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Home , 1998 Goodwill Games, Dave Salo, Gabe Woodward, Irvine Novaquatics, Staciana Stitts

2006-2007 Coaches Profiles

• Head Coach 1st Year

Dave Salo, one of the nation’s top club coaches for more than 15 years and a former Trojan assistant coach, has been named head coach for USC’s men’s and women’s swimming teams, Athletic Director Mike Garrett announced today (April 21). He replaces , who is assuming USA Swimming’s head coach position after guiding USC swimming for the past 14 years. “Dave Salo brings a wealth of experience at all levels of competitive swimming,” said Associate Athletic Director Dr. Brandon Martin, who conducted the nationwide search to replace Schubert. “We believe that Dave is a perfect fit for our department, in terms of both developing and educating our student- athletes as well as winning championships.” Salo, 47, who has coached Olympic medalists such as former Trojans Lenny In addition to his work with the Novas, Pirates won the 2003 California state title and Krayzelburg and , Aaron he has served extensively at the national Salo was honored as state Co-Coach of the Peirsol, Amada Beard, , Colleen level, including head coaching assignments Year. Also in 2003, he became the Founding Lanne and , comes to USC for the at the 2005 World Director of Aquatics at Soka University in Alisa after serving as head coach of the Irvine Championships (men) and the 2001 Goodwill Viejo, Calif., where he recently completed his Novaquatics from 1990 to 2006. Games (men). His assistant coaching duties second season with the Lions. “Returning to USC, following in the footsteps for the U.S. include the 2004 Olympics Salo joined the Novas after five seasons of Hall of Fame coaches Peter Daland and (men), 2003 World Championships (men and (1985-90) working under legendary USC Mark Schubert, is a coach’s dream,” said women), 2002 Pan Pacific Championships swimming coach Peter Daland. He helped Salo. “The fact that it becomes my reality can’t (men), 2000 Olympics (women) and the 1999 guide Troy’s men’s team to five Top 5 NCAA be described adequately. (women). finishes, including second-place marks in “I have had a dream coaching career - Nova swimmers and alums who trained 1987, 1988 and 1990. Troy also had perfect coaching some of the best swimmers in the under Salo have consistently dotted the roster dual-meet records in 1988, 1990 and 1991. world with one of the best clubs in the country. of U.S. national teams, often in starring roles. Among the USC swimmers he helped coach The opportunity to come back to USC to Peirsol, the world record holder in the 100 and were NCAA champions and Olympians Dave coach one of the most storied programs in the 200 backstroke (lcm), is a two-time Olympian Wharton and Dan Jorgensen. history of collegiate swimming is tremendously and won 2004 Olympic gold medals in the Salo graduated from Long Beach State with exciting. I am looking forward to contributing aforementioned events. Beard is a three-time a B.A. and M.A. in exercise physiology and to the culture of expected excellence at Olympian with seven medals, one of many also served as an assistant women’s swimming USC.” elite breaststrokers who have come under coach there in 1981 and 1982. He earned Salo guided the Novas to numerous Junior Salo’s tutelage. Lezak, a four-time Olympic his doctorate in the same field from USC in National and U.S. National team titles as well medalist in two appearances, is among 1991. as several age group championships. He was American’s greatest sprinters. Salo swam for Santa Rosa Junior College tabbed 2002 U.S. Swimming Coach of the Besides duties with the Novas and the U.S. from 1976 to 78 before transferring to Long Year after leading the Novas to U.S. Spring team, Salo served as co-head coach at Orange Beach State. and Summer national titles. Coast College from 2000 to 2004. The

2006-2007 USC Swimming and 39 2006-2007 Coaches Profiles adam crossen paul davidson Assistant Coach Assistant Coach First Year First Year

