Virginia Tech Men's Swimming

Piemonte brings over 30 years of diving and coaching experience, spanning throughout all levels of the sport. His impressive resume as a coach has brought him national and international recognition as one of the top coaches in the United States. Piemonte saw the HOkies finish in the top five at the 2016 ACC Swimming & Diving Championships with the men placing fourth and the women finishing fifth. He also helped two student-athletes earn ACC Diver of the Week awards. In 2014-15, Piemonte was named the 2015 ACC Female Diving Coach of the Year for the second straight year. He coached the mens and womens teams as they outscored all diving teams at the ACC Championships. Both the mens and womens teams were over 50 points higher than the second place diving teams. The men scored 247 points while the women scored 243. Piemonte also saw diver Kaylea Arnett win two ACC gold medals and become the first diver in ACC history to be named the ACC Female Diver of the Year all four years. Arnett went on to be named an All-American in the 3-meter and also garnered Honorable Mention All-American status. The mens and womens team had eight members qualify for the NCAA Championships, the most of any team in the country. Over the past three seasons Piemonte has developed two of Techs most decorated divers, Logan Shinholser and Arnett, who have combined for an NCAA bronze medal, 13 All-America performances and 17 ACC medals, including nine ACC gold medals. Both divers have been named ACC Male/Female Diver of the Year. In 2013-14, the HOkies sent three male and three female divers to the NCAA Championship for the second-straight year. Seven performances earned All-America honors as Kaylea Arnett and Ryan Hawkins were named All-Americans in all three of their diving events. Arnett broke into the H2Okie record book when she took home Virginia Techs first NCAA diving medal after winning the bronze in the 1-meter event. The mens swimming and diving team also won the ACC Championship. In 2012, Logan Shinholser just missed rewriting the ACC record book as he was .7 platform points away from becoming the first conference diver to sweep all three events at the 2012 ACC Championships. The Burtonsville, Maryland, native was victorious in the 1-meter and 3-meter events and was named the ACC Male Diver of the Year. In addition to Shinholser, Hawkins completed the Tech sweep at the conference championship with a gold medal in the platform event. As a whole, Piemonte led the male divers to 109 points at the ACC Championship to help the men place second overall. On the international level, Piemonte was named one of the USAs national coaches at both Grand Prix events in 2012. He coached his top duo of Shinholser and Hawkins to a bronze medal in the synchronized platform event. In 2005, Piemonte was voted the Most Outstanding Age Group Diving Coach in the United States. Prior to joining Tech, he spent five seasons at Moss Farms Diving, where he produced six different East National Champions, two YMCA National Champions, three different high school state champions, as well as three different divers who represented the United States in international competitions - one of whom was a bronze medalist on platform in the Junior Pan-Am Championships in Belem, Brazil. Besides coaching, for the last five years Piemonte has been the Vice President in charge of junior diving for USA Diving. For the last eight years, he has been an instructor for coaches in safety certification and in all levels of educating and certifying coaches in belt spotting over trampoline, dry board and water. Piemonte served 10 years at the Tualatin Hills Dive Club in Beaverton, Oregon, where his divers attained a high level of achievement. There, he coached many junior national finalists, senior national qualifiers and finalists, junior and senior national team members who represented the United States in international competitions, two junior national champions, three Junior World Championship qualifiers (one bronze medalist) and an Olympic Trials finalist in 2000 on platform. Piemonte was recognized as the Region 10 Coach of the Year and Zone D Coach of the Year in 1999. He is a six-time U.S. National Team coach and was ranked as one of the top-10 Junior Olympic coaches in the country by the International Olympic Committee of U.S. Diving. Prior to his stint in Oregon, Piemonte split six seasons of coaching between Phoenix, Arizona, and Albuquerque, New Mexico. In Albuquerque, he was the head coach for men and women at the University of New Mexico while running an age group team of about 20 divers. Meanwhile, in Phoenix, he developed a very strong club program that consistently had both junior and senior national qualifiers and finalists. As a diver, Piemonte competed at the national level from 1974 to 1985. As an athlete at Arizona State University, he was a Pac-10 champion, runner-up and NCAA finalist. One of the highlights of his career was being able to train under the Japanese Olympic coach during his entire senior year of college. Piemonte has been married for 29 years to his wife, Tina, and has three children: Rachele, Leah and Ronnie. His oldest daughter, Rachele, has recently graduated from Virginia Tech, finishing second in the chemistry honors program. Ronnie is a four-time Virginia AA High School State Champion and record holder. Leah has just completed her sophomore year as a diver at Virginia Tech.  