Lara Preacco, PhD

Florida Atlantic Aquatics Club Founder, Owner, CEO &

Program Director

FAU HEAD COACH

Former Florida Atlantic University swimmer Lara Preacco, PhD, joined the men's and women's coaching staff in May of 2012 as an assistant, and two years later, was elevated to head coach. Preacco is in her tenth season at the helm of the program, a position she has held since 2014.

Coach Preacco made history in 2026, leading the men’s team to its first conference championship in program history. The Owls captured the ASUN Swimming & Diving conference championship in the final event of the meet after heading into the final day of competition in third place, 67 points behind the leader. The Owls concluded the meet with 15 medals, nine gold.

Daniel Laureyssens became the first Florida Atlantic men’s swimmer since 2006 to qualify for the NCAA Championship, swimming the 50 and 200 free. He was also awarded the ASUN Most Outstanding Swimmer for his performances. For the second consecutive year, FAU had the ASUN Most Outstanding Diver with Rocco Simonelli earning the honors in ‘26.

In the classroom, the men had the highest team GPA of all men’s sports in the department, recording a 3.53 GPA, including 23 men above 3.0 and three with a perfect 4.0. Six Owls were named to the Academic All-ASUN Team, with Laureyssens garnering Scholar Athlete of the Year. Associate Head Coach Ryan Bubb and incoming junior Leyton Roe represented Team USA at the 2026 FISU America Games in Lima in July 2026 as an assistant coach and an athlete.

On the women’s side, the squad had its best team finish at the championships since joining the American Conference. Megan Drover-Smith became FAU’s first conference champion in the American, winning the 200 back in a school record time of 1:55.24. Nula Gow took home silver for FAU in the 200 breast, while also breaking the program record. Seniors Ella Freeman and Maja Piotrowicz ended their FAU careers with bronze medals, each saving their best swims for last. Overall, the team broke five school records this season.
Over the course of the season, the Owls broke 18 school records.

The 2024-25 campaign saw the men's and women's teams sweep the midseason Patriot Invitational for the second straight season, with both teams finishing at top of the podium. At the conference championships, in just their second Atlantic Sun Championship appearance, the men's team finished as runners-up, finishing the meet with six gold, nine silver, and four bronze for a total of 19 medals. Isac Faxius walked away with the honor of ASUN Male Most Outstanding Diver. On the women's side in the AAC, Megan Drover-Smith picked up a silver medal while setting a new school record with a time of 1:55.88 in the 200 back. Senior Dolores Margni swam herself to a silver medal in the 200 fly with a time of 1:59.57. Sophia Clack won the inaugural AAC Freshman Diver of the Week award and won an additional one later in the season. In total between the men's and women's teams, 11 new program records were set over the course of the season. 

In 2023-24, Preacco led the men's and women's teams to a sweep in their midseason Patriot Invitational, with both taking first place in their respective fields. At the conference championships, the men earned third place in their first Atlantic Sun Championship appearances with seven bronze medals. On the women's side in the AAC, they tallied a fifth-place finish with five total medals. Alicia Mora earned a bronze medal on the 1-meter, Dolores Margni took bronze in the 200 fly, and Bry Bellile earned the silver medal in the 200 free. In total, 14 new program records were set over the course of the season. 
Mora became the first Owl to qualify for the NCAA Championships in consecutive seasons, this time on both the 1-meter and 3-meter dives.

During the 2022-23 season, Preacco oversaw the Owls' second consecutive second-place finish in the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association Championships. In addition, she guided the women's team through their first American Athletic Conference Championships in which they finished in seventh place, where freshman Amelia Robertson earned a bronze medal in the 200 back. In total, the Owls set 10 school records over their conference championships.
On the diving board, Alicia Mora became the first Owl since 2017 to qualify for the NCAA Championships and earned bronze medals on both the 1-meter and 3-meter boards at the AAC Championships.
 
