The Cincinnati Bearcats have hired USA Swimming National Teamer Josh Schneider as their new assistant coach, marking the first major move in the tenure of new head coach Mandy Commons-DiSalle.
Schneider was the 2010 NCAA Champion in the men’s 50 free as an undergrad at Cincinnati, beating out superstar Nathan Adrian for that title. Schneider has routinely made finals in the 50 free at U.S. National Championship meets since graduating, but has come up just-shy of making the big international teams several times, including when he tied for 2nd, and then lost a swim-off, to Cullen Jones in the 50 free for a spot on the Worlds roster.
According to Cincinnati’s release, Schneider will be a regular assistant (aka, paid), but is still planning to compete next week at the USA Swimming National Championships in the 50 free, 100 free, and the 50 fly. Schneider left for a period after graduation to train with SwimMAC Carolina, but has since returned to Cincinnati.
Schneider was an athletics superstar in high school, earning 11 varsity letters. He was an Ohio State Champion in the 50 free, and was his high school’s record holder in the 100 meter hurdles, the 300 meter dash, and most receptions in football (46).
Cincinnati has had a busy off-season after promoting Commons-DiSalle to head coach to replace the ousted veteran Monty Hopkins. The program will retain assistant Matt Ense as well. That means Commons-DiSalle still has one vacancy left on its staff; sources have told SwimSwam that an offer has been made for that position, but Cincinnati’s release indicates that no official hire has been made yet.
I am surprised by this news. I wonder if he will still try to make the team for Rio 2016? Congrats to Josh on the new job though.