Under Piemontes guidance, the H2Okie diving squad has sprouted to one of the top teams in the nation. Last season, he was named ACC Female Diving Coach of the Year after his female divers earned 208 team points at the ACC Championship and his male divers earned 189 points to help produce nine top-five finishes which included three bronze and two gold medals. In 2014, the HOkies sent three male and three female divers to the NCAA Championship for the second-straight year. Seven performances earned All-America honors as Kaylea Arnett and Ryan Hawkins were named All-Americans in all three of their diving events. Arnett broke into the H2Okie record book when she took home Virginia Techs first NCAA diving medal after winning the bronze in the 1-meter event. Piemontes coaching has thrived at developing young divers quickly and springing divers into national success. Freshman and sophomore divers under Piemontes guidance have earned seven All-America honors and five ACC gold medals. In the last three years alone, he has sent six freshmen and sophomore divers to the NCAA Championships. This past season, T.J. Shinholser became the first freshman All-American at Virginia Tech when he finished eighth in the platform event. View photos of Ron Piemonte

Bell served for the previous three seasons. He has been an instrumental part of Virginia Techs recent success as the mens team won its first ACC title and both programs finished in the top 25 at the NCAA Championships last season. During his years as an assistant, he has helped elevate Virginia Tech swimming and diving to three-consecutive top-25 finishes for both the men and womens teams. He has coached six All-Americans and nine ACC Champions and signed four top-20 recruiting classes. Bell joined the Tech staff after spending four seasons as head assistant and recruiting coordinator at the University of Buffalo.  During his tenure at Buffalo, the Bulls won 20 individual Mid-American Conference Championships, broke 74 school records and had four NCAA diving qualifiers. The mens squad placed first in the MAC in 2011, while placing second in 2009 and 2010. Prior to joining the Buffalo staff, Bell spent time on the coaching staff at Ohio University and the University of Miami. At Ohio, Bell was an assistant for both squads where he aided all facets of the program and worked primarily with the mid-distance swimmers. Bell oversaw weight training and dry-land routines for the Miami Hurricanes as an assistant. Bell had a stellar college career at Clarion University, where he was a 20-time NCAA Divison II All-American and a seven-time Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference champion. During his senior season with the Golden Eagles, he qualified for the Senior National Championship and received the Scholar-Athlete Award. He received his undergraduate degree in liberal studies in 2004 from Clarion and later earned his masters degree from Ohio in 2007. Bell resides in Blacksburg with his wife, Courtney, and son, Brody. 

Huger has brought excitement to Techs sprint program has quickly developed a formidable recruiting prowess. Prior to joining the HOkies, he was an assistant coach at William and Mary, he served as the sprint coach as well as the travel coordinator. He helped coached the Tribe to its first mens team title in 2015 and a second place finish in 2014. He also led the women to two consecutive third place finishes in 2015 and 2014. Huger has coached swimmers to 18 school records, three conference records and three freshman records. His swimmers have won 11 CAA Titles, two CAA Female Rookie of the Year honors, 13 CAA and 3 ECAC Swimmer of the Week Awards. Huger has also had 18 NCAA B-Cuts. Prior to William and Mary, he was an assistant coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. There, Huger coached four swimmers to nine All-American honors including a Division II national champion and record-holder. In the PSAC, his swimmers collected 31 school records, 58 NCAA consideration performances and two automatic-qualifying efforts. They also won 11 conference titles and IUP's first relay gold in 13 years. Huger started IUP's first swim club team and qualified athletes to YMCA Master Nationals and USMS Nationals. He was also a coach and counselor at Texas' Longhorn Swim Camp and at the Naval Academy Swim Camp. Huger also spent two years as an assistant coach with two Virginia club teams, Virginia Swimming and the Rappahannock Area YMCA. Huger earned his bachelor's degree in sports management from IUP in 2011 and his master's degree in 2012. He also founded SwimUtopia.com in 2010, a website devoted to covering swimming at all levels. Huger and his wife, Katie, have been married since July of 2012.

