Northern Colorado University has announced two new additions to its women’s swimming & diving coaching staff for the 2021-2022 season.
Lucas Richmond will be the program’s new diving coach, while the team is still searching for a new assistant.
Northern Colorado finished 3rd out of 8 teams at the 2022 WAC Conference Championship meet. The team’s head coach is Lisa Eberling.
New Diving Coach
Richmond makes his return to Greeley after amassing a wealth of coaching experience since he last acted as the Bears’ head diving coach in 2009-10. The last time he wore the Blue and Gold, Richmond led Kelly Schmeckpepper-Cook to the program’s first NCAA Zone qualification.
He takes over for Tyler Miller, who left the program after 6 years. Northern Colorado only entered one diver at last year’s WAC Championships, freshman Madison Berg, but she was scratched from the 3-meter and platform events and finished last on 1-meter. She was the only diver don’t he team’s roster last season, meaning that program is badly in need of rebuilding.
Most recently, he spent time as Assistant Diving Coach at the University of Wyoming, where he coached for three seasons.
Prior to his stint at Wyoming, Richmond was Interim Head Coach of the Colorado State Swimming and Diving program in his third and final season with the Rams. While coaching at CSU, his expertise helped numerous divers qualify for the NCAA Zone E Championship.
Founding NORCO Diving Club in 2002, Lucas has coached and trained dozens of athletes who have elevated their careers to the college ranks.
A collegiate diver himself, Richmond dove for UNLV from 1997-2002. Lucas set the program record in the platform and twice was twice an NCAA Zone qualifier.
The Fort Collins native graduated from Colorado State in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in Speech Communication and a minor in Coaching. Off-deck, he has worked in several dry-side careers, including as the owner of the Lucas Richmond Agency, a subset of the Farmers Insurance Group.
New Assistant Needed
Last season, Brody Lewis was the assistant coach for Northern Colorado. He joined the team mid-season during the 2020-2021 season and competed at the 2021 US Olympic Swimming Trials. Northern Colorado still has not filled that paid assistant position.
Molly Hebzynski is still listed as a volunteer assistant for the program.
As a junior last season, Madelyn Moore won her second-straight WAC Swimmer of the Year award at Northern Colorado. She just-missed qualifying for the NCAA Championships, ending up as the 9th-alternate to the meet, though she ultimately did not receive a call-up to Atlanta.
I was really disappointed in this article. Tyler Miller was employed in a part-time capacity (making less than most would accept) that needed to work full time as a substitute teacher to even keep the possibility alive of remaining at UNC. He had no scholarships available to work with and, like most diving programs, had many athletes with injuries that prevent them from competing.
Being a Division 1 coach and making a career out of it is one of the most challenging careers out there. It is rewarding to work with athletes and see them reach their potential but there are late nights with mental health crisis, being stand in parents for them when they have nobody else to… Read more »
This is an incredible get for Northern Colorado. Luke is an incredible person and coach who has a passion for developing great people and great divers. This is the best hire of any diving coach position so far. He will transform the program at Northern Colorado and will definitely be a huge plus in the program’s push for a team conference championship.
Way to go Lucas. Expecting great things to come out of Greely!
Congratulations Lucas. I remember our time in Vegas vividly.
Same same
Molly Hebzynski is awesome & definitely deserves consideration for the paid assistant position.