Di Fazio Hired as University of Miami Head Diving Coach
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Dario di Fazio, who has served as the University of Miami’s assistant diving coach for the past 28 years, has been named head diving coach, Vice President/Director of Athletics Dan Radakovich announced Friday.
Di Fazio takes over for Randy Ableman, who retired after leading the Hurricanes’ diving program since 1989.
“Dario has been a huge part of our success in men’s and women’s diving, and we are confident he is the right leader to keep Miami competing for ACC and NCAA championships,” Radakovich said.
Since arriving in Coral Gables, di Fazio has helped 11 UM divers capture 15 NCAA titles. He has also assisted in the development of 10 Olympians. Di Fazio was the USA Nationals coach from 1999-2002, 2010, and 2015-2023. He co-coached former Canes diver Sam Dorman to a silver medal at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
“I am incredibly honored and excited to take on the role of head diving coach at the University of Miami,” di Fazio said. “Over the past 28 years, I have had the privilege of working alongside Randy Ableman with some of the most talented and dedicated athletes in the world. I look forward to continuing our tradition of excellence and leading our divers to great success. I would like to extend my thanks to Dan Radakovich for his support and confidence in my abilities.”
Di Fazio’s diving resume includes appearances as a member of the Venezuelan Olympic Diving Team in the 1992 Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain, and the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta, both of which he finished in the top 25. He was a 32-time Venezuelan national champion, a seven-time South American Champion, and a member of Venezuela’s Pan-American team in 1995. In 1994, he came in 16th place at the World Championships in Rome.
Di Fazio moved to the United States in 1989 to train and practice under the supervision of Ableman before going on to compete at the collegiate level at Oakland University, where he was a three-time NCAA Division II champion and helped the Golden Grizzlies win two national team championships.
Since 1996, di Fazio has also served as head coach of Miami Diving, one the country’s most prestigious club diving programs. In 2021, CSCAA named him one of the Top 100 Greatest Swimmers & Divers of the past century.
Di Fazio and his wife, Gigi, have two children, Mia and Adrian.