Stockwell-Gregson helped Virginia Tech be the only ACC program to have its mens and womens teams finish in the top three at the ACC Championships. The womens team improved from a fifth-place finish the year before. Combined, team had 26 members qualify for the NCAA Championships with 13 men and 13 women. Stockwell-Gregson helped coach two All-Americans and three honorable mention All-American performances at the NCAA Championships. In 2013-14, she helped the mens team win its first ACC title and both programs finished in the top 25 at the NCAA Championship. Stockwell-Gregson helped the coaching staff at Virginia Tech produce three-consecutive top-25 finishes for both the men and womens squads in the last four years. She has coached six All-Americans and eight ACC champions and signed three top-20 recruiting classes. In 2013, the mens team placed second at the ACC Championship, and both squads took their largest contingent in school history to the NCAA Championship. Last season, the HOkies mens squad won the ACC Championship and finished in the top 20 at NCAAs for the third consecutive year. Stockwell-Gregson joined the HOkies from Indiana University, where she was a standout swimmer and is the former record holder for the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke as well as the 200-yard and 400-yard medley. In addition to coaching, Stockwell-Gregson has also served as a strength and conditioning graduate assistant while earning her master's degree in kinesiology.

Skinner helped lead the Hokies to being the only ACC school to finish in the top three team finishes in both mens and womens at the ACC Championships. The Tech men placed third and got gold medal performances from Robert Owen and Brandon Fiala, who both were honorable mention All-Americans. The womens team finished third behind strong performances from two All-Americans, swimmer Weronika Paluszek and diver Kaylea Arnett, who also took home the ACC Womens Diver of the Year for the fourth time in her career as well as two ACC gold medals. The teams combined to send 26 qualifiers to the NCAA Championships where the men finished 31 and the women finished 27. The 2013-14 season was a big one for the Hokies and Skinner. Tech mens team, using superior diving talent and overall team depth, claimed the programs first ACC title when the Hokies edged NC State on the final day at the ACC Championship. It marked the Techs first overall swimming and diving championship since 2000 when the school resided in the Atlantic 10 Conference. The mens team finished in 20 place at the NCAA Championships, while the womens team, who claimed fifth at the ACC meet, came in 24 at the NCAAs. Three men and two women earned All-America honors, while six men and two women earned All-ACC nods in 2014. Skinner was named the ACC Mens Coach of the Year for the second time in his career after guiding the mens team to a school-record 13 victories. The Hokies had finished in the upper half of the leagues standings each year since Tech joined the ACC starting with the 2004-05 season. In Techs inaugural season in the ACC, the mens team finished in fifth place, while the womens team came in seventh at the ACC Championship. The rise, though, started shortly after the opening of the beautiful Christiansburg Aquatic Center, the Hokies home pool, in 2010. In the 2009-10 season, the Tech women finished in fifth at the ACC Championship, while the men came in fourth. Behind four NCAA qualifiers, the womens team finished in 24 at the NCAA meet. The following year, 2010-11, the women again finished in fifth place at the ACC meet and the men in fourth. That year, the mens team finished in 28 spot at the NCAA Championships behind three NCAA qualifiers, while Erika Hajnal competed in the 1650 freestyle, the 400 IM and the 500-yard freestyle for the third straight year and earned All-America honors. The Tech men climbed to a then program-best second place at the ACC Championship during the 2011-12 season, while the women moved up a spot to fourth place from the previous year. Ten swimmers and divers qualified for the NCAA Championships and both squads finished a program-best 18 at the NCAA meet. Skinner garnered his first ACC honor following the season, as he was named the 2012 ACC Mens Coach of the Year. The men finished the 2011-12 season with 13 All-ACC and six All-America performances. During the 2012-13 campaign, both squads notched second-place finishes in the ACC, as well as sending its biggest roster on both sides to the NCAA Championships. The women had five champions, six All-ACC selections and senior Heather Savage concluded her career by resetting her conference and school records in the 100 butterfly. She became a two-time All-American. On the mens side, Tech finished the 2012 ACC Championships with 15 medals and broke 15 school records en route to the runner-up spot. The HOkies