Julian Krug enters his fourth season as the head diving coach at the University of Pittsburgh and his 34th season overall. His longevity coupled with his coaching influence is a huge reason for the Panthers' success.
Krug has produced 17 individual Big East Champions and 41 overall conference titles, eight All-America performers and eight honorable mention All-Americans. He has coached seven repeat NCAA qualifiers, six school record holders and 16 Big East Championship Most Outstanding Divers.
Krug's contributions to the sport of diving extend nationally and globally. Krug and his wife Dorothy (Doe) will serve as diving advisors for the NBC broadcast crew at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. This will be the sixth time the couple will offer insight during an Olympic Games - having previously worked the Olympics in 2008 (Beijing), 2004 (Athens), 2000 (Sydney), 1996 (Atlanta), and 1992 (Barcelona).
In addition to his role with NBC this summer, Krug will also see a family dream become a reality as his daughter, Cassidy - a member of the U.S. Olympic Diving Team - looks to medal in the 3M springboard event. Cassidy, an 11-time NCAA champion at Stanford, won the 3M board at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in June 2012.
Krug - a six-time Big East men's diving coach of the year - believes that preparing oneself to the best of his or her abilities is the most important thing his performers should strive for, as opposed to focusing on first-place finishes.
"I believe that if you train hard with a positive attitude, winning will take care of itself," Krug said. "When we bring divers to Pitt, we expect them to better themselves every season."
Krug has guided numerous athletes to successful collegiate careers based on that philosophy. From 2004-09 (five-straight seasons), a Pitt diver captured the Big East Most Outstanding Diving honor.
Krug led both Jeremy Stultz and Alex Volovetski to All-America status over a three-year cycle from 2007-09. Stultz was also a three-time Big East Diver of the Year. Prior to that, diver Dennis Nemtsanov earned Honorable Mention All-America honors under Krug's tutelage, while Michael Wells was a Pitt NCAA qualifier in 2001-02.
Krug's success has continued into this decade as Aaron Snyder took his first-ever All-Big East performance on the 1M board this past season. Pitt freshman Harris Bergman was also impressive at the 2012 Big East Championship, finishing third overall on the platform diving event. Bergman would have earned all-conference accolades if the board wasn't scored as an exhibition event.
During the 2010-11 season, Krug led Collin Forner to All-Big East honors on both the 1M and 3M board. In addition to Forner, three others - Zane McLain, Morgan Speece and Mallory Mullady - represented the Panthers in the finals in both diving events.
In 2007, Krug was joined by his wife and daughter as all three became the first family of recipients to earn the prestigious Whosam Inc. Award for commitment to excellence and dedication to the highest physical and spiritual ideals at the United States Aquatic Sports Awards banquet.
In 2000, Krug was elected to the United States Diving Board of Directors and also spent time on the NCAA Rules Committee. A member of the U.S. Diving Education Committee, Krug is a National Spotting Certifier and has served as a member of the Senior National Rules Committee. In 2007, he was appointed U.S. Diving Vice President for Senior Diving.
From 1997-2003, Krug served as the United States national team coach at the FINA Mexico Grand Prix. He additionally helped develop two Olympic divers in David Pichler (1996, 2000) and Karen LaFace (1992).
A standout diver himself, Krug became the first person to successfully execute a 5½ front somersault dive from 10 meters in 1974. He performed the dive at Kimball's Diving Camp in Brandon, Fla. Krug was an outstanding collegian at the University of Wisconsin, earning all-American honors in 1966.
Krug and his wife, Doe, reside in Kennedy Township. Doe serves as program director of the Pitt Aquatic Club, while Julian and she share head coaching duties. They have two children, Cassidy and Kyle.