In the 2021-22 season, Preacco led the Owls to a second-place finish on the men's side in the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association Championships with 903.5 points. In the conference championships, Preacco guided Rateb Hussein to Most Outstanding Swimmer of the Meet honors, while Timo Paisley earned Most Outstanding Freshman of the Meet . Hussein was also named CCSA Men's Swimmer of the Year. The women's side swam to fifth place in the Conference USA Championships. Preacco's Owls posted several record-breaking performances throughout the course of the season, setting nine school records and 12 FAU freshman records.
 
At the 2021 Coastal Collegiate Sports Association Swimming & Diving Championships, the men’s team finished as the runner-up with 984 points and 22 medals, the most medals the program has received at a conference championship. This marked the second time in three years the team had finished as the conference runner-up. The team also racked up several superlative post-meet awards, including Josh Fountain who was named CCSA Outstanding Swimmer of the Meet and Logan Downey who was named CCSA Most Outstanding Diver of the Meet. Downey was also tabbed CCSA Diver of the Year for the second consecutive year.
The women’s team earned a fourth-place finish at the Conference USA Swimming & Diving Championships. Alicia Mora gathered bronze finishes in each of her events, the 1-meter, 3-meter and platform, and freshman Nika Culina earned bronze medals in the 100 and 200 breast, while breaking FAU freshman records in each. At the end of the season, Selina Staudenherz was tabbed C-USA Freshman Diver of the Year.
 
In 2019-20, the women’s team finished in third place at the 2020 C-USA Championships. This feat marked the best finish for the Owls in a C-USA Championship, as well as the best placing at a conference championship since 2007-08 when the Owls were a part of the Sun Belt Conference.
On the men’s side, the team earned a third-place finish at the 2020 CCSA Championships behind 14 podium performances. That season, Preacco guided Rateb Hussein to break two school records (100 fly and 200 fly) and the 400 medley relay team (Kyle Douglas, Quinn LaCoursiere, Hussein and Connor Smoak) also broke a school record in the event. Three different Owls on the men’s side received CCSA Weekly honors, which included Hussein (four-time 2019-20 selection), Michael Cannatelli (two-time selection) and Downey (four-time selection), who was also the CCSA Diver of the Year.

Under Preacco's leadership, the men's team was runner up at the 2019 CCSA Championships. This feat marked the best finish in a conference championship for the team in over 20 years.

Preacco swam for the Owls from 1994 to 1998 when the University was in the early stages of Division I status. She was also an assistant coach for the team from 1998-2001, while earning her master's degree, in Mental Health Counseling. While she earned both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees from FAU, she went to Western Michigan University to obtain her Doctorate in Counseling Psychology.

She represented both FAU and her home country of Switzerland at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, and was inducted into the FAU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010. Preacco is the second member of an FAU coaching staff, along with former swimming assistant coach Oliver Agh, to be both an FAU Athletics Hall-of-Famer and a former Olympic competitor.  

Prior to coming to FAU, Preacco set five Swiss national records and captured 38 gold medals while competing at the Swiss National Championships from 1983 to 1997. At FAU, she was team MVP in 1995-96 and team captain the following season.

Besides her impressive résumé in the pool, Preacco also earned Honorable Mention in the All-American Scholar Excellence rankings, while placing on the FAU Dean's List four times and President's List three times.

Preacco’s Head Coaching Highlights

• Thirty-Seven Conference Champions
• Three NCAA Championships participants
• Thirty-four school record holders
• Two C-USA Newcomer of the Year awards
• Two C-USA Freshman Diver of the Year awards
• Two CCSA Diver of the Year awards
• Two CCSA Scholar Athlete of the Year titles
• Five CCSA post-meet awards (CCSA Most Outstanding Swimmer of the Meet and CCSA Most Outstanding Diver of the Meet)
• 16 CSCAA Scholar All-American Team distinction for women’s swimming & diving
• Nine CSCAA Scholar All-American Team honors for men’s swimming & diving
• Eight CSCAA Scholar All-American Honorable Mention recipients
• Five C-USA All-Academic Team recipients
• Nineteen CCSA Swimmer of the Week and 22 CCSA Diver of the Week award winners
• Seven C-USA Swimmer of the Week and eight C-USA Diver of the Week awards

Under Preacco's leadership

- the women's team marked the best finish for the Owls at the C-USA Championship, as well as the best placing at a conference championship since 2007-08 when the Owls were a part of the Sun Belt Conference.

