Mark Edward LENZI

Mark Lenzi attended Indiana University where he won the NCAA title on the 1-meter springboard in 1989 and 1990 and was named NCAA Diver of the Year in both seasons. He also won five Big 10 diving titles. Lenzi had started out wrestling in school but switched to diving in the mid-1980s. After winning the gold medal on the springboard in 1992, he retired only to return in 1995, and win a bronze medal in the event at the 1996 Olympics. Lenzi was the first diver to score more than 700 points in an 11-dive competition on the 3-meter board and was the first American to successfully complete a forward, 4½ somersault in competition. He was also the first diver to score over 100 points on a single dive – a reverse 3½ tuck – which he accomplished twice in 1996. Lenzi later became a diving coach, coaching Indiana’s junior diving team, and then serving as coach of both the men and women divers at East Carolina University from 2009-11. He died quite young after issues with severe blood pressure problems.