Colorado State University Athletics
Photo by: CSU Athletics Communications
Bergere joins staff as head diving coach
6/10/2019 12:00:00 PM | Women's Swimming & Diving
Veteran brings 34 years of collegiate experience
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Colorado State head women's swimming & diving coach Chris Woodard announced the hire of Chris Bergere as the Rams' head diving coach, a mentor whose career spans four decades of success.
He has spent 34 years as a collegiate head coach with a national champion on the platform part his resume, as well as leading national teams.
"We are extremely fortunate to have Chris Bergere coming on board with the Rams," Woodard said. "Chris is a proven developer of talent and a high-caliber recruiter. He impressed our staff with his professional demeanor, the breadth of his knowledge and his ability to relate to administrators, student-athletes and recruits alike. We have confidence that under Chris's guidance our program is going to reach new heights in the Mountain West and on the national stage."
Bergere comes to Fort Collins after spending the past nine years at Yale, where he had multiple competitors qualify for NCAA Zones and win Ivy League championships. He served in the same role at Michigan for eight seasons, guiding one diver to the NCAA title on the platform. He spent his first 17 years as a head diving coach at his alma mater, LaSalle, where as a competitor, he qualified for NCAA Zones all four seasons.
In international competition, he has coached the United States' team at the 2009 World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia and at the 2003 games in Daegu, South Korea. In 2004, he served as a coach at the US Olympic Trials and judged the 2008 US Olympic Trials. In 2000, he was the Junior Olympic coach in Munich, Germany.
"I am absolutely thrilled to be part of the CSU coaching staff," Bergere said. "I am grateful and honored to have the opportunity to coach at CSU. I have often thought of the quote, 'go west my friend.' Why west? Why Colorado? Opportunity! Also, many people going west or who have settled in the west are optimistic and adventurous. I feel the same right now. Excited to be going west and working the opportunity I have before me to the best of my abilities. I am truly looking forward to the adventures we will share in and out of the pool."
He has spent 34 years as a collegiate head coach with a national champion on the platform part his resume, as well as leading national teams.
"We are extremely fortunate to have Chris Bergere coming on board with the Rams," Woodard said. "Chris is a proven developer of talent and a high-caliber recruiter. He impressed our staff with his professional demeanor, the breadth of his knowledge and his ability to relate to administrators, student-athletes and recruits alike. We have confidence that under Chris's guidance our program is going to reach new heights in the Mountain West and on the national stage."
Bergere comes to Fort Collins after spending the past nine years at Yale, where he had multiple competitors qualify for NCAA Zones and win Ivy League championships. He served in the same role at Michigan for eight seasons, guiding one diver to the NCAA title on the platform. He spent his first 17 years as a head diving coach at his alma mater, LaSalle, where as a competitor, he qualified for NCAA Zones all four seasons.
In international competition, he has coached the United States' team at the 2009 World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia and at the 2003 games in Daegu, South Korea. In 2004, he served as a coach at the US Olympic Trials and judged the 2008 US Olympic Trials. In 2000, he was the Junior Olympic coach in Munich, Germany.
"I am absolutely thrilled to be part of the CSU coaching staff," Bergere said. "I am grateful and honored to have the opportunity to coach at CSU. I have often thought of the quote, 'go west my friend.' Why west? Why Colorado? Opportunity! Also, many people going west or who have settled in the west are optimistic and adventurous. I feel the same right now. Excited to be going west and working the opportunity I have before me to the best of my abilities. I am truly looking forward to the adventures we will share in and out of the pool."
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