- the men's team was the runner up at the 2019, 2020, 2022 & 2023 CCSA Championships. This runner up feat marks the best finishes in a Conference Championship for FAU in over 20 years.

Ryan Bubb

FAU Associate Head Coach

FAA Summer College Coach

ADMIN:

• FAA Meet Director

"COACH BUBB"

Ryan Bubb joined the Florida Atlantic University swimming & diving team as an assistant coach in August of 2021. In July of 2024, Bubb was promoted to associate head coach

The 2025-26 season history was made, with the men’s team winning its first conference championship in program history. The Owls captured the ASUN Swimming & Diving conference championship in the final event of the meet after heading into the final day of competition in third place, 67 points behind the leader. The Owls concluded the meet with 15 medals, nine gold. Daniel Laureyssens became the first Florida Atlantic men’s swimmer since 2006 to qualify for the NCAA Championship meet, swimming the 50 and 200 free events. He was also awarded the ASUN Most Outstanding Swimmer for his performances. Over the course of the season, the Owls broke 18 school records. On the women’s side, the squad had its best team finish at the championships since joining the American Conference. Megan Drover-Smith became FAU’s first conference champion in the American, winning the 200 back in a school record time of 1:55.24. Nula Gow took home silver for FAU in the 200 breast, while also breaking the program record. Seniors Ella Freeman and Maja Piotrowicz ended their FAU careers with bronze medals, each saving their best swims for last. Bubb and incoming junior Leyton Roe spent their summer representing Team USA at the 2026 FISU America Games in Lima in July 2026 as an assistant coach and an athlete.

In his first season as associate head coach in the 2024-25 campaign saw the men's and women's teams swept the midseason Patriot Invitational for the second straight season, with both teams finishing at top of the podium. Bubb oversaw the men in their second Atlantic Sun Championship appearance, where the men's team finished as runners-up and finished the meet with six gold, nine silver, and four bronze for a total of 19 medals. On the women's side in the AAC, Megan Drover-Smith picked up a silver medal while setting a new school record with a time of 1:55.88 in the 200 back. Senior Dolores Margni swam herself to a silver medal in the 200 fly with a time of 1:59.57. In total between the men's and women's teams, 11 new program records were set over the course of the season. 

In 2023-24, Bubb helped led the men's and women's teams to a sweep in their midseason Patriot Invitational, with both taking first place in their respective fields. At the conference championships, the men earned third place in their first ASUN Championship appearances with seven bronze medals. On the women's side in the AAC, they tallied a fifth-place finish with five total medals. Alicia Mora earned a bronze medal on the 1-meter, Dolores Margni took bronze in the 200 fly, and Bry Bellile earned the silver medal in the 200 free. In total, 14 new program records were set over the course of the season. 

During the 2022-23 season, Bubb oversaw the men's team in their second consecutive runner-up finish in the CCSA Swimming & Diving Championships.

In 2021-22, his first season with the Owls, Bubb helped guide the FAU men's team to a runner-up finish in the CCSA Swimming & Diving Championships. The Owls took home two major awards from that meet, with Rateb Hussein being named Most Outstanding Swimmer of the Meet, and Timo Paisley being named Most Outstanding Freshman of the Meet. The men's team also won the George Mason Patriot Invitational for the first time in program history. FAU set nine program records and 12 freshman records throughout the season.

Bubb came to FAU after serving as the founding head coach of the Midland University’s men’s and women’s swimming & diving programs. As the head coach from 2016-21, Bubb had three teams compete at the NAIA National Swimming & Diving Championships. The men’s and women’s team competed at the NAIA Championships in 2018-19 and the men’s team brought home back-to-back Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) Championships in 2019-20 and 2020-21.
 
