Brian McLaughlin Announces Retirement as Montclair State Head Coach After 37 Seasons

Courtesy: Montclair State Athletics

Montclair, NJ – Following 37 seasons as the Head Coach of the Montclair State University Swimming & Diving teams, Brian McLaughlin has announced his retirement.

“To say that this has been an amazing ride would be an understatement,” McLaughlin said. “I have the deepest appreciation for the friends I have made on campus and throughout the sport of swimming. I want to thank Greg Lockard, Holly Gera and Rob Chesney for being fantastic Athletic Directors, mentors and friends over all these years. A special thanks to Coach Dick Purdy of the United States Naval Academy and also to my longest serving assistant coach, Maria Vira.”

The men’s and women’s teams were a combined 4-17 the year before McLaughlin arrived at Montclair, as he led a quick turnaround that saw 44 combined victories over his first four seasons at the helm. During that time, five swimmers qualified for the NCAA Division III Championships with three being named All-Americans. As a result, McLaughlin was named the Metropolitan Swimming and Diving Conference Coach of the Year in 1993.

Montclair continued to be a contender in Swimming & Diving as the years progressed, as the women’s team won its first-ever Metropolitan Conference Swimming Championship in 1995, replicating the success the following campaign. In 2014, he guided Montclair to one of its best dual meet seasons, with the men’s and women’s teams combining for 15 wins, punctuated by a fifth place finish from the women’s team in the Metropolitan Swimming and Diving Championships, ranking second among Division III teams.

Most recently, McLaughlin posted 73 combined victories over his final five seasons, including back-to-back 10-win campaigns on the women’s side in 2023 and 2024. It culminated in 2024, when ROURKE PERALTA qualified for the NCAA Division III National Championship meet with a school record and NCAA “B” cut time in the 100 freestyle.

He also succeeded in turning the Women’s Tennis program into a competitive team in the east region. Inheriting an 0-8 team that had not had a winning season in a decade, McLaughlin posted 106 victories and earned multiple NJAC Coach of the Year honors. He also guided Montclair to its only NJAC title, a co-championship in 1996.

McLaughlin was named the NJAC Men’s Swimming & Diving Coach of the Year in 2011, capturing the same mark on the women’s side in back-to-back years in 2014 and 2015. He is one of five coaches in Montclair history to compile 300 or more victories, finishing his career with a combined record of 398-367-2. His career win total ranks third in department history.