{{Short description|American diving coach (born 1974)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox college coach | name = Adam Soldati | image = | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1974|1|25}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | height = 5' 10" | weight = 175 lbs | alma_mater = Indiana University Bloomington<ref name=Indiana>"Purdue Hires IU Grad as Diving Coach", ''Journal and Courier'', Lafayette, Indiana, May 12, 2005, page 9</ref><ref name=SS>{{cite web|url=https://swimswam.com/legendary-purdue-diving-coach-adam-soldati-to-step-down-after-als-diagnosis/|title=Purdue Diving Coach Adam Soldat To Step Down After ALS Diagnosis|website=swimswam.com|access-date=May 23, 2025}}</ref> | player_years1 = 1994–1997 | player_positions = Diver | player_team1 = Indiana University Bloomington (1997)<br>Coach Jeff Huber | player_team2 = Woodlands Athletic Club | player_years2 = 2000–2002 | coach_years1 = 1997–2000 | coach_team1 = Indiana University Bloomington Assistant Coach<br>Indiana Diving, Youth Development | coach_team2 = Woodlands Athletic Club | coach_years2 = 2003–2005 | coach_team3 = Purdue University | coach_years3 = 2005–2024 | coach_team4 = | coach_years4 = | coach_team5 = | coach_years5 = | coach_years6 = | coach_team6 = | overall_record = | bowl_record = | tournament_record = | championships = | awards = National Scholastic and Collegiate Trophy (2025)<br>5xCSCAA National Coach of the Year<br>(2009–2011, 2015, 2017)<br>CSCAA List of 100 Greatest Coaches | coaching_records = }} '''Adam Soldati''' (born January 25, 1974) was an American competitive diver for Indiana University Bloomington and a diving coach for Purdue University from 2005-2024, where he produced fourteen NCAA champions, twenty-two titlists in Big Ten Conference championships, and just over 120 NCAA All Americans. Soldati trained three U.S. Olympians in his career including 2016 Olympic silver medalist in 10-meter synchro Steele Johnson, 2020 and 2024 10-meter platform Olympic competitor Brandon Loschiavo and four-time ten meter Olympic platform medalist David Boudia.<ref>"Diving", ''The Indianapolis Star'', Indianapolis, Indiana, June 14, 2021, page B6</ref><ref name=Trophy/>

==Early life== Soldati was born on January 25, 1974, and attended Sonoma Valley High School, graduating in 1992, where he competed in diving under Sonoma Valley's head swim and dive coach Mike Hoppe. A strong regional program, Sonoma's swim and diving team went undefeated in dual meets from 1990 to 1992. Competing as a senior in May 1992, Soldati placed first at the Sonoma County League Diving Finals in Petaluma, California.<ref>"Soldati First in SCL Diving", ''The Press Democrat'', Santa Rosa, California, May 16, 1992, page 20</ref><ref name=Sonoma>"Krentzman, Jackie, "Sonoma Likely Lock in SCL Swim Meet," ''The Press Democrat'', Santa Rosa, California, May 15, 1992, page 24</ref> He started diving by his junior year in high school, where he won the California Junior State Championship. In June 1992, of his high school senior year, he was voted to the All Empire Conference team as a diver.<ref name=football/>

A multi-sport athlete, at 5' 10" and 175 pounds, Soldati showed speed as a wide receiver and defensive back for Sonoma's football team, and served as a back-up quarterback in 1990. He was named a Sonoma County League Football All-Star by the ''Press-Democrat'' in August 1992, and in the off-season played basketball for Sonoma.<ref name=SS/><ref name=football>"Sonoma County League All Stars", ''The Press Democrat'', Santa Rosa, California, August 15, 1992, page 19</ref><ref name=basketball>Meadows, Bruce, "Reserves Spark Sonoma's Win", ''The Press Democrat'', Santa Rosa, California, January 19, 1991, page 22</ref>

