Swimming and Diving Welcomes Pickens As Head Diving Coach – Penn State

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State swimming and diving head coach Hollie Bonewit-Cron has added Samantha Pickens to the teaching employees as Head Diving Coach.

 

Pickens served as diving coach at Liberty the final two seasons. She was the Atlantic Sun Women’s Diving Coach of the Year in 2024-25.

 

In 2025-26, Liberty had three divers compete on the NCAA Zone Championships. Shannon Icard broke Liberty’s 10-dive platform document and have become Liberty’s first diver to compete at NCAA Championships.

 

In her first season working with Liberty’s divers, Pickens mentored three divers who competed at NCAA Zone Championships. Icard was tabbed ASUN Most Outstanding Female Diver of the Meet on the Atlantic Sun Championships.

 

Before becoming a member of Liberty’s employees, Pickens was an assistant diving coach for the town of Midland, Texas from 2018-July 2024. She led Midland’s 11U elite Junior Olympic athletes, serving to 5 athletes to qualify for nationwide championships. While coordinating a power and conditioning program for the staff, Pickens was meet director for a number of USA Diving competitions and COM sanctioned occasions in Midland.

 

Pickens additionally served as an athlete consultant on the USA Diving Board of Directors and served as an alternate consultant on the USOPC Athlete Commission.

 

Pickens served as Interim Head Diving Coach at Arizona, her alma mater, for the 2017-18 season. She dealt with recruiting and helped two Wildcats qualify for NCAA Zone Championships and one Wildcat to earn All-American honors on one-meter.

 

In March 2017, Pickens served as Team Puerto Rico’s head coach. She coordinated journey and visas for Team Puerto Rico for 2 World Series occasions in China and coached Olympic finalist Rafa Quintero.

 

Pickens served as a USA Diving athlete consultant from 2011-13. She represented USA Diving athletes whereas attending the annual United States Aquatic Sports Convention.

 

While competing for Arizona, and graduating in 2014, Pickens was a five-time All-American and claimed nationwide championships on one-meter in 2013 and 2015. She gained the Pac-12 one-meter title as a senior. She earned the University of Arizona Ruby Award, the very best award given to Arizona student-athletes for athletic and educational achievement, as a senior. She was named to the Pac-12 All-Century Team in 2016, one of many high 32 swimmers & divers in convention historical past.

 

Her profession as an athlete consists of quite a few nationwide championships and worldwide appearances. She was the USA Diving nationwide champion on one-meter in 2013 and 2015, whereas additionally capturing a USA Diving synchronized diving title on three-meter in 2013. Pickens was a member of the USA Diving nationwide staff throughout the 2013-14 season. She competed in U.S. Olympic Trials in 2016, 2021 and 2024, incomes bronze medals on three-meter synchronized diving in 2021 and 2024. As the 2020 USA Diving Nationals, she was the excessive level winner. Pickens gained the USA Diving US Open title on one-meter and three-meter in 2022.

 

Internationally, Pickens positioned third on three-meter on the 2015 FINA Puerto Rico Grand Prix. She was a World University Games finalist in 2013 and 2015, serving to Team USA to a silver medal in 2013. Pickens competed within the World Championships last in 2013, ending seventh on three-meter synchronized diving. In 2015, she certified for each the World Championships and FINA Diving World Series. She completed third on three-meter on the 2020 FINA Madrid Grand Prix earlier than securing an Olympic quota spot for the US on three-meter on the 2021 FINA Diving World Cup. Pickens secured ninth on three-meter on the 2022 World Aquatics World Cup and was a 2024 Canada Cup silver medalist on three-meter synchronized diving.

 

A local of Western PA, Pickens was inducted into the WPIAL Hall of Fame in 2021 for her diving achievements at Franklin Regional High School.