UM Diving Coach Randy Ableman to be Inducted into Iowa Hall of Fame
Aug. 3, 2005
CORAL GABLES, <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Fla. – University of Miami head diving coach Randy Ableman will be inducted into the University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame September 3rd. Ableman will be honored during the Hawkeye’s football season opener and in a banquet after the game.
<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
A four-time All-American while at Iowa, Ableman was the 1981 NCAA Champion in the 1-meter springboard and holds the Hawkeye school record in the 3-meter springboard.
A native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Ableman graduated from the University of Iowa with a bachelor of science in recreation and education in 1983.
“It is a huge honor to be inducted into the University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame, particularly since I grew up 30 minutes away from Iowa City,” said Ableman. “It’ll be great to see my old coach and teammates. My family and I are really looking forward to it.”
In 1980, Ableman was named to the U.S. Olympic Diving Team, but was forced to miss the 1980-Moscow games due to an American boycott. From 1978-1984, he was a member of the U.S. National Team.
On of the nation’s most respected diving authorities, Ableman enters his 17th season as the head coach of the UM diving team. Ableman is a nine-time NCAA Diving Coach of the Year, earning the honor six consecutive years from 1995-2000.
In 2002, Ableman was honored by U.S. Diving as he was awarded the Phil Boggs Award, presented annually to honor those who have achieved individual excellence in diving and have given back a part of themselves to assure the sport’s continuation and success.
After 16 seasons at Miami, Ableman has coached 10 National Champions to an NCAA-record 21 individual national titles, including four-time NCAA Champions Dean Panaro, Rio Ramirez and Tyce Routson. From 1991-2002, in one of the most impressive streaks in NCAA diving history, the Miami men’s and women’s diving teams combined for 20 individual NCAA Championships. During which time, the Hurricanes won at least one national title for 12 consecutive seasons, naming at least two NCAA Champions in six seasons.
Miami swept the field at the 1997 Men’s NCAA Championship, winning the 1-meter springboard, 3-meter springboard and 10-meter platform and in 1996 the Hurricanes placed first, second and third in both the 3-meter springboard and 10-meter platform. Ableman led the Hurricanes to another NCAA record in 1996 with the trio of Tyce Routson, Brian Gillooly and Chris Mantilla becoming the first freshman in NCAA history to sweep the 10-meter platform at the NCAA Championships.
Under Ableman’s guidance, 22 Hurricanes have garnered All-America honors with at least one UM diver earning All-America stats every year since 1989. In 1995, the Hurricanes became the first school in NCAA history to have five divers – Jose Gil, Brian Ramos, Chris Mantilla, Brian Gillooly and Tyce Routson – earn All-America honors in the same year.
Hurricane divers have also excelled on the Olympic level during Ableman’s tenure, with a total of nine divers, representing six different countries, competing at the Olympic Games since 1992, including U.S. Diving Team member and former Hurricane Kyle Prandi and current diver Jenna Dreyer of South Africa who competed in the 2004 games in Athens.
In 2004, Ableman made his third trip to the Olympic Games as a member of the U.S. Olympic Diving Team coaching staff. He also served on the 1996 and 2000 Olympic teams and in the summer of 2003, Ableman served as the U.S. Pan Am Games head coach.
Ableman came to Miami in 1989 after a five-year stint as the head diving coach at the University of South Carolina from 1985-1989 and a one-year stay as the head coach at WrightState in 1984.
As a diver, Ableman was the 1981 NCAA Champion in the 1-meter springboard at the University of Iowa and holds the Hawkeye school record in the 3-meter springboard.
In 1980, Ableman was named to the U.S. Olympic Diving Team, but was forced to miss the 1980-Moscow games due to an American boycott. From 1978-1984, he was a member of the U.S. National Team.
A native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Ableman graduated from the University of Iowa with a bachelor of science in recreation and education in 1983. He is married to the former Karen Gorham, who was the 1980 U.S. Indoor champion in the 1-meter springboard. The couple has one daughter, Charlotte Patricia.
