2016 CSCAA DII Diving Coach of the Year
12-Time NSISC Diving Coach of the Year (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
Barbara Parker joined the University of West Florida women’s swimming and diving program as its diving coach in 2013. Parker, originally from Alexandria, Va. and currently based in Mobile, Ala., came to UWF with years of diving coaching experience. In September 2016, she was appointed to the NCAA men's and women's swimming and diving committee.
In UWF's first season in 2013-14, Josie McKee and Meghan Zets both qualified for the NCAA Division II Diving Qualifying Meet. McKee was the high point diver and won the 1 and 3 meter events at the New South Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving Conference Championships, and Parker was named NSISC Diving Coach of the Year.
The Argos had even more success in 2014-15, as Monica Amaral was the high point diver at the NSISC Championships and Parker repeated as NSISC Diving Coach of the Year. Amaral finished second in the nation at 3 meters and third at 1 meter, earning All-America first team awards in both events. McKee was also an honorable mention All-America pick at 3 meters.
Parker saw Amaral bring home two national championships in the 2015-16 season, and earned diving coach of the year accolades from both the NSISC and the NCAA. Amaral was again the high point diver at the NSISC Championships and earned the NCAA Diver of the Year for her efforts.Â
2017 served as a bit of a repeat for Parker. Amaral swept the NCAA Championships and was named the high point diver at the NSISC Championships for a third time. UWF added another diving All-American in Mariah Constantakos, who placed 14th at the national meet, and Parker earned CSCAA and NSISC Diving Coach of the Year honors again.
Parker helped send four student-athletes to the NCAA Diving Qualifier in 2018, and Mariah Constantakos and Jesstina Farrell each advanced into the NCAA Championships. Farrell made history at the meet, becoming the first freshman in program history to earn All-America honors as a diver with a 14th-place finish in the 3-meter.Â
In 2019, Parker had three divers qualify for the NCAA Diving Qualifier in Indianapolis. She also helped coach Jesstina Farrell to a first place finish in the 1-meter dive event at the NSISC Championships.
In 2021, UWF Diving had the highest number of divers in the National Championship in team history with 3. All 3 scored team points. Kelsey DeJesus and Daniela Reyes placed 5th and 7th on 1M and DeJesus placed 3rd on 3M.
In 2022, UWF has two divers make it to the finals in the 3-meter competition. Kelsey DeJesus finished 3rd while Daniela Reyes finished 7th. West Florida had three divers advance to the NCAA Diving Championships in the 1-meter competition tying for the highest number of divers making it to the NCAA Championships in the 1-meter.Â
This season, Parker earned her 10th consecutive NSISC Diving Coach of the Year honors as she had Michelle Mejia win the 1-meter competition and Olivia Nelson won the 3-meter competition. She had five divers advance to the NCAA Diving Championships this year. Daniela Reyes and Adriana Mieses-Sanchez earned CSCAA All-American First Team status on the 1-meter with Reyes finishing 3rd and Mieses-Sanchez finishing 6th. Reyes and Olivia Nelson came in 6th and 7th on the 3-meter boards at nationals.Â
Parker started her coaching career in Mobile in 1993, leading divers to numerous high school state championships. She also mentored two All-Americans and divers on the regional, zone and national levels. Parker trained under Rob O’Brien, an eight-time Olympic coach, along with Olympic coaches Hobie Billingsley and Dave Parrington.
Parker earned her Bachelor of Science in education from the University of Alabama, and she also graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in recreation administration at the University of South Alabama. She is a FINA certified national and international judge, and she has served as a collegiate judge in multiple conference championship meets.