Adam Crossen, a former Trojan swimmer who has collegiate and club Paul Davidson, who has more than 20 years of experience coaching at coaching experience at some of the top programs in the country, is in his the collegiate and club levels, is in his first year as an assistant swimming first year as a USC assistant swimming coach. coach at USC. Crossen, 31, comes to USC after serving under current Trojan head Davidson comes to USC after serving as an assistant coach at UNLV coach Dave Salo at Soka University and with the club in 2006, where he coached the distance groups and handled women’s team. He was the associate head coach for the Novas (2003-2006) and as recruiting. Prior to that, he was an assistant coach at Cal Lutheran from assistant with Soka (2004-2006). 2003-05, helping to build the program from scratch. While with the Novaquatics, Crossen helped coach some of America’s Davidson’s other collegiate coaching experience came at Michigan, a top swimmers, including former Trojan and Olympian Lenny Krazyelburg and Olympian Jason Lezak. He handled coaching and recruiting for both three-year stint from 1994 to 1996. While working in Ann Arbor, he also the men’s and women’s teams at Soka. Also during his tenure with the was an assistant coach for Club Wolverine. During his stint in Michigan, Novas, Crossen served as the director of the USA Swimming 2004 Select the women’s team finished second at the 1995 NCAA Championships and Camp for the Western region held at Soka University. Club Wolverine won a title at the U.S. Summer Nationals that same year. Prior to his stint with Soka and the Novaquatics, Crossen spent three From 1996 to 2005, Davidson was head coach at Conejo Simi Aquat- years (2000-2003) as an assistant women’s swimming coach at California ics in Simi Valley, Calif. Under his tutelage, the club produced several U.S. under former Trojan swimmer and current Bear head coach Teri McKeever. Olympic Trials and National Championships qualifiers, grew in membership Crossen coached close to 20 All-Americans in his time with the Bears, and won the Coastal section championship in 2000. including Olympic gold medal winner and three-time NCAA swimmer of Davidson began his coaching career with the SoCal Aquatics Associa- the year as well as Olympic medalist and current Trojan tion in Tustin, Calif., where he served as senior coach and assistant national assistant swimming coach Staciana Winfield. Crossen, who was involved coach from 1985-1994 before moving on to Michigan. in all facets of the Bear program, helped Cal to top 10 finishes in all three He was a member of the UC Irvine team from 1980-85 and years he was there. was a part of the NCAA Championship team in 1982. He graduated from His stint with the Bears was preceded by a graduate assistant turn at UCI in 1988 with a bachelor of arts degree in film studies and comparative Auburn University under head coach David Marsh from 1997 to 2000. Working with both programs, he helped guide the men’s team to an NCAA literature. title in 1999 and to a runner-up finish in 1998. The women’s team finished fifth in 2000 and sixth in 1998 while Crossen was there. Crossen was the head coach of the Auburn Master Team and worked as a coach and head counselor at the Auburn Swim Camp as well. A four-year swimmer under former USC coach Mark Schubert (1994- 97), Crossen graduated from USC in 1997 with a degree in exercise science. He earned a master’s degree in exercise physiology from Auburn in 2000. While at USC, he was a member of the Pac-10 Conference Student Athlete Committee. He is married to the former Julie Peck and the couple is expecting its first child.

40 2006-2007 USC Swimming and Diving 2006-2007 Coaches Profiles staciana winfield Assistant Coach First Year

Staciana Winfield, a 2000 U.S. Olympic gold medalist and four-time Pan Am Games gold medalist, is in her first year as an assistant swimming coach at USC. Winfield, whose maiden name is Stitts, was an assistant coach at the College of Charleston in 2005-2006, helping the men’s and women’s team post a school-record 18 point scorers at the Colonial Athletic Association Championships. One of America’s top breaststrokers from 1998 to 2004, Winfield’s resume is topped by her 2000 Olympic gold medal, which she earned swimming the leg in the prelims of the 400-meter medley relay in Sydney, . She won a pair of 100m breaststroke titles at the 1999 and 2003 Pan Am Games and swam the breaststroke leg on U.S.-winning 400m medley relays as well. She is also a three-time medalist, a 2002 World Championships finalist (100m breast) and a 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials two-time finalist (100m and 200m breast). Winfield, 24, earned multiple All-American honors as a four-year star at California, where she was a four-time NCAA individual finalist and was part of Cal’s 2000 NCAA-title-winning 200m medley relay. She was also a three-time Pac-10 All-Academic first team selection. Winfield, from Encinitas, Calif., and a graduate of Carlsbad (Calif.) High, was a junior national champion in 1997 and the California High School state champion in 1998 in both the 100y and 200y breast. Winfield also swam for and worked with Salo at Irvine Novaquatics, one of the top club teams in the country. She is married to Brett Winfield.

