Every time that it appears we’ll start to get some clarity on the wild 2019 offseason coaches carousel, another coach hops off and another big-time position opens up.
The latest is the SMU men’s head coaching position, thanks to the resignation of Eddie Sinnott, who will step away from his current position into a new role still involved with SMU athletics in a fundraising and ambassador position.
“After 30 years of serving as head coach at my alma mater, I felt it was time for a change,” said Sinnott. “This transition will allow me to be an ambassador for SMU swimming, helping build community support and raise funds for the program I love so dearly. I’m also excited to be a resource for the next leader of our program and share the institutional knowledge I’ve been able to gather in these last three-plus decades.”
In the last 23 years, the team has won 16 conference titles and Sinnott has earned a total of 16 conference Coach of the Year honors (across multiple conferences). The team finished in the top 15 at the NCAA National Championship meet 11 times, and SMU athletes won 80 individual All-America honors and 59 relay All-America honors.
Internationally, he’s coached 11 athletes to 7 different Olympic Games since 1992. That includes a pair of Olympic gold medals, from Ryan Berube on thee American 800 free relay team in 1996 and from Lars Frolander in the 100 fly in 2000. Both swimmers were named NCAA Swimmer of the Year in their time at SMU – Berube in 1996 and Frolander in 1998. The 1990s were the peak of the Sinnott era at SMU: the Mustangs finished in the top 10 at NCAAs every year from 1991 through 1998, though they haven’t been back since. SMU had no men’s qualifiers to the NCAA Championships last season, and a year prior were tied for 40th (last place) with 1 point.
Sinnott was the men’s head coach for team USA at the World University Games in 1993 and has had several other international appointments with USA Swimming. He was Haiti’s head swimming coach at the 1996 Olympic Games.
In 2019, Sinnott was selected by his peers for the 2019 National Collegiate Scholastic Trophy. The trophy is presented annually by both the CSCAA and the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association (NISCA) to the coach who, in the estimation of the recipient’s peers, has made the greatest contribution to swimming as a competitive sport, and as a healthful, recreational activity in the province of undergraduate and scholastic education.
A four-year letterwinner at SMU from 1973-76, Sinnott was the SWC champion in the 400 IM in 1973 and earned All-America honors in both 1973 and 1974. Born in Greenwich, Conn., Sinnott and his wife, Sioux, have two daughters K.C. and Silver Ann.
“SMU Swimming will forever be indebted to Eddie Sinnott,” said Director of Athletics Rick Hart. “He continued and built upon our tradition of success by winning championships and shaping student-athletes both in and out of the pool. He has significantly impacted our university and community during his time on the Hilltop, and his lifelong dedication to the sport has shaped the lives of hundreds of SMU swimmers.”
Assistant coach Keith Dawley will serve as interim head coach while SMU seeks out a full-time hire.
16 Conference Team Championships
WAC (4): 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000
NIC (5): 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
C-USA (7): 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013
16 Coach of the Year Honors
SWC (3), WAC (3), NIC (3), C-USA (6), Big 8 (1)
SMU Athletics contributed to this report.
Looks like SMU made the right decision of letting this guy go, the team got a whole lot faster just in 1 year!
Most of the new guys in 2019-20 with the exception of Rhody’s son were recruited by Eddie before he left in May of 19. After nearly 4 years without a facility, working out in the outdoor pool with no locker rooms, our recruiting took a hit for a while.
Every single swimmer was recruited by Eddie, Jack. Rody has not recruited how he needs to. Eddie was able to bring in big time recruits with no facilities and high tuition. Rody has the new pool and is still not recruiting the same.
Apology owed.
Greg Rhodenbaugh would be a perfect fit for this position. He is a man of unquestionable character, a tremendous coach and recruiter as well as an alum. SMU has only had 4 head coaches in the history of the program (including 1 yr. when Rhody was interim) and only one was not an SMU alum (Red Barr ’47 – ’71 who went to Oberlin College). With the new aquatic facility, Greg would have SMU scoring at NCAAs – maybe even into the top 10.
I wish people would think harder about the language they use. I don’t care what you think about the Title IX investigation, if it’s BS or not…but anybody who’s gone through what he’s gone through in the last year cannot be said to have “unquestionable” character. You can say “great” character or “my kind of character” or “High character,” but the word unquestionable means something, and in this context what it means is “no matter what he does, we won’t question it, and say everything is fine,” – nobody who works with young people should have “unquestionable” character. Everyone’s character should be questioned. That’s called “integrity.”
I wish people would think harder about the definition of certain words. The dictionary defines unquestionable as beyond doubt, not above question. I’ve know Greg for almost 40 years and to me the integrity of his character is beyond a doubt (as per the definition of unquestionable). Do you know Greg? If you don’t you should make an effort to get to know him. If you do, I suspect you’ll agree with me.
Thanks for your service, but thank god the grandparents of swimming are retiring. This sport needs to move into a new generation of coaches. Everybody’s resume is a “what have you done for me lately “.
Wow. “Grandparents of swimming” and Eddie isn’t even 70 years old yet? Clearly you are ignorant when it comes to the history of swimming and coaching styles….
Eddie Sinnott is a great coach. Hampered by outdated facilities and expensive tuition in a state that has one of the greatest coaches the sport has ever seen down I35 at a state school with one of the first great facilities built for the sport. Eddie understood the history of the sport and the proud history of SMU swimming. Another college coach once told me that Sinnott did more with less than just about anyone. He is strong willed and opinionated, but always a nice guy. Between he and Steve, SMU had a lot of great coaching going on for the resources the university put into the sport. He’ll be missed on deck.
Another men’s team cut?
Congratulations Eddie. You’ve been a great coach, a credit to SMU, and a good guy
Eddie devoted much of his life to SMU Swimming and Diving and is a true Mustang. They were lucky to have him for so much of his career. Congrats on a great career my friend.
Congrats on a great career, Eddie! Enjoy retirement!