A former Division I all-American diver, Karen LaFace returns to the Bomber coaching staff this season. She previously served as the diving coach at Ithaca from 2001-05.
Two divers have qualified for the NCAA Championships during the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons, with Kristen Shorette earning all-American honors both seasons. LaFace was a member of the 1992 Olympic team at Barcelona, where she placed ninth on the three-meter springboard. She was also a member of the U.S. Diving Team for 10 years, a six-time NCAA all-American and a three-time Big Ten diving champion at Ohio State.
The 1987 NCAA Division I champion and Diver of the Year, LaFace was a gold medalist at the 1991 Pan American Games in Havana, Cuba. She was inducted into the Ohio State Athletic Hall of Fame and was chosen as the 1992 Pittsburgh Amateur Athlete of the Year.
Her coaching experience includes instructing divers of all ages and levels while at Ohio State, serving as an instructor with the Fort Lauderdale Diving Team and coaching high school divers locally. Since retiring from diving LaFace has completed medical school at the University of Pennsylvania and a residency in family practice at Brown University.
She is currently employed by Guthrie Medical Group. Her husband, Andrew Getzin, is Ithaca’s team physician. The couple resides in Ithaca.