2006-2007 USC Swimming and Diving 41 2006-2007 Coaches Profiles

hongping li

Head Diving Coach • Eighth Year

An NCAA champion and two-time Olympian who has been one of the most successful NCAA coaches in recent years, Hongping Li is in his eighth year as USC’s head diving coach. He was named to the position on July 1, 1999. Li, the 2002 and 2006 NCAA and 2001-03 and 2005-2006 Pac-10 Wom- en’s Diving Coach of the Year and the winner of the 1998 and 1999 United States Olympic Committee’s “Diving Developmental Coach of the Year” award, came to USC after serving as the head coach of the Mission Viejo (Calif.) Na- dadores Diving Team since 1993. Li, who was an assistant coach on the 2004 U.S. Olympic Diving team, has had immediate and sustained success since joining the USC staff, directing in July, 2005, in Montreal. Vincent also won a Pac-10 title on platform and five men’s and women’s divers to a combined 25 All-American honors and five Troy’s men’s diving contingent was the highest scoring unit of the meet. NCAA titles. In 2004, Vincent earned All-American honors on the platform, continuing In 2006, Blythe Hartley won her fourth and fifth career NCAA titles with wins Li’s streak of having Trojans earn All-American honors each year he’s been at on the 1-meter and 3-meter springboard while men’s diver Michael Hilde made USC. Additionally, Hartley represented at the 2004 Olympics (winning his All-American debut on 3-meter. Hartley, who also earned her 12th (a maxi- bronze on synchronized platform) while Li’s club diver Rachelle Kunkel made the mum for a diver) All-American honor with a final appearance on platform, was U.S. team placing 9th on 3-meter springboard. named NCAA Women’s Diver of the Year for the second time. Her five career In 2003, three of Li’s divers earned All-American honors. Vincent became NCAA titles is tied for second among NCAA women divers. She also won her Li’s first men’s diver at USC to do so, taking third in the platform at the 2003 seventh and eighth career Pac-10 titles (a Pac-10 record). Hilde won his second NCAA Championships. At the women’s NCAAs, Hartley was a three-time All- career Pac-10 platform title (Troy’s fourth in a row in the event). In addition to American while Nicci Fusaro earned one All-American honor. Hartley also swept Hilde, Kenny Jenkins qualified for his first NCAA Championships, marking the the 2003 Pac-10 Championship diving events on the women’s side (Fusaro took third straight year USC has had two men at the NCAAs. a pair of seconds) and Vincent won the platform title in the men’s meet. For their In 2005, Hartley won her third career NCAA title while Ray Vincent earned efforts, Li was named 2003 Pac-10 Women’s Coach of the Year for the third his third consecutive All-American honors on the platform, marking the sixth consecutive season and Hartley was named Pac-10 Women’s Diver of the Year consecutive season Li’s divers earned All-American honors. Hartley was named for the second straight year. 2005 NCAA and Pac-10 women’s diver of the year after winning the NCAA Li also served as head coach for the U.S. Diving team that competed at the 3-meter title and her fifth and sixth career Pac-10 titles a few weeks earlier. She 2003 Grand Prix Diving Championships in Rome, . went on to win her second career World Championship gold medal on 3-meter He earned NCAA Coach of the Year honors after directing the women’s

42 2006-2007 USC Swimming and Diving 2006-2007 Coaches Profiles

USC Coach Hongping Li with Nicci Fusaro (middle) and Blythe Hartley at the 2002 NCAA Championships. Hartley won two NCAA titles in 2002 and both she and Fusaro were three-time All-Americans. Li was named 2002 NCAA Coach of the Year while Hartley was tabbed 2002 NCAA Diver of the Year. diving squad to superb results at the 2002 NCAA National champions who won a combined 20 indi- Championships. Hartley won a pair of NCAA titles vidual titles. Among the elite divers Li coached was and made three finals appearances on her way to Erica Sorgi, who has captured five senior national Hongping Li’s 2002 NCAA Women’s Diver of the Year while Fu- titles since 1996. saro also made three NCAA finals appearances. Li led the Nadadores to the 1998 Junior Na- USC Highlights Senior diver Kellie Brennan also scored and just tional Championships team title as well as every missed earning All-American honors. Also in 2002, Western National team title since 1996. He served Hartley won a silver and a bronze at the 2002 as an assistant coach at Mission Viejo from 1989- 2002 and 2006 NCAA Women’s Commonwealth Games while Fusaro qualified for 93, helping the club to consecutive junior team Coach of the Year the 2002 U.S. national team. titles from 1991-93. • In 2001, Li guided Brennan to a pair of All- Originally from Beijing, Li was a 12-time na- American honors (and her third consecutive Pac-10 tional champion and a two-time Olympian while 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006 1-meter title) and Fusaro to her first at the 2001 competing for . He finished fourth on the Pac-10 Women’s Coach of the Year NCAAs. Both also reached the top three at the 3-meter springboard at the 1984 Olympics in Los • 2001 U.S. Indoor Championships. Brennan was Angeles and earned gold medals on the platform named Pac-10 Diver of the Year, Fusaro was tabbed at the 1981 FINA World Cup in City and Li has directed USC divers to as Newcomer of the Year and Li earned his first Pac- the 1981 World University Games. He also quali- five NCAA titles and a combined 10 Coach of the Year honor. A year earlier in 2000, fied for the 1980 Olympics, but did not compete 25 All-American honors Li helped guide Brennan to her first two All-Ameri- because of the Chinese boycott. can honors. Li attended USC from 1985-89 and received • Li, 43, was named the 1998 and 1999 U.S. a bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1989. Under Li, Trojan divers have won Diving Outstanding Age Group Coach of the He won an NCAA title in the 3-meter springboard a combiend 17 Pac-10 titles and Year, was a U.S. team coach at the 1999 Pan Am as a freshman in 1986 and earned All-American Games, the 1998 World Diving Championships, honors in the 1-meter springboard. He also earned have been named both Pac-10 Diver the and the 1997 World Pac-10 titles in the 1- and 3-meter springboards of the Year and Newcomer Diver Junior Championships, and earned the Coach that same year. He was not eligible to compete after of the Year five times of Excellence award at the 1995 Senior National 1986 because of an NCAA age rule. Championships. He is also a voting member of the Li lives in La Palma, Calif., with his wife, Ling, USA Diving’s Committee Olympic Success. and their 12-year-old daughter, Amanda. At Mission Viejo, he produced eight Junior

2006-2007 USC Swimming and Diving 43