During the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons at Midland, the NAIA Championships were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To make up for the lost competition this past year, the team competed at the Collegiate Swimming Championships in Fort Pierce, Florida. The men’s team placed third and the women’s team took home fourth.
 
Bubb led the men’s team to a 10th place showing at the 2019 NAIA National Championships in the team’s second year of existence. In just two seasons, he saw 30 individual qualifiers reach the national tournament on the men’s and women’s side. Bubb also served as the Conference Chair of the swimming division of the KCAC, which started in 2019.
 
Prior to Midland, Bubb spent two seasons as the head coach at Lincoln Southwest High School (2015-17). At Lincoln Southwest, Bubb’s women’s team earned back-to-back Nebraska State Championships while setting 10 state swimming records (seven individual and three relay). The Silver Hawks were ranked in the top 10 nationally in both of Bubb’s seasons as the head coach. During his year at the school, Bubb was the head age group coach at Heartland Aquatics.
 
Bubb was a four-year varsity letterman and a part of a four-time Big Ten Championships-winning team at Ohio State University from 2010-14. He left Ohio State with a myriad of top 10 times across numerous events in the program’s all-time record book. As the team captain in 2014, Bubb was also a two-time Ohio State Scholar Athlete and two-time Big Ten All-Academic Team choice.
 
In 2012, Bubb participated at the Olympic Trial Qualifiers in the 200-meter butterfly. He also competed at the 2016 Olympic Trials in the 50-meter freestyle.
 
Bubb was a five-time Nebraska State Champion and broke two state records at Lincoln East High School. He was a member of the U18 USA National Team in 2010 that competed in Barcelona, Spain, and finished in third in the 50-meter freestyle at the United States Junior National Championships in 2009.
 
Bubb graduated from Ohio State with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a concentration in art and technology in 2015.

Pol Roch

FAU Assistant Coach

FAA Summer College Coach

ADMIN: 

   FAAMasters@gmail.com

   FAACamps@gmail.com

"COACH POL"

Pol Roch joined the Florida Atlantic Swimming & Diving coaching staff in January of 2025 as an assistant coach after two seasons at Wagner College’s swim & dive programs under the same position.

In his first full season with the Owls, Roch helped guide the men’s team to its first conference championship in program history. The Owls captured the ASUN Swimming & Diving conference championship. The Owls concluded the meet with 15 medals, nine gold. Daniel Laureyssens became the first Florida Atlantic men’s swimmer since 2006 to qualify for the NCAA Championship meet, swimming the 50 and 200 free events. He was also awarded the ASUN Most Outstanding Swimmer for his performances. Over the course of the season, the Owls broke 18 school records. On the women’s side, the squad had its best team finish at the championships since joining the American Conference. Megan Drover-Smith became FAU’s first conference champion in the American, winning the 200 back in a school record time of 1:55.24. Nula Gow took home silver for FAU in the 200 breast, while also breaking the program record. Seniors Ella Freeman and Maja Piotrowicz ended their FAU careers with bronze medals, each saving their best swims for last. Overall, the team broke five school records this season.

With Wagner, Roch guided the men’s team to winning the 2024 Northeast Conference Championship, their first title in program history. The women’s team had success as well with a third-place finish out of nine teams. Roch led training groups for mid-distance and distance swimmers as well as individual medleys.
 
As a student-athlete, Roch competed with the Keiser University swimming program for four years. The Barcelona, Spain native was the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) individual national champion in the 500 Yard Freestyle in 2019. Roch also won the NAIA individual championship for the 400 Yard Individual Medley in 2019 and 2020, the latter of which he set a national record.
 
While a student at Keiser, Roch also interned with strength & conditioning coaches as well as athletic training.
 
Roch earned a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology & Exercise Science degree in May of 2022 from Keiser and completed his Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Management at Wagner in May of 2024.

