Tragedy struck the University of Florida athletics department today when it was announced that Donnie Craine, the coach of the men and women’s diving team at UF was killed early Thursday morning in a boating accident off of the coast of Bokeelia.
Florida Men’s and Women’s Diving Coach Donnie Craine Dies Today in Boating Accident http://t.co/jqrwHbzHyZpic.twitter.com/CILC6lSy90
— Gator Swimming (@GatorZoneSwimDv) April 24, 2014
Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley released this statement via Gator Zone:
“Our thoughts are with Mindy, their family and all who had a chance to know and be coached by him,” said Athletics Director Jeremy Foley. “This is such sad news about Donnie Craine. Donnie loved being a Gator and spent his career here coaching our men’s and women’s diving athletes. He will be missed.”
Craine has spent the last 30 years of his 37-year career as a diving coach at the University of Florida. He won SEC Diving Coach of the Year four times and coached five NCAA champions. He is survived by his wife of 36 years and their three children.
Thoughts and prayers go out to the friends and family of Donnie Craine and everybody at the University of Florida.