TITLE IX: Karen LaFace’s Decorated Career
10/18/2022 1:00:00 PM | Women's Swim & Dive, Title IX
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Diver Karen LaFace had an extremely decorated career in Columbus and went on to achieve greatness both in and out of sport after earning her degree.
LaFace, who was a diver for the Buckeyes from 1985-88, had a phenomenal 1986-87 season. She was the NCAA Champion on the 1-meter springboard and was the Diver of the Year. She won the 3-meter dive at the Big Ten Championships. LaFace was named the Ohio State Athlete of the Year in 1987.
LaFace was an All-American honoree three times (1986-88) and was a three-time First Team All-Big Ten selection (1985, 1987-88). She earned the 1987-88 Big Ten Medal of Honor and was the Big Ten Diver of the Year twice (1985-86) and also earned Academic All-American honors.
LaFace was a gold medalist at the 1991 Pan American Games, which were held in Havana, Cuba. She competed at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and was the 1992 Pittsburgh Amateur Athlete of the Year. LaFace was inducted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1996.
Following her retirement from diving, LaFace attended medical school at the University of Pennsylvania and did a residency in family practice at Brown. She is currently a practicing family medicine physician in Ithaca, N.Y., where she was also a diving coach for the Ithaca College Bombers in the early 2000s.
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