Nick Shaffer

HEAD COACH | FAA Swimming

- NATIONAL Grp

- Summer Camp Counselor

- Assistant Coach (FAU)

ADMIN:

• Meet Scheduling
• Meet Registration
• Apparel & Store Distribution

   FAASwimming@gmail.com

"COACH NICK" 

Four-year student athlete and former team captain for the Florida Atlantic Swim & Dive Team Nick Shaffer joined the coaching staff at his alma mater as volunteer assistant coach in 2025.

In his first season on the staff, Shaffer helped guide the men’s team to its first conference championship in program history, winning the ASUN Conference Championship. The Owls concluded the meet with 15 medals, nine gold. Daniel Laureyssens became the first Florida Atlantic men’s swimmer since 2006 to qualify for the NCAA Championship meet, swimming the 50 and 200 free events. He was also awarded the ASUN Most Outstanding Swimmer for his performances. On the women’s side, the squad had its best team finish at a championship meet since joining the American Conference. Megan Drover-Smith became FAU’s first conference champion in the American, winning the 200 back in a school record time of 1:55.24. Nula Gow took home silver for FAU in the 200 breast, while also breaking the program record. Seniors Ella Freeman and Maja Piotrowicz ended their FAU careers with bronze medals, each saving their best swims for last. Overall, the team broke five school records this season.

During his four-year FAU career from 2021 to 2025, Shaffer became the school record holder in the 200 IM, 400 IM, 800 free relay. He also left his mark on the freshman record book, holding the 200 IM, 200 free relay, 400 free relay, and 400 medley relay records.

As a senior, he earned gold medals in 400 IM and 800 free relay at the 2025 ASUN Championships. In 2024, his junior season, Shaffer earned an ASUN bronze medal in the 400 medley relay. In the Owls last CCSA championships in 2023, he earned a silver medal in 400 IM and bronze medal in 200 IM. As a 2025 FAU graduate, he earned his degree in Biology.

A Tampa, Fla., native, Shaffer had a storybook career for Jesuit High. A two-time FHSAA 2A State Champion, he won the FHSAA 2A State Champion in the 200 IM and was also a bronze medalist in the 100 back. On three different occasions, he was an All-American considerate and was ranked as the No. 42 swimmer in his class out of Florida, according to SwimCloud.
 

Eddie Fernandez

STROKE COACH | FAA Swimming

"COACH EDDIE"

Meet our esteemed Stroke Coach Eddie Fernandez, a dedicated and experienced professional with a passion for swimming.

With 25 years of coaching experience, Coach Eddie has consistently helped swimmers of all ages and skill levels achieve their goals in the pool. Despite facing career ending injuries for what would have been a promising NFL career, Eddie turned adversity into opportunity and emerged as a successful entrepreneur.

Eddie’s coaching journey includes six influential years as the head coach of the Irockets USA swim team in Vermont and currently coaching at the YMCA Peter Blum Family of Boca Raton.

He is known for an impressive track record of coaching recreational swimmers to Junior Olympics and NCSA Championships, as well as enhancing the performance of multiple high school Teams; through his dedication, expertise and ability to inspire swimmers.

Thank you Coach Eddie !!!

Taylor Eaton

HEAD AGE GROUP COACH | Swimming

- NATIONAL DEP. Grp

- BLUE Grp

- Summer Camp Counselor

- Assistant Coach (FAU)

ADMIN:

• FAA Registrations
• Customer Requests
• Cancellations & Refunds
• Billing Issues
• AAU, USA-S, USA-D Issues

FAA.Aquatics@gmail.com



"COACH TAYLOR" 

After five seasons as a student athlete for the Florida Atlantic swimming and diving team, Taylor Eaton joined the coaching staff at his alma mater as a volunteer assistant coach in the fall of 2026.

At the conclusion of his five-year FAU career from 2021 to 2026, Eaton left as the freshman school record holder in the 200 free relay, 400 free relay, 200 medley relay, 400 medley relay.

