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Mark Bradshaw returns for his eleventh year at the helm of the Arizona State diving program where his impact on the program has been unmistakable, generating nine All-Americans while writing and rewriting ASU record book in 11 of 14 diving disciplines. Bradshaw's success as head diving coach continued to grow in the 2007 season. Newcomer Micky Benedetti quickly set on course to follow the tradition of excellence set by previous ASU divers. Benedetti finished his debut season runner-up on platform at the NCAA Championships and also earned All-American accolades in the 1 and 3 meter. Benedetti also won the Pac-10 Championship in the 3 meter and platform.
In 2006, Bradshaw guided seniors Brant Bingham and Joona Puhakka to NCAA Championship appearances, where Puhakka was the national runner-up in both the one-meter and three-meter diving events. Puhakka earned Pac-10 and Zone E Diving championships in both events, becoming an eight-time champion at both invitationals and earned All-America honors in each event. The 2005 season saw Bradshaw lead the ASU diving program to more successes, capturing three Pac-10 titles and two NCAA titles. Bradshaw was named 2005 NCAA Diving Coach of the Year and has won four straight men's Pac-10 Diving Coach of the Year awards, while also earning the women's Pac-10 Diving Coach of the Year award in 2004. Bradshaw guided Joona Puhakka to his fourth national championship, winning both the 1-meter and 3-meter events at the 2005 NCAA's. Under Bradshaw's tutelage, Puhakka achieved tremendous success during his third year in Tempe. In addition to sweeping the springboard events at the NCAA meet, the native of Finland, has won six Pac-10 championships and has swept the 1-meter and 3-meter events at the Zone E Diving Championships. Bradshaw also saw successes on the women's side, as departed senior Trisha Tumlinson set several school records en route to winning Pac-10 titles in the platform (2004-05) and the 3-meter (2004) as well as the platform and 1-meter events at the Zone E Diving Championships. In 2004, Tumlinson placed second at the NCAA Championships on the platform. Puhakka and Tumlinson were both named Pac-10 Diver of the Year in 2004, while Puhakka has won the award three straight years. In 2003, Bradshaw took two newcomers to the Sun Devil program - one man and one woman - to the NCAA Championships, where those student-athletes brought home three medals, including one NCAA title. Bradshaw's outstanding leadership earned him the highest honor in the program's history when he was named the 2003 men's NCAA Diving Coach of the Year. He was also named the men's Pac-10 Diving Coach of the Year.
Bradshaw guided Puhakka to the first national title for a Sun Devil male diver in 35 years. Puhakka set four school records, won both the 1-meter and 3-meter titles at the Pac-10 Championships and took first in both the 1-meter and 3-meter events at the Zone E Diving Championships. Bradshaw saw his protégé go the entire season without being beaten on the 1-meter springboard and also become the first male diver in Sun Devil history to win two Pac-10 championships in the same year. Bradshaw also coached Tumlinson to a third place finish at the NCAA's on the platform and saw her break three school records. Puhakka and Tumlinson were both named the Pac-10 Newcomers of the Year while Puhakka was also named Pac-10 Diver of the Year. Bradshaw's knack for developing new talent is well-known as only one year prior he guided Thomas McCrummen to Pac-10 Newcomer of the Year status. Among his prior standout divers was All-American Marc Briggs, who in just two seasons with Bradshaw accumulated five school records and the first Pac-10 Championship for men's diving since 1983 (3-meter, 2000). Bradshaw came to ASU from Ohio University, where he helped lead the women to a second-place finish and the men to a fifth-place showing at the 1997 Mid-American Conference Championships. Bradshaw's successful stint at Ohio University is exemplified by the fact he was named head coach at mid-season. Prior to coaching at Ohio, Bradshaw was the first full-time diving coach hired at the United States Military Academy. It did not take long for Bradshaw to make his mark as he was named the Metro Conference Diving Coach of the Year after his first year. Bradshaw prides himself on running a diving program that provides opportunities for the student-athletes to work hard toward achieving their goals. He strongly believes that "you get exactly what you put into it."
Bradshaw implemented that same philosophy in making himself a world-class diver. A member of the U.S. National Diving Team for 16 years, Bradshaw won a slew of awards including the United States/Phillips 66 Diver of the Year, and the 1990 U.S. Male Diver of the Year. In addition, Bradshaw was also a seven-time national champion. Bradshaw has a great deal of international experience as well, having competed in the F.I.N.A. World Cup, World University Games and the World Aquatic Championships. He is also a two-time silver medalist in the Pan American Games. Bradshaw reached the pinnacle of international competition when he competed at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, placing fifth in the 3-meter competition. Bradshaw, who graduated from Ohio State with a bachelor's degree in physical education in 1985 and a master's degree in the same discipline in 1987, was a four-year NCAA All-American in the 1 and 3-meter events. He not only dove with great technique, but with great consistency as well. Bradshaw was named the Big Ten Diver of the Year two consecutive years and was the Big Ten diving champion three times in a four-year span. In addition, he was also named the MVP of the Buckeyes' squad in 1982, `83 and `84. The highlight of Bradshaw's collegiate career came in 1983 when he was crowned the NCAA's 3-meter champion. In 1993, Ohio State recognized Bradshaw's great career by inducting him into the school's athletic Hall of Fame.
A native of Springfield, Ore., Bradshaw graduated from Springfield High School in 1980, where he was a four-year Oregon state diving champion, four-year letterman, two-time All-America and school MVP. Though Bradshaw's collegiate roots are embedded in the Big Ten, his pedigree has a Pac-10 flavor. His mother was a cheerleader at Washington State and his father a varsity baseball player at Oregon State. An avid golfer, Bradshaw enjoys outdoor activities when he is not coaching. He has one son, Cameron (18) who is on ASU's diving team. |
 
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