Press release courtesy of the University of Cincinnati:
CINCINNATI – University of Cincinnati director of athletics Mike Bohn announced Tuesday that men’s and women’s swimming and diving coach Monty Hopkins’ contract has not been renewed by the University. His employment agreement expires April 30, 2014.
“We wish to thank Coach Hopkins for his 25-year tenure and service to his alma mater,” said Bohn. “The University of Cincinnati is fully committed to the future growth and success of its swimming and diving programs. We live in an area that is passionate and energetic about swimming and we want to be able to harness and build on that moving forward. We will immediately commence a national search for our next head coach who will positively impact our program and the future of Bearcats Swimming and Diving.”
I too am a UC Alumni & former Bearcat swimmer, and without rewriting the comments posted by “RETIREDGUY”, “REALITYBITE”, “INSPECTOR and now Mariemont74Ducks, I totally agree with as well I am saddend by this news.
Monty gave me a chance to swim at a D-1 level. But what he really did for me has lasted for 20+ years. He challenaged me to work as hard outside of the pool too.
Here are some things to think about as well. When they were constructing the new pool, his teams had to travel to off-site pools around Cincinnati, for 4 years. No home meets until the new facility was opened in 2006. Shortly after, in 2008 to be exact, funding from… Read more »
You would think, with a recent spanking like Mike Bohn received at CU last year, he would have handled his UC Swim Coach, Monty Hopkins, a little differently:
FOR YOUR READING PLEASURE:
May 31, 2013, 12:52 PM ET – Associated Press
BROOMFIELD, Colo. — Mike Bohn said he was blindsided by the University of Colorado’s decision to make a change at athletic director.
He thought he was doing things right.
Without rewriting the comments posted by “RETIREDGUY”, “REALITYBITE”, and “INSPECTOR” above, all of which I commend and agree with…it is a sad time in Cincinnati swimming when a coach of Monty Hopkins’ pedigree is allowed to be treated this way by a new AD at a school which he… Read more »
“The University of Cincinnati is fully committed to the future growth and success of the swimming and diving program.”
What a spin! Mike Bohn is an idiot!
They stripped the program of scholarships cutting the coach off at the knees and setting the program back years, then expected miracles, now “release” Mr. Bearcat himself. There is no one more trustworthy of the stewardship of Bearcat Swimming than Coach Hopkins.
Twenty-five years service, Nimpert Award Winner, UC Hall-of-Famer, had a Men’s NCAA Champion a couple of years ago……..you mean to tell me suddenly NOW Coach Hopkins no longer fits the bill?
He better have committed a felony to deserve such insensitive disregard, otherwise, good luck trying to pry open my wallet… Read more »
This was nothing short of a power play by Assistant Coach Mandy DiSalle and the sport oversight Senior Associate AD Maggie McKinley. The new AD does not care about swimming and left the program to one of his staffers, who is “friends” with DiSalle. This has been over a year in the making and was handled in a very poor manner by the folks at Cincy. The club coaches around the Queen City are disappointed (I know as I am one) and believe me, the talent from Marlins, CAC, ABLY, Mason, PCY, etc… will not be going to UC as long as DiSalle is on staff, and especially not if she is named the head coach.
Realitybite get your facts straight before making an accusation like that. Monty was put on administrative leave (unprofessional conduct) before his contract was not renewed. His dismissal had nothing to do with a power play by his assistant.
Not to mention he has been badmouthing the university and the staff to anyone that will listen since he left…which is very unfortunate and showed his true colors.
A change was long overdue. Whoever they bring in as a replacement will hopefully bring back UC to an elite level……….and I am confident that either assistants Mandy DiSalle or Matt Ense have the capabilities to do that if they are chosen.
Well, time did tell, and Realitybite hit the nail on the head. DiSalle hired as new Head Coach (after an “exhaustive search” according to the A.D.)
Unceremoniously “released” after an excellent swimming career as an undergrad, 25 years of dedication and hard work as coach and being named to the Hall of Fame? You won’t find a more honest, caring, hard-working coach. This stinks from the inside out. For the sake of the swimmers, I hope the new coach is able to take this mess and make the most of it–it won’t be an easy task–but I am hard-pressed to see how the administration can spin this in a positive way. Very damaging all the way around.
What is sad is that 7 kids committed to UC in the past 3 weeks
Either Monte’s departure came as a complete suprise or the program has much bigger problems.What really confuses me, is that they just hired one of the best assitant coaches
there is. Matt is either in for a big suprise or he had an inside take on the future of the team.
It seems like it could be a very long summer for the swimmers.
Hopefully the selection process will go quickly and they can put this all behind them.
Good luck Bearcats!
for a big suprise or had an inside take weeks ago.
I wish the team well…this could make for a long summer.
way
Sorry about the last 3 lines in the above post.
It was a “cut and paste” error by me!
A.D. who fired him was hired two months ago. Niiiiice.
UC has a pretty stout men’s freshman class coming in, and they had a girl at ncaa’s last year. Can’t see this as an effort to cut the program. The boys freshman class could be a big selling point to a new coach.