Our Coaches - North Star Diving Club

Jason Baumann: Head Coach/Owner

Jason Baumann’s 30+ year career in diving has touched on every facet of the diving arena – as an athlete, coach, and administrator. As an athlete, Baumann won the Nebraska State High School Championship his junior season and was a two-time high school All-American. Following his high school career, Baumann was a four-year team captain and letter winner at Indiana University, a five-time Big Ten Championship finalist, and was runner-up in the platform event in 1993. As a senior, Baumann qualified for the NCAA Championships and earned All-American honors in the platform event. Throughout his diving career, Baumann competed at over ten U.S. Junior and Senior National Championships.

Jason has coached at progressively higher levels since beginning his career in 1999, coaching at the NCAA Division I level for over ten years. He first served as the Head Diving Coach at the University of Wyoming from 1999-2001. In his two years in Laramie, eight divers made the finals at the Mountain West Conference Championships. In 2000 he coached the men’s conference platform champion, and in 2001 he was named the Mountain West Conference Men’s Diving Coach of the Year after all but one of his divers was a finalist in all three events. From 2001-2005 Baumann was the Assistant Coach at Indiana University. During Baumann’s tenure in Bloomington, the Hoosiers won four combined team U.S. National Championships and four women’s U.S. National Championships and included 2004 Olympian Cassandra Cardinell, 2000 and 2004 Olympian Sara Reiling, and 2008 and 2012 Olympian Christina Loukas. From 2005-2009, Jason moved to the University of Minnesota to serve as their Head Diving Coach. Highlights in his time with the Gophers included 36 Top-16 finishes at the Big Ten Championships and two team Big Ten Championships, diver Shaun Kennedy earning NCAA All-American honors, the Men’s Team earning 2nd place at the 2008 U.S. National Championships, and the Men’s Platform Synchro team winning the 2009 U.S. National Championships. Jason was the interim Head Diving Coach at the University of Utah in 2010, before joining the USA Diving staff in Indianapolis.

Jason is also no stranger to club diving, having coached with the Clayton Diving Alliance, Twin City Divers, the Indiana Diving Club, and the Indiana Diving Academy. Under his tutelage, countless divers have realized success at U.S. Junior and Senior National Championships, including winning national titles at both levels and in multiple events. Baumann’s divers have represented Team USA at World Cups, World Championships, Junior Pan Ams, World University Games, Grand Prix events, and the Olympic Trials. He has also coached numerous athletes to successful collegiate careers, including multiple NCAA championship titles.

From 2010-2014, Jason took a break from coaching athletes and took on the role of Director of Coaches Education for USA Diving, where he oversaw all coaches education programs, including developing the new aerial training curriculum and certification. As a lifetime member of USA Diving, Jason is an active contributor to the sport. He has served on several committees, been a member of event management for all levels of competitions, conducted coaching clinics, led cultural exchange training trips, and been a Team USA Leader for multiple international competitions. Jason is also a FINA certified judge and has served as a judge and referee at several national and international competitions.

Jason earned a BA in Political Science and Criminal Justice with a minor in Mathematics while at Indiana University. He later went on to earn a Master’s of Science degree in Applied Sports Science, with a focus on sport performance and educational psychology. Jason and his wife Stephanie reside in Rosemount with their young sons Connor and Case, Sidney (attending Mankato State University), and a puggle named Lucy, who would love to be North Star Diving Club’s honorary mascot!

Arron Carlson: Assistant Coach

Arron has been coaching with North Star Diving Club since June of 2018. As an athlete he graduated from SUNY-Fredonia and was a national runner-up on one-meter and a third-place finisher on three-meter. In all he was a four-time Division III All-American and a three-time honorable mention All-American diver. Arron was a multiple time zone and conference champion and was honored with the SUNYAC James Fulton award for academic achievement and athletic honors. He graduated from Fredonia in 2017 with a degree in Geology and with a minor in Geographic Information Systems. As a coach, Carlson has two years of experience as part of the Fredonia Blue Devil Diving Club, four years experience as the Head Diving Coach for St. Thomas University, One year as the Diving Coach for St Anthony Highschool and is currently the Head Diving Coach for Concordia University, St Paul and Girls Two Rivers High School.

Aaron Monson: Assistant Coach

Aaron dove for ten years at both the high school (Blaine) and collegiate (Saint John’s University) levels. He was a three-time Minnesota State High School finalist and three-time All-MIAC award winner. His senior year in college he coached the girls Melrose High School diving team for his first exposure into the world of coaching diving. After taking a year off from diving to teach in Japan, he has been a coach for the Eden Prairie High School Girls and Boys diving team for the past ten years. In addition to coaching at North Star Diving Club, Aaron coached with Bearpath Country Club where he worked with high school to 4-year old athletes. Prior to Bearpath Country Club he coached six seasons at Wayzata Country Club.

Rob Hoven: Assistant Coach

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Roberto Gutierrez: Assistant Coach

Summer Pierick: Assistant Coach

Erin Orn: Assistant Coach

Grace Gerten: Assistant Coach