Hackett

Richard Hackett

Richard Hackett will enter his 36th year as the diving coach for the Drury men’s and women’s swimming & diving program in 2024-25.

He has helped the program to seven men’s NAIA national championships, 12 men’s NCAA-II national championships, three NAIA women’s national titles and 10 NCAA-II women’s national titles.

In 2024, he guided men's diver Cole Earl to a National Runner-Up finish in the 3-meter event and he finished fourth in the 1-meter competition. 

Hackett has been named the NCAA-II men’s Diving Coach of the Year three times and has coached multiple All-Americans. His divers have won two individual national championships at the NAIA level as well as five in NCAA-II.

In addition to his focus with divers, Hackett also works as a strength and conditioning coach for several other of Drury’s athletic programs.

A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, he was an All-American diver in high school while attending Riverdale HS. He and his wife Jana have three children, Alec, Mitchell and Emma.