Purdue diving coach Adam Soldati steps down due to health reasons

Purdue diving coach Adam Soldati is stepping down from his position after being diagnosed with ALS, Purdue athletics has announced.

“As I reflect on my past 19 years with our Boilermaker family, I am overcome with gratitude and thankfulness,” Soldati said in a statement. “I rejoice in the relationships that (wife) Kimiko, our children and I have built here at Purdue and in greater Lafayette. We have nothing but the greatest love and respect for so many people who have been part of our lives.”

Soldati learned of his diagnosis in February. Purdue athletes were told of Soldati’s condition in April after the swimming and diving season had concluded.

With Soldati’s expertise, wisdom and perspective providing the bedrock of the program, Purdue divers have won 14 NCAA national championships since 2009. At USA Diving national championship meets, Soldati’s pupils have won 34 titles. Steele Johnson and Brandon Loschiavo have won national titles at both levels while also being Olympians. Maycey Vieta has qualified for the Olympic Games this summer in Paris.

“Since the spring of 2005, Adam Soldati has invested every bit of himself into Purdue University and our incredibly successful diving program,” said Purdue athletic director Mike Bobinski in a statement. “He has impacted and provided counsel and leadership to countless people – student-athletes, families, fellow coaches and staff – in positive and extraordinary ways.”

Soldati will pass the reins of the program to protégé and Olympic champion David Boudia, who came aboard as a full-time assistant coach in the summer of 2021 with the understanding he would one day succeed Soldati. In the short-term, Soldati will move to the role of director of diving.

Boudia is a three-time Olympian and a four-time medalist for Team USA who won gold on the 10-meter at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. He also won five medals in his career at the World Aquatics Championships. At Purdue, Boudia was a six-time NCAA champion and eight-time Big Ten champion, winning CSCAA Diver of the Year at all three NCAA Championships in which he competed.

“The legacy Adam Soldati has created with Purdue diving is truly remarkable, and he will forever be the cornerstone on which our rich history and future is built,” Boudia said in a statement. “I have been fortunate to have been a part of his legacy, both as one of his athletes and as a coach alongside him for the past 16 years. It has truly been a unique opportunity. I am humbled to step into the role of head coach and continue Adam’s legacy as we strive for excellence both in and out of the pool.”

Soldati and wife Kimiko Hirai Soldati, an Olympian for Team USA in 3-meter diving in 2004, are the parents of six children ages 10-18. The family has begun the initial stages for the fight ahead.

“Beyond the countless accolades, Adam is a beloved husband and father to our six children – Blake, Isaac, Maiya, Emiko, Noah and Rylie – and a cherished friend to all he encounters,” said Kimiko Soldati in a statement. “He is a man who fiercely loves competition, sacrificially serves his family and community, and whose poise and affirmation always bring out the best in those around him. To know Adam is to like Adam. He is a man who loves life, embraces adversity, and has always found a way for obstacles and opposition to be the pathway to greater love, joy and personal growth.”

A GoFundMe — https://gofund.me/5c5b9379 — has been established to help the Soldati family cover the fees associated with the challenges that come with combating ALS and adapting to life with it.

“As a coach, Adam always said ‘you must know the science of your sport first, then it’s all about relationships with your athletes,’ said former Purdue swimming and diving coach Dan Ross. “He taught me you don’t always have to like every athlete every day, but you must love them all unconditionally – meaning you better know your sport better than anyone, but to win it’s all about relationships.”

Alumni, friends, colleagues and all Boilermakers are invited to submit their memories and well wishes to Soldati at PurdueSports.com. Those submissions will be compiled for a tribute feature planned for a mid-June release.