The transfer portal has closed for athletes but the coaching carousel is still ongoing as we head into July. Like last year, it has been a relatively quiet offseason for head coaching positions, with only three Power 4 head coaching positions opening.
PROGRAMS THAT HAVE ALREADY FILLED THEIR HEAD COACHING POSITIONS:
- Pitt: Chase Kreitler resigned from his position effective immediately at the start of the month. Diving coach Katie Kasprzak was announced as Director of Swimming & Diving with the “strategic restructuring.” Marshall head coach Ian Walsh became head swimming coach at Pitt at the start of June.
- Cincinnati: Former head coach Mandy Commons-DiSalle announced her retirement at the end of March. The school the elevated associate head coach Joey Ferreri to be its next head coach. Ferreri has been with the program since graduating from Cincinnati in 2015.
- Brown (W): Back in March, Brown announced a leadership change as Kate Kovenock would not return as head coach. The school hired Texas associate head coach Mitch Dalton who had been with the Texas women since fall 2020.
- Evansville: Evansville hired Canaan Campbell from Tulane after Toby Wilcox announced his retirement in March. Wilcox had been with the program since 2024.
- CSUB: Cal State Bakersfield announced Shane Pelton as the program’s next head coach. Eric Bugby was named head coach in August 2025 but resigned less than three months later.Ryan Brimer served as interim head coach for the rest of the 2025-2026 season.
- Youngstown State: Brad Smith stepped down from his head coaching position after seven seasons with the program. Hannah Saiz was hired in May after previously spending time as an assistant coach at Army.
- Illinois State: Former head coach Riley Hilbrandt resigned at the start of April after two seasons with the Illinois State women. The school hired Ryan Evans as its next head coach after he previously spent time with the Kansas women.
- Army: Head coach Brandt Nigro announced he would depart the program to become the next associate head coach of the Texas women. Nigro spent seven years with Army. Army hired Scott Thacker from VMI as its next head coach.
- Providence: Longtime head coach John O’Neill announced his retirement in March after 36 years with Providence. The school named Anthony Randall, who comes from Marist, as next head coach.
- North Florida: The school parted ways with head coach Ian Coffey who had been with the women for 12 seasons. Lindsey McKnight was promoted from assistant coach to be the next head coach.
- Marshall: Ian Walsh spent eight years at Marshall and made the move to Pitt as head swimming coach. Phoebe Campbell was announced as the program’s next head coach, making the move after most recently spending time at Akron.
PROGRAMS THAT HAVE NOT YET FILLED THEIR HEAD COACHING POSITIONS:
- VMI: Head coach Scott Thacker departed VMI to take the head coaching job at Army.
- Bucknell: Head coach Dan Schinnerer resigned from his head coaching position to go to the club level joining Nation’s Capital Swim Club (NCAP), the largest club team for USA Swimming.
- Marist: Head coach Anthony Randall departed the program to become the next head coach at Providence.
- St. Bonaventure: After four seasons with the Bonnies, Mike Smiechowski left the program to become an associate coach at Penn State.
- West Florida: West Florida is set to begin the transition to Division I this upcoming season and will be under a new head coach as Phil Kraus retired at the end of June.
