Denison University

Russ Bertram enters his 11th year as the Head Men's and Women's Diving Coach at Denison University in 2023-24. In 10 seasons at Denison, Bertram has helped build Denison into one of the top collegiate diving programs in the nation. A three-time NCAA Division III Men's Coach of the Year and a nine-time North Coast Athletic Conference Coach of the Year between both the men and women, Bertram has coached three men's individuals (Ben Lewis, Connor Dignan, and Max Levy) to national championship performances.

Bertram claimed his fifth NCAC Women's Diving Coaching Staff of the Year award in 2023 as sophomore Kerstyn Johnson was named NCAC Women's Diver of the Year after winning on both the one-meter (427.70) and the three-meter (479.30) boards. Big Red divers also posted third- and fourth-place finishes on the one-meter and a second-place finish on the three-meter.

In December of 2021, Bertram was selected by the Collegiate Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) for its list of 100 greatest collegiate coaches as a part of the CSCAA's Centennial Celebration. 

During the 2020 season, Bertram captured his fourth-straight NCAC Women's Diving Coach of the Year award after leading senior Naomi Clayton to her first NCAC title in the 1-meter dive (426.05) and freshman Ally Peterson to her first-ever conference crown in the 3-meter dive (456.50). Under Bertram's tutelage, the Big Red women's divers finished the 2020 NCAC Championships with five All-NCAC selections and Clayton rounded out the awards as the 2020 NCAC Women's Diver of the Year. 

In 2019, Bertram earned NCAC Women's COY for the third-straight season after coaching Allison Fitzgerald to her third-straight NCAC Diver of the Year honor following a pair of first-place finishes on the one and three-meter boards at the 2019 NCAC swimming and diving championship. Fitzgerald went on to capture her fifth and six All-America awards at the 2019 NCAA Division III Championship in Greensboro.

In 2017, Bertram left nationals with his third national coach of the year award on the men's side after Max Levy swept the one and three-meter boards and Brian Allen logged a pair of All-American performances. In four years under Bertram, Levy won four national championships and never placed lower than fourth while competing in the maximum eight events in his career. Additionally, Bertram took home his first-ever NCAC Women's Coach of the Year award after Allison Fitzgerald swept both boards at the conference championship.

Bertram won consecutive men's national coach of the year awards in 2014 and 2015 by sending 21 divers to the NCAA Regional competition over a three-year span. At the national championship meet, Bertram coached Dignan to a national championship on the 3-meter board in 2014. In 2015, Levy earned NCAA Division III Diver of the Year after winning national titles on the 1-meter and 3-meter boards. In 2014, Lewis was named the Division III Diver of the Year, helping the Big Red to a national championship.

Bertram came to Denison with over 20-years of experience as a diving coach, judge, and administrator. As a competitive diver, Bertram won five United States diving national championship in the 3-meter springboard and the 10-meter platform. 

Prior to Denison, Bertram spent seven years as the Aquatics Director at the University of Arizona where he was responsible for all elements of an aquatics facility that consisted of a 50-meter competitive swimming pool, a 210,000-gallon training deep well, and a 1.2 million gallon competitive diving and water polo well. In 2010, he received the prestigious Phil Boggs Award from USA Diving for a lifetime commitment to the sport. That year, Bertram was instrumental in the success of three major championships hosted on the Arizona campus; the FINA World Junior Diving Championship, the USA Diving Junior National Championship, and the USA Diving Age Group National Championship.

A deep-rooted member of the diving community, Bertram spent one year as the head men’s and women’s diving coach at Florida State University (1998-99) and was the head diving coach for the Mission Viejo Nadadores dive club from 1999-2002. While coaching in Mission Viejo, Bertram led the club to consecutive national team titles and 13 individual titles. They also hosted the Junior and Senior USA National Championships in 2000. 

From 2002-05, he was the national events director for United States Diving, Inc. based out of Indianapolis, Indiana. Prior to that, he served five months as the United States Olympic team administrator, where he handled logistical preparation and planning of U.S. Olympic athletes from the Olympic Trials through the conclusion of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

In addition to his coaching and administrative roles, Bertram is also an accomplished diving judge. In 2009 and again in 2010, he served as the head referee for the NCAA Division I National Championship. He was also a judge at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

Bertram got his start in coaching in 1989 at Ohio State University when he served as a graduate assistant diving coach for a Buckeye team that included six Olympians and 10 U.S. National Champions.

A native of Indianapolis, Indiana, Bertram received his bachelor’s degree from Indiana University in 1989.