” at Arizona multiple times?
This executive director position makes absolutely no sense. Diving is a huge loss in terms of revenue for pool space, and has little interest from youth compared to swimming.
No wonder Schubert got out. Good luck mission.

Jim
Reply to  Chas E
2 years ago

She did not. Here will come the thumbs down but that is the truth.

Gus
2 years ago

Looks like Irvine might be gaining a few kids.

CoachMelvin1966
2 years ago

I still am wondering if Mark will end up coaching over at Texas or Even so maybe he will coach for Cal Brk. In the following years.

Best of luck to Mark- Mel

Buckeyeboy
2 years ago

I’ll say a prayer for all the Mission Viejo families now. It will be needed. They just don’t know it yet.

CoachMelvin1966
Reply to  Buckeyeboy
2 years ago

I believe that he will do a fine job.

Walter
Reply to  CoachMelvin1966
2 years ago

He?

cynthia curran
Reply to  Buckeyeboy
2 years ago

She will be ok as director since few club teams have both a good swimming and diving program those are usually at the university level. Logan has been a coach for Mission Viejo for years and swam for them and the university of Minnesota I believe. He made the Olympic trials.

ScottyJ
Reply to  cynthia curran
2 years ago

She’ll be ok since few club teams have both a good swimming and diving program? What sense does that make? And since someone has coached at a place for years and swam at a mediocre D1 program means what?

cynthia curran
Reply to  cynthia curran
2 years ago

Well, as someone said there is a shift to diving is that bad. Personality, there are far fewer diving programs and Logan has coach MVN swimmers for years. There is a you tube video by Logan on the Mission Viejo way.

About Torrey Hart

Torrey Hart

Torrey is from Oakland, CA, and majored in media studies and American studies at Claremont McKenna College, where she swam distance freestyle for the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps team. Outside of SwimSwam, she has bylines at Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, SB Nation, and The Student Life newspaper.

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