Ford McLiney

Ford McLiney begins his first season as the Head Diving Coach at Nebraska in 2026-27.

McLiney came to Nebraska after two successful seasons as an assistant diving coach for the men’s and women’s teams at the University of Pittsburgh. He helped the Panther women to the best finish in school history, as three Pitt divers qualified for the NCAA Championships, all with top-40 finishes. On the men’s side, he helped two Pitt divers qualify for nationals.

"Ford brings a combination of a personal high-level diving background, learning from some of the most outstanding people in the dive coaching world, a track record of coaching success at all levels of diving, and standout skills and experience in recruiting," Nebraska Head Coach Pablo Morales said. "Ford has great energy, passion, and commitment toward developing not only performance champions but also outstanding people both in and out of the water. He is the ideal hire to continue the line of great diving coaches at Nebraska. I am very excited about the present and future of our diving program."

While serving as a volunteer coach at Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Mo., McLiney helped Caroline Knopke make program history as the first Rockhurst swimmer or diver to qualify for the NCAA Division II Championships.  

As a competitor, McLiney was a two-time Olympic Trials qualifier (2012, 2016) and a member of the U.S. National Team. He began his collegiate career at Florida State, where he earned a silver medal on the three-meter board and All-ACC honors at the 2012 ACC Championships. 

He continued his college career at Texas A&M, where he was a two-time SEC champion as a junior, earning a pair of gold medals on the three-meter springboard and on platform. 

McLiney will lead a team of veterans, including 2026 NCAA qualifier Abby Baxter, Jordyn Schmucker and Addy Farman, along with newcomer Eve Shrader.