Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech director of swimming and diving Sergio Lopez Miro announced the hire of Rio Ramirez as the Hokies' head diving coach on Tuesday morning.
A decorated coach and former record-shattering student-athlete, Ramirez will bring over 10 years of college coaching experience in multiple conferences to Blacksburg. The five-time coach of the year was inducted into the University of Miami Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014.
"I am truly excited that coach Rio Ramirez has accepted to be our new head diving coach," Lopez Miro said. "Before I spoke with Coach Rio for the first time, I watched a video of his induction into the University of Miami Hall of Fame, and I really felt that Rio is the type of person that we want to have coaching here at Virginia Tech.
"After talking with him the first time and understanding his professional and personal experience as a diver, coach and individual, I had no doubt that he was the right person to lead our diving program and to help not just the divers, but the swimmers and the whole coaching staff to keep moving toward the top in the conference and nationally."
Ramirez joins the Hokies after a year at Alabama and seven seasons of coaching at Florida International University. While at FIU, Ramirez helped the Panthers to five-straight conference team titles, along with several All-America honors, individual conference titles and diver of the year awards.
"It is a great honor to be part of the Virginia Tech swimming and diving family," Ramirez said. "I am very excited to be able to work with so many talented student-athletes and a world-class staff."
In his own impressive collegiate career, Ramirez was not only a four-time NCAA Champion, but also set an NCAA record while competing for the Miami Hurricanes. He captured the platform title and NCAA record score in 1999 with 901.60 points. Ramirez also held the 1-meter title from 1997-1999. Ramirez graduated Miami with a bachelor's in business administration in 2001.
In addition to his killer NCAA stint, Ramirez was a member of Team USA and racked up several impressive victories, including a first place title at both the 2000 FINA Grand Prix and Pan-American Games in 1991. He also took third place in the 2000 USA Olympic Diving Trials.
"Coach Rio brings to the table an amazing life experience that gives him a perspective in life that sometimes we lose track of," Lopez Miro continued. "I can't wait to have Rio start his journey as a Hokie and to keep building on the amazing tradition that Ron Piemonte has built over the last 15 years here at Virginia Tech. Welcome to the Hokie Family, Coach Rio!"