In his fifth and final season on the team, Eaton earned the title as team captain, where he helped guide the men’s team to its first conference championship in program history, winning the ASUN Conference Championship. At the championship meet, Eaton competed in three event finals including a seventh place "A" Final finish in the 200 back (1:48.38).

In his sophomore season, he led the way for the Owls with a sixth-place finish in the 200 back (1:49.15) at the CCSA Championships. As a freshman, Eaton tallied fifth place in the 200 Back (1:49.03) at the CCSA Championships. Off the field, he excelled in the classroom, earning a spot on the 2025-26 Swimming & Diving Academic All-ASUN Team, 2022-23 CUSA Commissioner’s Honor Roll, and 2021-22 CUSA Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

A Johns Creek, Ga. native, Eaton graduated from Florida Atlantic in 2025 with a degree in entrepreneurship. In 2026 he did a post-baccalaureate (post-bacc) program in biological sciences. Eaton was a highly decorated swimmer at Johns Creek High. During his high school career he was tabbed as a Scholastic All-American, was a First Team All-State recipient, held the school record in the 200 free relay and was a 200 free relay All-American, later winning two 6A State Championships. Eaton swam for Dynamo Swim Club, qualifying for winter and summer junior nationals and was ranked as the no. 27 swimmer in the class of 2021 in the state of Georgia, according to Swimcloud.

Logan Thornsberry

Age Group Swim Coach

- GRAY Grp

- Stroke ACADEMY

- Summer Camp Counselor

ADMIN: 

• Lessons

FAALessons@gmail.com



"COACH LOGAN"

After completing a four-year student athlete career, including being named team captain for the Florida Atlantic Swim & Dive Team, Logan Thornsberry joined the coaching staff at his alma mater as volunteer assistant coach prior to the 2025-26 season.

In his first season on the staff, Thornsberry helped guide the men’s team to its first conference championship in program history, winning the ASUN Conference Championship. The Owls concluded the meet with 15 medals, nine gold. Daniel Laureyssens became the first Florida Atlantic men’s swimmer since 2006 to qualify for the NCAA Championship meet, swimming the 50 and 200 free events. He was also awarded the ASUN Most Outstanding Swimmer for his performances. On the women’s side, the squad had its best team finish at a championship meet since joining the American Conference. Megan Drover-Smith became FAU’s first conference champion in the American, winning the 200 back in a school record time of 1:55.24. Nula Gow took home silver for FAU in the 200 breast, while also breaking the program record. Seniors Ella Freeman and Maja Piotrowicz ended their FAU careers with bronze medals, each saving their best swims for last. Overall, the team broke five school records this season.

At the conclusion of his four-year FAU career from 2021 to 2025, Thornsberry left as the school record holder in the 200 free relay, 400 free relay, 800 free relay. His mark was left in the freshman record book, holding the 400 free relay, 200 medley relay, 400 medley relay.

As a senior, Thornsberry earned four medals at the 2025 ASUN Conference Championships, including gold in the 800 free relay which also broke the program record. As a junior in 2024, he earned a bronze medal as a member of the 800 free relay team at the Owls’ first ASUN Championships. In the Owls last CCSA championships in 2023, he reached the podium as a silver medalist in the 500 free. A 2025 FAU graduate, he earned his degree in Criminal Justice with a minor In Disaster Management.

A native of Seminole, Fla., Thornberry was the Pinellas County Swimmer of the Year after receiving All-America swimming honors in the 200 free relay. At the time of graduation, he left Seminole High School as the record holder in the 200 and 400 free relays. Throughout his high school under Coach Spurgeon and Coach Cox, Thornsberry was a state finalist all four years. He was a member of the West Florida Lightning Aquatics Club and was named most valuable swimmer for club team. He came to Florida Atlantic as the no. 27 swimmer in his class out of Florida.

Alik Sarkisian

HEAD DIVING COACH | FAA DIVING

"COACH ALIK"

Alik Sarkisian was named Head Diving coach for Florida Atlantic University ahead of the 2022-23 season, bringing with him a wealth of experience and a proven record of success. Prior to joining FAU, he spent three years as the head diving coach at UNLV.

