On Monday, SwimSwam reported on three high profile associate head coaches from around the country who have been spotted on campus interviewing for the University of Michigan’s head swimming & diving coaching job.
Two more names can be added to that list via coaches with deep Big Ten ties: Erik Posegay and Dr. Josh White.
Posegay, the current USA Swimming Junior National Team Director, was previously an associate head coach at Wisconsin as they rose to prominence in the Big Ten. Prior to four years with the badgers, he spent two with Penn State, five at the famed North Baltimore Aquatic Club (including 1 as head coach), and five at the Parkland Aquatic Club. His breakout as a coach came at Parkland, where he coached a young G Ryan to a surprise US National Championship and a Pan American Games gold medal in 2011.
As the Junior National Team Director, Posegay has had the opportunity to develop relationships with most of the top coaches and athletes in the country, which could provide an immediate boost to the Wolverines.
The other name is probably the most obvious candidate in the country: long-time Michigan assistant Dr. Josh White. White has been at Michigan for 14 years, including during their 2013 NCAA Championship run, and was primarily responsible for Michigan’s distance group that produced some of the team’s top names in the 2010s.
White undoubtedly had a lot of offers for head coaching gigs when the Wolverines were at their peak, but remained loyal to Michigan. The hiring process has reportedly been surrounded by lots of conversation about a “fresh start,” however, and White would not fit that bill.
A bill that both would fit, however, is their relative-youth: Posegay is the oldest of the coaches that SwimSwam has reported on so far at 42-years old. White, like Cal associate head coach Matt Bowe, is 39. Bryon Tansel is 38, and Herbie Behm is 32.
What is REALLY going on with UofM Swimming?
These athletes deserve a clean start. See the Hope for Athletes page on Instagram. Or comments on the SwimmingWorld magazine article by a clinical neuropsychologist and an athletic counselor for the University of Michigan athletes. Or just watch Mike’s current social media posts… yikes.
I am familiar with the Hope for Athletes post referencing Michigan swimming, but not the SwimmingWorld magazine article. Can anyone identify it?
The comment is on a SwimmingWorld Instagram post “to publish accurate information on his [Bottom”s] “psychological genius” you’d have to look to the transfer portal, inpatient psych unit, and cemetery.”
Let us hope that the new hire is not
“The second coming of Bill Farley!”
Put me in coach
Damion Dennis (IUPUI head coach) might be a dark horse. He was a volunteer assistant coach at UM back in the day and boosted WVUs program to new heights when he was an assistant coach there.
Surprised they haven’t interviewed Dave korst yet!
I spent a year at the University of Michigan as a volunteer coach. I hope Josh White becomes the new head coach. He’s a dedicated, smart, organized, experienced, knowledgeable and compassionate coach. He deserves it.
I hope White gets the job, but I’m pretty sure he’s not 39. I went to high school with him and was in the same class (’97) and am now 44 years old. He also won a Nebraska state championship in 1996. https://nsaa-static.s3.amazonaws.com/textfile/swim/swbking.htm.
What was he like in highschool?