The UT Permian Basin swimming & diving team welcomed Anna James as its new diving coach in September 2024.
In Coach James' first season with the Falcons during the 2024-25 season, UTPB continued its tradition of qualifying divers for the NCAA pre-qualifying meet as senior Kathe Hepfer and junior Camilla Aguilar participated in the 2025 NCAA DII Women's Swimming & Diving Championship Diving Qualification Meet on Tuesday, March 11, at the IU Natatorium on the campus of IU Indianapolis in Indianapolis, Indiana. In the 1-meter event, Hepfer was 44th with a total score of 152.20 and a top dive worth 31.20 points on an inward 1 1/2 somersault pike (403B) on her final dive. Aguilar was 45th with a total score of 142.85 and a top dive of 29.90 points for a back 1 1/2 somersault pike (203B) on her fourth attempt. In the 3-meter dive, Aguilar was 38th with a total score of 180.45 and a top dive of 36.30 points for a back 1 1/2 somersault pike (203 B), the same top dive from her performance in the 1-meter and also on the fourth attempt. Hepfer was right behind her in 39th with a score of 180.25 and a top dive worth 32.40 points on a forward 2 1/2 somersault pike (105B) on her first dive. Earlier in the season at the RMAC Championship, Hepfer finished fifth in both the 1-meter dive (399.70) and the 3-meter dive (460.80) while Aguilar was seventh in both events (1-meter: 342.60; 3-meter: 398.35). In addition, in the 3-meter prelims at the RMAC Championship, Hepfer's fourth-place score of 466.65 points was good for a new UTPB school record. Hepfer was also named the RMAC Women's Diver of the Week for the second time in her career after scoring 193.95 to win the 1-meter diving event in a double-dual competition against Austin College and McMurry University.
Coach James competed at Purdue University and graduated in 2019 with a degree in psychology. During that time, James competed in the 2016 Rio Olympic trials and finished third in the 10-meter synchronized dive with teammate Katrina Young. Before her time at Purdue and while diving for COM Aquatics in Midland, James’ first Olympic Trials were the 2012 London Trials where she finaled in the 10-meter individual and finished in eighth place.
James has worked as a diving coach at COM Aquatics, which also serves as home venue for the Falcons, since August 2023.
She was also a graduate assistant at Midwestern State University (Aug. 2020 – Oct. 2021), and served as both the Head Coach (Oct. 2021 – Mar 2023) and Head of Operations (Oct. 2021 – July 2023) at Tomahawk Diving, LLC.
James is an accomplished diver. She was scheduled to compete at the FINA Diving World Cup in the summer of 2014 after placing second from the 10-meter platform at the 2013 USA Diving Winter Nationals before an injury sidelined her. She also won the 10-meter synchronized event at Winter Nationals with Jessica Parratto of Indiana University. James was a synchronized 3-meter champ at the 2012 Junior Nationals and was the 2013 5A high school state champion in Texas, becoming the first swimming and diving athlete from her school district to win a state title in more than 40 years. James also competed with Purdue's Mary Beth Dunnichay in synchronized diving at the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai, China.
Born in Austin, Texas, James is the daughter of proud parents Steve and Christy James. James’ older brother, Adam, played golf at Midland College.
James also has a connection to UTPB as her former high school coach, Jennifer Mangum, helped start the UTPB diving program in 2017 and served as the program’s first Head Diving Coach before joining former UTPB Head Swimming Coach Betsy Graham at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) this past summer. Mangum coached James to a state championship in the 1-meter dive in 2013.
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