sent a 10-man roster to the NCAAs, and they brought home 18 All-America honors and an All-America nod. During the 2008-09 campaign, both the men's and women's teams combined to set what were then 30 new school records. The men had a 7-1 record, while the women finished 6-1. Skinner and his staff sent six swimmers and one diver to the NCAA Championship, earning All-America honorable mentions in the 400 free relay, the 50 free, 1650 free and one- and three-meter diving events. Hajnal became the Hokies' first All-American in the distance events, while shattering four school records at the time. She represented Hungary at the 25th Universidad World University Games in Serbia over that summer and had two top-10 finishes. The Hokies also excelled within the ACC in 2008-09, losing only to in-state rival Virginia over the course of the season. Tech took the top spot in the women's 50 and 100 free at the championships, as Sara Smith won gold medals in both events. The Hokies also won silver medals in five events (three of them relays) and finished third in six events. In 2007-08, both teams set school records for wins in a season, with the men winning 12 and the women winning 14 the womens record still stands. In the ACC, the Hokie men closed out 2008 with a fifth-place finish and the women registered a fourth-place finish for the third straight season. The teams combined to break 14 individual and five relay school records, with the women setting two ACC records in the process. Prior to Skinners arrival at Tech, the swimming and diving programs combined had one All-American Margaret Soulen in 1989. Since then, Skinner has coached 11 All-Americans, starting with Gus Calado, a first-team All-American in 2004. Other All-Americans during Skinners tenure include (Jessica Botzum twice a two-time All-American; Smith, Hajnal, Katarina Filova, Logan Shinholser, Kaylea Arnett, Ryan Hawkins, Logan Kline, Heather Savage and T.J. Shinholser). Several other swimmers at Tech have been named honorable mention All-Americans as well. Skinner has also coached 13 individual ACC champions who have combined to win 32 gold medals (13 men, 19 women). He also coached eight relay teams to gold medals (five on the mens side, three on the womens side). Prior to Techs entrance into the ACC, the Hokies competed in the BIG EAST. In 2001, the Hokies first year in the league, Skinner led the women to a second-place finish, while the men placed third. In 2003, the men placed second in the conference, with the women claiming fourth place. After the programs successful showing in 2003, Skinner was named the BIG EAST Men's Coach of the Year. Both Tech squads finished third at the 2004 BIG EAST championships. Skinner was named Co-Coach of the Year for the men. Each of the first two years as head coach of the Hokie swimming and diving squads, Skinner was named the Atlantic 10 Women's Coach of the Year, and led the women to two Atlantic 10 championships, and the men to their first conference title in 2000. Skinner began his career with the Hokies after serving four years as the director of competitive swimming at the College of William & Mary. In his last season, he coached the Tribe women to a second-place finish at the ECACs, while the men came in fourth out of 40 teams, and Skinner was named ECAC Coach of the Year. The women's team finished in the top 12 at the ECAC event during each of Skinner's four seasons. During Skinner's tenure, both the men's and women's squads were named Academic All-America teams four straight years. Before his stint at William & Mary, Skinner was the head coach and aquatics director at Central Connecticut State University for four seasons. A 1989 graduate of Louisiana State University, Skinner was captain of the 1988 squad that captured the SEC championship. He graduated from LSU with a bachelor of arts in advertising and a split minor in marketing and economics. Skinner earned his master of science in athletic administration at Ohio University while serving the swim team as a graduate assistant and helping guide the women's team to the 1990 MAC title. On the non-collegiate level, Skinner founded, directed and coached the Central Connecticut Aquatics team, a 75-member team of children ages 7 to 17. He also served as the head swim coach for the Kingsmill Swim Team in Williamsburg. Today, Skinner spends his offseason directing the Maroon & Orange Swim Camp, two one-week swim camps held at the Christiansburg Aquatic Center. He founded the camp in 2001. Skinner is married to the former Allison Cox, a lawyer and alumna of Virginia Tech, who currently works in the chambers of the United States District Judge David A. Faber. They have a 11-year-old daughter, Samantha, and a 7-year-old son, Jack. A native of Worthington, Ohio, Skinner received his doctorate in education curriculum and instruction from Virginia Tech in May of 2004.