University of Nevada Athletics

One of the best diving coaches in the country, Jian Li You is in her 29th season at Nevada as an eight-time Mountain West Diving Coach of the Year. A former Chinese national champion diver and coach to numerous Olympians, Li You has established Nevada as one of the premier diving schools in the region.

Through the 2023-24 season, You is an 11-time conference Diving Coach of the Year (eight Mountain West, three WAC) and has coached one diver to a pair of national titles (Sharae Zheng, 2016 1-Meter and 3-Meter Springboard NCAA Champion). Zheng is one of three Wolf Pack divers, along with En-Tien Huang and Krysta Palmer, who have combined for 10 All-America honors under You's guidance.

Since Nevada joined the Mountain West in 2012-13, You's divers have captured a total of 24 conference event titles and eight Diver of the Year awards. Over those 12 seasons in the Mountain West, You's divers have swept the three individual diving titles at the conference championship meet an incredible five times, including four-straight years from 2015-18.

Under You's tutelage, Melissa Mirafuentes (2024) and Lucia Gabino (2023) became the latest Wolf Pack divers to be named Mountain West Diver of the Year. Gabino added a pair of titles to her ledger in 2023, sweeping the springboard events at the conference meet, while Bailey Heydra took the 1-Meter title in 2022.

During the 2020-2021 diving season, Jian Li coached Laura Isabel Vazquez Lopez to a Mountain West title in the 3-meter event. Vazquez Lopez was also named the MW diver of the week after her performance against the in-state rivals, UNLV. Li You saw all three of her divers collect all-conference honors. During the summer, You was the first female diving coach for Team USA to participate in a Summer Olympics, coaching Krysta Palmer to an Olympic Bronze Medal in Tokyo 2021. Palmer was the first U.S. individual female Olympic medalist since 2000, and the first to medal on 3-meter springboard since 1988. 

The 2019-20 diving season was cut short for the Pack due to COVID-19 but three divers had qualified in all three diving events at the NCAA Zone E Championships. Laura Isabel Vazquez Lopez returned to the podium at the Mountain West Championships, collecting a gold in the 1-meter event. Li You saw all three of her divers collect all-conference honors. 

During the 2018-19 season, Nevada took both Mountain West titles in the 3-meter and platform events, sending four divers to the NCAA Zone Regionals. Following the regionals, Li You had one diver advance to the 2019 NCAA National Championships in Laura Isabel Vazquez Lopez who went on to finish 24th in the 3-meter event. 

In 2018, Li You collected the ninth conference diving coach of the year award in her tenure in Nevada; three in the WAC (2001, 2004, 2012) and six in the Mountain West (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018). Li You has coached a conference diver of the year in six of the eight seasons that Nevada has been a member of the MW. 

After helping diver Sharae Zheng sweep all three diving competitions at the 2017 MW Championships, Li You’s 2017 season was capped off by coaching former Nevada great Krysta Palmer to a spot on Team USA. In July 2017, Palmer was one of just two divers to represent the United States in the 3-meter springboard at the FINA World Championships.

The 2016 campaign was highlighted by Li You’s work with Zheng as she was named the Diver of the Year by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA). As a result of her coaching efforts, the CSCAA also awarded Li You Diving Coach of the Year honors. 

Along with her work with Zheng, 2016 also comprised of Li You coaching Palmer to a Mountain West Diver of the Year honor for the second year in a row. She also helped Palmer qualify for the 2016 Olympic Trials, where she advanced to the final two rounds.

By the end of the 2015 season, Li You helped lead Palmer to an undefeated regular season before sweeping all three diving titles in the conference meet. Palmer then earned All-American honorable mention honors after placing 10th at the 3-meter dive at the 2015 NCAA Championships. After coaching Palmer to one of the top individual seasons in Pack diving history, Li You was named MW Diving Coach of the Year for the third straight season.

In the 2014 season, Li You coached senior Grace Huang to MW Diver of the Year as Huang earned her second conference diver of the year award. Huang won the 1-meter and platform events and placed runner-up in 3-meter en route to earning the conference’s Diver of the Year accolade. Additionally, junior Krysta Palmer placed third in the 1-meter and 3-meter events as Nevada secured more diving points than any other team. Under Li You’s guidance, Huang, Palmer and Stephanie Hansen earned all-conference accolades.

Nevada sent four divers to the NCAA Zone E Diving Regional. Huang advanced and went on to earn honorable mention All-America honors at the 2014 NCAA Championships in Minneapolis, Minn., placing 16th in 3-meter, 17th in platform and 21st in 1-meter. 

Li You coached junior Stephanie Hansen to Mountain West Diver of the Year honors in the 2013 season. Hansen won the 1-meter and platform events while placing second in the 3-meter to secure her title as best diver in the MW. Additionally, Hansen and Huang were named to the MW All-Conference team.

In 2012, Li You was named WAC Diving Coach of the Year for the third time after putting together the most formidable lineup in the conference. Sophomore Grace Huang was named WAC Diver of the Year after winning all three diving events. Additionally, Stephanie Hansen placed runner-up on platform. Huang, Hansen and Melyssa Chariton advanced to the Zone E Diving Regionals.

The Wolf Pack and Li You had two divers advance to regionals in 2011 while Pack divers claimed three of the top five spots in platform at the WAC Championships.

Li You earned the WAC Diving Coach of the Year Award in 2001 and again in 2004. She has coached three WAC Divers of the Year; Christie Bulmer in 2001, Kate Oinessin 2002 and Huang in 2012. In 2004, she coached Kristin Littell to the WAC platform title. In 2006, she helped guide Devon Owen to an appearance in the NCAA Championships where she placed in the top 35 in the 1 and 3-meter events. In 2008, Li You helped senior Candice Minette placed second in the 1-meter at the 2008 NCAA Zone E Championships, which earned her a trip to the NCAA Championships where she placed in the top 40 in the 1 and 3-meter events.

During her tenure, Li You has worked with both Chinese and American Olympians in multiple Olympics. She tutored the likes of Olympic Gold Medalist Fu Mingxia, Tan Luengdai, Su Suwi, Lon Wei and Americans Becky Ruehl, Mary Ellen Clark, Scott Donie and Dave Pichler. Her divers have been instrumental in the Wolf Pack winning three consecutive Western Athletic Conference titles. She immigrated to the United States in September of 1995, moving to Florida and then to Cincinnati to prepare Becky Ruehl and other U.S. National team members for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.

Li You graduated from the Shanghai Sports University in Shanghai, China. As a diver, she was the Chinese National Champion in the 1-meter and 3-meter springboard, as well as the platform for five years from 1976-1980. All that culminated when Li You was named to the 1980 Olympic team. During that span, she was ranked No. 1 in the world on the one-meter board.

Li You and her husband David Lawrence have one son, Raymond.