Dear Parents & Divers,
Due to the constantly changing times during Covid-19, please contact our Club Director, Ellie Smart, directly to inquire about Minnesota Diving Academy’s current schedules and diving opportunities.

Contact Info:
Email: smart098@umn.edu
Phone: (913)787-3220

CLUB NEWS & UPDATES

Spring 2020 

Join us this Spring at Minnesota Diving Academy! 
​
Spring Session: March 1st - May 31st
​Registration: Click Here
*Please read through our new club handbook before registering. 

University of Minnesota Diving Camp 

Details for the 2020 University of Minnesota Summer Diving Camp are coming soon. 

​​

Spring 2020
Minnesota Diving Academy is a highly-respected springboard and platform diving club and summer camp servicing the Minneapolis and St. Paul metro area, led by two-time U.S. Olympic Diving Coach Wenbo Chen.

Divers are instructed at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center, one of the best diving collegiate diving facilities in the country. The aquatic center is equipped with:
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  • an 18-feet deep diving well
  • two 1-meter & 3-meter springboards
  • 1-meter, 5-meter, 7.5-meter & 10-meter platforms
  • 3 trampoline beds
  • 2 dry board and port-a-pit 
  • tumbling mats and mirrors
  • hot showers
  • classroom with video equipment.


The coaching staff at Minnesota Diving Academy strive to provide unparalleled, expert coaching at a world-class facility for all its divers wanting to learn and improve their skills.

Wenbo Chen
Club Owner, Head Coach​​: Wenbo Chen is the Head Coach of the University of Minnesota diving team, and "one of the most respected and accomplished diving coaches in the world." Prior to coaching at UMN, Wenbo served four years as USA Diving’s head coach and is a 2x Olympic coach.

AWARDS & ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  • 2017, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2010 Big Ten Women’s Diving Coach of the Year with the University of Minnesota
  • 2016 Big Ten Men’s Diving Coach of the Year with the University of Minnesota
  • 2012 London Olympics: Coached Kelci Bryant to a silver medal competing in women's 3-meter synchro, the highest award the U.S. has won in the category
  • 2008 Beijing Olympics: Coached Kelci Bryant and Haley Ishimatsu to qualify and compete for the U.S. National Diving Team
  • 2004 Big Ten Women’s Diving Coach of the Year with Purdue University
  • Coached two national champions, multiple Big Ten Divers of the Year and Olympic medalists

Ellie Smart
​​​Club Director/ Coach: Eleanor (Ellie) Smart is originally from Kansas City, and began diving at the age of five. She dove competitively growing up and qualified for both Junior and Senior Nationals on springboard and platform. Smart went on to dive collegiately at the University of California, Berkeley, where she qualified for NCAA’s and won a National Championship in 2015. After graduating with a degree in Media Studies, she began high diving professionally. She is the youngest high diver representing the United States and recently won a Bronze Medal at the 2018 FINA World Cup in Abu Dhabi becoming a permanent diver on the 2019 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. In addition to her professional diving career, Smart is the graduate assistant coach of the University of Minnesota’s Diving team. 

Contact Info:
Email: smart098@umn.edu
​Phone: (913)-787-3220
Website: elliesmart.com

Harry Baden

 Coach

Lessons Coaches 

We have a handful of
​talented lessons coaches 

Location & Contact 

MINNESOTA DIVING ACADEMY

University of Minnesota Aquatic Center
1910 University Ave SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Ellie Smart
smart098@umn.edu

Minnesota Diving Academy
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