LT Johan C. Lopez, USMS, enters his 14th season as Head Diving Coach for the United States Merchant Marine Academy men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs in 2026–2027. Since arriving at Kings Point, Lopez has helped lead championship-winning programs across the Skyline, Metropolitan, and Landmark Conferences.
Under Lopez’s guidance, freshman Carter Kov produced a record-setting 2025–2026 season. Kov was crowned the NCAA Northeast-North Regional Diving Champion after winning the three-meter competition and placing second on one-meter. He then earned two All-America honors at the NCAA Division III Championships, placing fifth nationally on one-meter for First Team recognition and 11th on three-meter for Honorable Mention. Kov also established six-dive Academy records of 374.03 on one-meter and 379.88 on three-meter. He was named the Skyline and NJAC Diver of the Year, selected as USMMA Athletics’ men’s Rookie of the Year, and earned First Team CSCAA Scholar All-America recognition.
Lopez also mentored Thomas Cable throughout a distinguished four-year career. Cable qualified for three consecutive NCAA Division III Championships and earned All-America honors on both the one-meter and three-meter boards in 2024. He was named the 2024 Skyline Co-Diver of the Year, 2024 NJAC Diver of the Year, and 2025 Skyline Diver of the Year while establishing the Academy’s 11-dive record on one-meter. Cable was nominated for the Admiral Giles C. Stedman Trophy, presented to the Academy’s top male student-athlete for career excellence, and concluded his senior year with Second Team CSCAA Scholar All-America recognition.
The accomplishments of Kov and Cable reflect Lopez’s continued success developing divers who excel nationally and academically. Lopez has received multiple Coach of the Year honors across the Skyline, Metropolitan, and Landmark Conferences, both individually and as a member of award-winning coaching staffs.
In 2019, Lopez was selected for the United States Olympic Committee Coach Accelerator Program, where he received advanced, science-based training in high-performance coaching. That same year, he presented at the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America National Convention on coaching risk management and early-season exposure to high-level competition.
Lopez has also held national leadership positions within the sport. In 2016, he was appointed to the USA Diving Senior Rules Subcommittee. He also completed a four-year term on the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Committee and was unanimously elected chair in his final year, becoming the first diving coach to hold the position. In that role, he helped oversee championship policy and operations at the national level.
At the Academy, Lopez serves as head coach of KP Lift, the club program for Olympic weightlifting, CrossFit, and powerlifting. He has earned USA Weightlifting Level 1 and Level 2 Coach certifications, as well as CrossFit Level 1 and Level 2 Trainer credentials. His formal training in strength and conditioning complements his work developing athletes across multiple disciplines. He also supports additional student organizations and serves on institutional committees related to leadership, hiring, Academy culture, and candidate development.
Before joining Kings Point, Lopez spent four years coaching at his alma mater, Herbert H. Lehman College, where he helped lead the Lightning to CUNYAC championships in 2012 and 2013.
Lopez earned a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics, Food and Nutrition from Lehman College in 2009. As a student-athlete, he was a three-time CUNYAC diving champion, three-time CUNY All-Star, three-time Diver of the Year, and senior team captain. He later earned a master’s degree in sport management from Southern New Hampshire University, graduating with a 4.0 GPA and recognition as an Outstanding Graduate.
