Olympic medalist Krysta Palmer hired as Nevada's diving coach, succeeding Jian Li You

One Nevada Wolf Pack great is replacing another as the school's diving coach as Krysta Palmer was hired Monday for the role where she will succeed Jian Li You, her former mentor.

Palmer competed under You while becoming one of the top divers in Mountain West history for the Wolf Pack from 2012-16 before becoming an Olympic medalist.

A Carson City native and Douglas High alum, Palmer has served as You's assistant coach in recent seasons. You announced last month she would retire after her 29th season at Nevada and leaves with the most decorated career of any Wolf Pack coach.

"When one Nevada diving legend retires, another steps up — and how fortunate we are to continue the lineage of our program with Krysta Palmer taking the reins," Nevada athletic director Stephanie Rempe said in a news release. "As one of our most-decorated divers and an Olympic medalist, Krysta was the natural choice to carry on the legacy of Nevada Diving. Her time spent on the coaching staff under Jian Li You, and her experience at the collegiate and international levels has prepared Krysta for this moment, and we are thrilled that she will remain home in northern Nevada leading the Wolf Pack diving program into its next chapter."

Her standout pupil was Palmer, who was a two-time MW diver of the year and All-American honorable mention while winning Nevada's 2015-16 Ruth Russell Award, given annually to the school’s top senior female student-athlete. In three active seasons with the Wolf Pack, Palmer won four MW gold medals, three silvers and two bronzes, earning medals in every conference championship event during her career.

Palmer has competed in three U.S. Olympic trials and qualified for the 2021 Tokyo Games where she won a bronze medal in the 3-meter springboard, becoming the first American female diver to medal in that event since 1988. She also has a world championship bronze medal and remains an active athlete as she steps into the Wolf Pack's coaching role.

“I am incredibly honored to step into this coaching position, where I can give back, inspire, and uplift the next generation of Nevada Swimming and Diving student athletes,” Palmer said in a news release. “This feels like a full-circle moment for me, returning to the place where I fell in love with diving. Working alongside Jian Li You has been an amazing experience. I know I have big shoes to fill, but Jian Li has equipped me with the tools I need to embrace this leadership role. This sport and the University of Nevada have given me so much, and I am excited to share my passion and experience to help guide the next generation of divers.”

The 32-year-old Palmer inherits a diving roster that includes two athletes with remaining eligibility in Bailey Heydra and Madison Simons with Lucia Gabino graduating. Heydra earned medals in all three events at this year's MW Championships, capturing gold on 1 meter and silver on 3 meter and platform. She is the MW's top returning diver in 2025-26.

Palmer will serve under head coach Brendon Bray, who just signed a three-year extension to oversee Wolf Pack swimming and diving.

“We are so excited to have Krysta join our program now as our dive coach," Bray said in a news release. "As a student, post-grad, NCAA qualifier, Mountain West champion and Olympic medalist, Krysta has always represented our program and community in an absolute first-class manner and now has the opportunity to turn the page and start a new chapter in a new role serving as our diving coach. We are looking forward to continuing to improve and keep our program at a championship level with her in this new position. Go Pack!"

You can watch our feature on outgoing Wolf Pack diving coach Jian Li You and exclusive interview with Krysta Palmer below.