WALNUT CREEK, Calif. Arizona's Ruben Vaca has been named Pacific-10 Conference Men's Diver and Newcomer of the Year, while Michele Mitchell-Rocha has been named Coach of the Year, Commissioner Tom Hansen announced today.

Vaca, a sophomore from Mexico City, Mexico, claimed two of the three individual diving events at the Pac-10 Diving Championships in Los Angeles, California. Vaca, a member of the Mexican National Team from 1997-99, won the 1-meter springboard and the platform event. Vaca also finished third in the 3-meter springboard.

At the 2000 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships, Vaca placed 9th, 17th, and 18th in the 1- meter, platform, and 3-meter events.

Mitchell-Rocha, in her fourth year at the helm of the Arizona diving program, helped direct not only Vaca and the men's team, but also the women's team. Besides Vaca, Mitchell-Rocha also claimed three other top-seven finishers among the three events at the Conference Championships. She also helped the UA men's team to a third place finish at the NCAA Championships, the school's best finish ever. The Men's Coach of the Year award is the second of Mitchell-Rocha's career.

The Conference awards are voted on by the coaches.

PAC-10 MEN'S DIVERS AND COACHES OF THE YEAR

Diver of the Year, Coach of the Year, Newcomer of the Year

1994 Brian Earley, USC Rick Earley, USC ---
1995 David Johns, STAN Rick Schavone, STAN ---
1996 Brian Spears, ARIZ Cynthia Potter, ARIZ ---
1997 Jimmy Sjodin, ARIZ Michele Rocha, ARIZ ---
1998 Justin Dumais, USC Jeff Shaffer, USC ---
1999 Justin Dumais, USC Jeff Shaffer, USC ---
2000 Ruben Vaca, ARIZ Michelle Mitchell-Rocha, ARIZ Ruben Vaca, ARIZ