The 2025-26 season was the second consecutive season Sarkisian coached an athlete to ASUN Male Most Outstanding Diver, with Rocco Simonelli earning the honors in 2026. The senior walked away with three medals from the championship meet, becoming a conference champion on the 3-meter dive. The men’s team made history, winning its first conference championship in program history. The Owls captured the ASUN Swimming & Diving conference championship in the final event of the meet after heading into the final day of competition in third place, 67 points behind the leader. FAU concluded the meet with 15 medals, nine gold. Trevor Kuhn was the second athlete to become a conference champion on the diving board, winning the platform dive. On the women's side, newcomer Augusta Ness qualified for the 1-meter "B" Final at the American Conference Championships, finishing 16th with a score of 243.00. Senior Grace Powell qualified for the 3-meter and 10-meter "B" Final at the championship meet, finishing 12th and 13th. In total, five Owl divers competed at the 2026 NCAA Zone B Diving Championships.

For the 2024-25 season, Sarkisian was tabbed as ASUN Men's Diving Coach of the Year after the Owls swept the podium in both the 1m and 3m diving competitions as Isac Faxius walked away with the honor of ASUN Male Most Outstanding Diver. Prior to the championships, the Owls had earned ASUN Diver of the Week weekly honors five different times under Sarkisian's coaching during the regular season. Overall, the Owls left the 2025 championship meet with six medals won across the diving events. On the women's side, Sophia Clack won the inaugural AAC Freshman Diver of the Week award and won it again later in the season. At the 2025 American Athletic Conference Championships, team diving competition saw the Owls walk away with a fifth-place finish.

Under Sarkisian's coaching in 2023-24, Alicia Mora became the first Owl in program history to qualify for the NCAA Championships in consecutive seasons, this time on both the 1-meter and 3-meter boards. She also earned a bronze medal on the 1-meter at the AAC Championships. On the men's side Brandon Shepherd continued his success in addition to freshman Trevor Kuhn, with the duo each totaling two ASUN Diver of the Week awards and splitting bronze medals, Kuhn on the 1-meter and Shepherd on the 3-meter.
 
In Sarkisian's first year with the Owls, he coached Alicia Mora to the 2023 NCAA Diving Championships in the 1-meter, the first Owl to do so since 2017. Competing in their first American Athletic Conference Championships, Mora earned the bronze medal on both the 1-meter and 3-meter dive. On the men's side, he coached Brandon Shepherd as the CCSA Diver of the Year, winning the gold medal on the 1-meter and 3-meter dive in the conference championships. Sarkisian also was named the CCSA Diving Coach of the Year for 2022-2023 season.

Before his time at UNLV, Sarkisian served 13 seasons (2006–2019) as the head diving coach at Northwestern University in Chicago. Under his leadership, Northwestern divers achieved remarkable success, earning gold, silver, and bronze medals in the Big Ten 1-meter, 3-meter, and platform events.

He also coached the NCAA Division I 10-meter platform champion in both 2017 and 2018.

In recognition of his accomplishments, Sarkisian was named Big Ten Coach of the Year and CSCAA Coach of the Year in 2018.

Jake Larkin

AGE GROUP COACH | Diving

ADMIN:

• Diving Memberships
• Diving Requests & Biling Issues
• Diving Meet Info

FAADiving@gmail.com

"COACH JAKE"

Jake Larkin comes from Edgewood, Kentucky and is majoring in Finance.

Career Accolades: 

• 2025 ASUN Championships silver medalist in the 3-meter dive
• 2025 ASUN Championships bronze medalist in the 1-meter dive

Sophomore (2025-26)

• Did not participate during the 2025-26 season.

