University of Nevada Las Vegas

Derek Starks is in his third year as diving coach for the Rebels. He has already made an impact on the UNLV diving corp, especially on the men's side with a total of four scoring events at the 2014 WAC Championships. In the 2015 season, he coached the men's diving team to score in the top 4 in 3 of their events at the WAC Championships, the women had 3 scoring events at the MW Championships, and ultimately had one individual that qualified for the NCAA Zones.

Starks came to Las Vegas from California, where he served as the national and international team director for Mission Viejo Nadadores Diving since 2007. He oversaw the coaching for the junior olympic and senior level divers, as well as at all national and international competitions for the team. While as the coach for the Nadadores, the team won a total of 14 medals at the age group national championships and 26 junior national championship medals. International meets that Starks has coached at include the UANA Junior Pan American Games in 2011 (two medals) and the 2012 CAMO International Invitational in 2012 (two medals).

He competed in college at the University of Miami, and was the ACC Diver of the Year in 2006. He earned three All-American honors (10-meters in 2004 and 2005, and on the 1-meter in 2006), and honorable mention in 2005 on the 1-meter. As a freshman, he earned Big East Most Outstanding Diver honors in 2004. He also competed at the US Olympic Trials and the US Diving Nationals during his collegiate career. He received a bachelor's degree in business administration while majoring in entrepreneurship in 2007.