LAS CRUCES, N.M. – NM State swimming and diving head coach Rick Pratt recently announced the addition of Sam Hernandez to his staff as a volunteer diving coach.

 "I was introduced to Sam back in January at a club meet in Los Angeles, where I was coaching at the time and we got to talking," said diving coach Miranda King. "It wasn't until after I arrived in Las Cruces in August, that Coach Pratt told me Sam had moved here and showed interest in helping out our team. He has been around the sport for many years, and is very well known in the diving community. I am thrilled that he is willing to help our program, and share his knowledge and experience with the divers and myself as a young coach. I look forward to learning so much from Sam and having a second diving coach on deck some afternoons."

Hernandez is a two-time Acapulco Cliff Diving Champion, and is the only American to win the title twice during the 20th Century. Sam is also a two-time world record holder for high diving at 156 feet and 158 feet. He organized, produced and promoted the first international competition for women's high diving in 1996.

Hernandez started the first swimming and diving team at Garfield High School in Los Angeles while he was a student. He also served as the assistant diving coach for the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center in Los Angeles, as well as volunteered to coach many of the local high school and college diving programs. Hernandez was coached by Dr. Sammy Lee, as well as trained with Greg Louganis.