Freshman (2024-25)

• Opened FAU career with scores of 245.15 (1-meter) and 272.70 (3-meter) at the TYR Fall Classic
• Strong performance at the midseason Patriot Invitational finishing second in the 1-meter (303.80) and fifth in the 3-meter (291.95)
• Earned two medals at ASUN championships earning silver in the 3-meter (6 dives) (297.40) and bronze in the 1-meter (6 dives)(269.05)
• Competed at the 2025 NCAA Diving Zone B Championships

High School

• Dove for Covington Catholic High School under Head Coach Katie McGonigal
• Was named Cincinnati Enquire Diver of the Year
• Covington Catholic Most Valuable Diver for four consecutive years from 2021-2024
• Named NISCA All-American
• Set school record and KHSAA Regional record

Personal

• Born on February 27, 2006, raised in Edgewood, Kentucky
• Son of Kristi and Kevin Larkin
• Majoring in Finance
• Hobbies include golfing, fishing, and biking
• Goal is to win a conference championship

Jake Larkin

AGE GROUP COACH

LIFEGUARD

"COACH JAKE"

Jake Larkin comes from Edgewood, Kentucky and is majoring in Finance.

Career Accolades: 

• 2025 ASUN Championships silver medalist in the 3-meter dive
• 2025 ASUN Championships bronze medalist in the 1-meter dive

Sophomore (2025-26)

• Did not participate during the 2025-26 season.

Freshman (2024-25)

• Opened FAU career with scores of 245.15 (1-meter) and 272.70 (3-meter) at the TYR Fall Classic
• Strong performance at the midseason Patriot Invitational finishing second in the 1-meter (303.80) and fifth in the 3-meter (291.95)
• Earned two medals at ASUN championships earning silver in the 3-meter (6 dives) (297.40) and bronze in the 1-meter (6 dives)(269.05)
• Competed at the 2025 NCAA Diving Zone B Championships

High School

• Dove for Covington Catholic High School under Head Coach Katie McGonigal
• Was named Cincinnati Enquire Diver of the Year
• Covington Catholic Most Valuable Diver for four consecutive years from 2021-2024
• Named NISCA All-American
• Set school record and KHSAA Regional record

Personal

• Born on February 27, 2006, raised in Edgewood, Kentucky
• Son of Kristi and Kevin Larkin
• Majoring in Finance
• Hobbies include golfing, fishing, and biking
• Goal is to win a conference championship

Bella Answeeney

Swim Lesson Instructor

&

Summer Camp Counselor

"COACH BELLA" 

Major

• 
  
• Sophomore

At NC State University (2023-24)

• Swam in five meets for the Wolfpack
• Finished in first place in the 200 YD backstroke at the NC State/GAC Invitational with a time of 2:01.37
• Had top 10 finishes in the 100 YD fly three times- Bulldog NCAA Qualifying meet (56.74-10th), NC State vs. UNC-Wilmington (56.39-6th), NC State vs. Texas (56.03)

Personal

• State champion in 100 butterfly and runner-up in 100 backstroke 
• Junior Nationals bronze medalist in the 200 butterfly 
• Academic All American 
• Best Buddies Club Coordinator 
• Likes to volunteer at the Clearwater Marine aquarium
• Hometown: Tampa, FL

Shane Davis

Lifeguard Instructor

"Shane"   is our Red Cross Lifeguard Certification Instructor. 

He has been helping us, and many in South Florida, with Lifeguard Certifications for many years.

He has been certifying Lifeguards for more than a decade.

You can always find Shane on a pool deck.

JR Ayers

Lifeguard Instructor

"JR"    is one of our Red Cross Lifeguard Certification Master. 

He has over 40 years of aquatic experience teaching and working. He is a former Beach Lifeguard and Beach Patrol Chief for Sarasota County, Florida. He is currently employed at Florida Atlantic University as the Data Analyst for Research. 

JR has been very active in aquatics, fitness, and martial arts since 1980 and a Fitness Coach for collegiate and professional athletes when he worked for NIKE. For the past 40 plus years he has been a waterman and a Martial Arts Instructor. He holds a black belt in three different martial arts and is a former US Military Karate Champion of Europe. 

You can find JR on the pool deck coaching at lunchtime.