Ithaca College

Mike Blakely-Armitage '00 is in his second stint as a coach for the Ithaca men's swimming and diving program, recently promoted to Head Coach. Upon his graduation in 2000, Blakely-Armitage joined the men's swimming and diving staff from 2000 to 2004, while also assisting the women's swimming and diving program in 2004. During his time as an assistant at Ithaca College, the men's swimming and diving team won its first conference championship in 2001 and went on to win two more during his tenure. At the conclusion of the 2021-22 season, Blakely-Armitage was promoted to associate head coach of both the men's and women's swimming and diving programs. Recently, he helped guide the guide the women’s program to it’s third-straight Liberty League conference championship and put together an 18th place finish at the 2021-22 NCAA Division III Championships. The men finished second at the Liberty League conference meet, finished 18th as a team at NCAA's and had three All-American relays, three top eight finishes, and a national champion in Jack Wadsworth who also set the Division III record in the 100 backstroke. Prior to his return to South Hill, Blakely-Armitage served as the head men's swimming and diving coach at Ithaca High School for 10 years (2009-19) as well as the women's head coach from 2015-19. During his time with the Little Red, the men's team had a perfect 72-0 dual meet record and won eight Section IV titles, while notching 17 All-Americans and breaking three state records. The men's team also boasted four individual, three relay state champions and numerous Academic All-Americans during that time. On the women's side, the Little Red compiled a dual meet record of 27-1 and won three Section IV titles.

Chris Griffin joins the Ithaca College swimming & diving staff in the summer of 2015 as Assistant Aquatics Coordinator and Diving Coach. Griffin most recently served as Aquatic Program Coordinator at Binghamton University, a position held since 2012. While at Binghamton, Griffin was responsible for designing, implementing, staffing and teaching aquatic programs for campus recreation services. He was also in charge of all administrative aspects, including budgeting and scheduling. Griffin also brings a significant amount of coaching experience to the position. Along with forming the Evolution Diving Club, Griffin was named head diving coach at Maine Endwell High School in 2013. While at Maine Endwell he maintained an undefeated dual meet record, and earned two Section IV Class ‘B’ Team Championships while also tutoring three Section IV diving champions. Griffin has also served as head diving coach at Vestal High School since 2012. Prior to Maine Endwell and Vestal, Griffin held a number of positions at Mexico Academy from 2006-13. During his tenure, Griffin coached four All-American divers on the boys’ side, along with one NYSPHASS Champion in 2013. He won Section III diving titles four times, while also coaching Section III Class ‘B’ Diving Champions from 2009-13. He was named the Section III Coach of the Year as head of the girls’ team in 2007, before guiding it to nine individual Section III Class ‘B’ titles. He served as head diving coach at SUNY Cortland from 2008-09, where he was responsible for recruitment, training, scheduling, fund-raising, meet management and academic monitoring. Griffin led nine athletes to event finals at the SUNYAC Championships under his watch. Griffin has acted as guest coach and assisted at a number of other institutions, including the AAU Laker Diving Club, Mexico Tiger Shark Swim Club, Indiana and Ithaca. Griffin, who earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from Cortland in 2005, was a two-time SUNYAC finalist in both 1- and 3-meter diving as a Red Dragon. He also served as a team captain and was the recipient of Cortland’s George Breen Award as a senior.