Courtesy: MAAC Sports
EDISON, NJ (Feb. 18, 2026) – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), today announced the 2026 Men’s and Women’s Swimming & Diving Coach of the Year winners, as voted on by the league’s head coaches.
Fairfield University head coach Jake Lichter was voted amongst his peers as the MAAC Swimming Coach of the Year on both the men’s and women’s sides. On Saturday, Lichter guided the Stags to a sweep in both the 2026 MAAC Men’s Swimming & Diving Championship and 2026 MAAC Women’s Swimming & Diving Championship, making Fairfield the sixth overall program in league history to achieve the feat. The men’s team made program history, capturing their first-ever MAAC Championship crown after scoring 1341.83 points over the four-day meet. On the women’s side, the team scored a total of 1325.5 points, edging runner-up Marist University by just 10 points, securing the fifth MAAC Championships in program history – the first in Lichter’s tenure.
Sacred Heart University head diving coach Adam Vance was selected as the MAAC Diving Coach of the Year for the second straight season. Vance guided the Pioneers diving team to four medals (two gold, one silver, one bronze), while having eight total divers’ podium at the 2026 Women’s Championships. In addition to the team success, Vance coached both the 2026 Women’s Most Outstanding Diver winner and the Women’s Diving Rookie of the Meet honoree. Moreover, he becomes the first back-to-back MAAC Diving Coach of the Year since Kristen Simms of Rider in 2019 and 2020.
CONGRATS Coach Lichter ………youhave done a terrific job in the short time you have been with the program!