==Indiana University== Swimming for the Indiana Hoosiers from 1993 to 1997, Soldati trained under head diving coach Dr. Jeff Huber. Excelling in his sport, Soldati was an All Big Ten Conference diver for Indiana in each of the three years from 1995 to 1997.<ref>Morwick, Rick, "Woodmen Diver on Target", ''The Daily Journal'', December 5, 2000, page 11</ref> Diving coach Huber invited Soldati to stay on as Indiana's assistant diving coach when Soldati graduated Indiana in 1997. A high achiever in collegiate diving, Huber was the U.S. Olympic diving coach for the 2000 Olympics.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://honorsandawards.iu.edu/awards/honoree/4267.html|title=IU, University Honors and Awards, Jeff Huber|website=honorsandawards.iu.edu|access-date=May 23, 2025}}</ref>

==Coaching diving== Around 1998, after his senior year at Indiana, in addition to serving as an assistant diving coach Soldati founded the Indiana Diving and Youth Development Program with his future wife Kimiko Hirai. Both as a diver and an assistant coach, Soldati benefited greatly from his time with Indiana diving coach Huber. Moving to Texas around 2001, Soldati began a business career in the Houston area after his marriage while training with Houston's Woodlands Athletic Club under head coach Kenny Armstrong. Soldati coached for the Woodlands Athletic Club for a few years when a coaching position became available, before accepting his position at Purdue.<ref name=SS/>

Soldati married 2004 Athens U.S. Olympic diver Hirai, formerly of Colorado, in May 2000, and they have six children. They met as divers for Indiana University.<ref name=marriage>Michaels, Vicki, "Soldati Shoulders Forward", USA Today", McClean, Virginia, June 10, 2004, page 36</ref>

==Purdue University== Soldati accepted a position as head diving coach at Purdue in June of 2005, where he continued through 2024, with his wife Kimiko serving as an assistant volunteer coach. In his career, Soldati mentored three American Olympic medalists including Steele Johnson, Brandon Loschiavo and four-time Olympic medalist David Boudia.<ref name=Trophy>{{cite web|url=https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/coaches-vote-adam-soldati-2025-national-scholastic-and-collegiate-trophy-winner/|title=Coaches Vote Adam Soldati 2025 National Scholastic And Collegiate Trophy Winner|website=swimmingworldmagazine.com|access-date=May 23, 2025}}</ref><ref name=SS/> He trained over forty swimmers who became medalists in international competition and 34 American national champions. In collegiate competition, he had fourteen NCAA champions. In conference tournaments, he has had twenty-two titlists in Big Ten Conference championships, and has coached just over 120 collegiate NCAA All-Americans. Recognition bestowed on his divers have included nine with Big Ten Diver of the Year honors and five with NCAA Diver of the Year honors. He retired as Purdue head diving coach after being diagnosed with ALS in early 2024, and was replaced by his former swimmer and Olympian David Boudia. In a transitional role, Soldati served as "director of diving" for a period.<ref name=SS/><ref name=Trophy/>

==Honors== During his coaching tenure at Purdue, the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America honored Soldati as the National Coach of the Year in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015 and 2017, a total of five times in his career.<ref name=Trophy/> He was named to the list of the 100 greatest coaches of the last 100 years by the CSCAA, among 500 nominees.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cscaa.org/news/100coaches|title=100 Greatest Coaches of the Last 100 Years|website=cscaa.org|access-date=May 23, 2025}}</ref>

In February 2025, Soldati was elected to receive the National Scholastic and Collegiate Trophy from the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America.

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Soldati, Adam}} Category:1974 births Category:Living people Category:American male divers Category:American diving coaches Category:Purdue Boilermakers coaches Category:Purdue University faculty Category:Indiana Hoosiers men's divers Category:Indiana Hoosiers swimming and diving Category:Indiana Hoosiers coaches Category:College diving coaches in the United States Category:Sonoma Valley High School alumni