Youngstown State University and Head Swimming & Diving Coach Hannah Saiz have announced the hiring of Ron Kontura as the Penguins' new Head Diving Coach and Director of Operations. Kontura brings more than 30 years of experience in collegiate coaching, athletic administration and championship event management to Youngstown State. Throughout his career, he has developed NCAA champions, All-Americans, conference champions and Olympic Trials qualifiers while building successful diving programs at every level of collegiate athletics.
"We are thrilled to welcome Ron Kontura to the Youngstown State family," Saiz said. "Ron is one of the most accomplished diving coaches in the country. His ability to develop elite student-athletes, build successful programs and lead complex operations makes him an incredible addition to our staff. His passion for mentoring young people and commitment to excellence align perfectly with the vision for our program."
Kontura spent the past six seasons at Kenyon College, helping lead one of the nation's premier Division III swimming and diving programs. During his tenure, he was named NCAA Division III Men's Diving Coach of the Year twice and North Coast Athletic Conference Men's Diving Coach of the Year four times. His divers won six NCAA individual national championships, earned eight All-America honors and produced multiple NCAA Diver of the Year award winners. In addition to coaching, Kontura served as Director of Aquatics and Director of the Total Performance Swim Camp, overseeing facility operations, staffing, programming and championship event management while helping lead a Swim & Dive Reunion Weekend that raised more than $4 million for the program's endowment.
"Youngstown State represents an exciting opportunity to build something special," Kontura said. "I am honored to join Coach Saiz's staff and become part of the Penguin family. I look forward to helping our student-athletes reach their highest potential in the classroom, in competition and as leaders. Together, we will build a culture centered on excellence, accountability and pride in representing Youngstown State."
Prior to Kenyon, Kontura served as head diving coach at the University of California, Berkeley, the United States Military Academy at West Point, Illinois State University and Allegheny College. At California, he helped guide the Golden Bears to the 2005 NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Dual Meet Championship while recruiting and developing nationally elite divers. During his tenure at Army West Point, he earned Patriot League Coach of the Year honors twice while establishing the academy's diving camp and club program.
Beyond the pool deck, Kontura has built an extensive background in athletic operations and event management. He has contributed to the planning and execution of NCAA Championships, conference championships, USA Diving National Championships, Olympic Trials and international competitions. As owner of High Performance Aquatics, he continues to serve the sport through consulting, aquatic programming and championship event management, including recent roles as Diving Event Director for the Mid-American Conference and Missouri Valley Conference Championships, a member of the organizing committee for the World Aquatics High Diving World Cup, announcer for the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships and part of the event operations team for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Swimming Team Trials.
A lifelong contributor to the sport, Kontura is a Lifetime Member of USA Diving and has served as Chairman of USA Masters Diving, a member of the USA Diving Rules Committee, Team Leader for the Junior World Championships and Junior Pan American Games, and Site Selection Chair for more than 20 national championships. He has also served as meet director for numerous conference and USA Diving championship events.
Kontura earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Ohio University before completing his Master of Business Administration at Illinois State University.
A Cleveland native, Kontura is excited to return to Northeast Ohio and begin the next chapter of his coaching career at Youngstown State. His combination of championship coaching experience, operational leadership and long-standing service to the sport will strengthen the Penguins' swimming and diving program as it continues to pursue conference and national success.
