After a long bout with heart complications, former Penn State swimming & diving assistant coach Ed Bartsch died early last week (Monday, June 18th) at the age of 75.
We mourn the passing of former swimming assistant coach Ed Bartsch. He made a tremendous impact on our distance program and countless swimmers at Penn State and elsewhere.https://t.co/9wVAZP89Tl
— Penn State Swimming & Diving (@PennStateSWIM) June 22, 2018
Bartsch spent seven years at Penn State as an assistant coach, from 2001-2008, leading the distance group. Most recently, he worked as an assistant with St. Andrew’s Aquatics from 2008-2014 in Boca Raton, Florida.
“Bartsch had an unequivocal passion for coaching and was adored by all of his swimmers”, wrote former Penn distance swimmer Chris Sullivan.
While with the Nittany Lions, Bartsch’s distance swimmers rewrote the team record books, and he helped the women’s program to their first Big Ten Championship titles in 2002, 2005 and 2006. Under Bartsch, Sullivan broke school records in the 1000 and 1650 freestyle at the 2007 Big Ten Championships, and another one of his swimmers – Nikki Collins – was a two-time All-American and a school record holder in the mile.
Prior to joining Penn State, Bartsch led the Villanova Wildcats men’s and women’s teams, with the women winning back-to-back Big East titles in ’95 and ’96. He also led the Philippine Olympic team at the 1992 Games in Barcelona, producing eight national records. Prior to this, he led Team Trojan, based out of Los Angeles, from 1989-1992, where his swimmers won seven gold medals in the 1991 Southeast Asian Games, three silver medals at The World Student Games and four U.S. Swimming Individual National Championship Titles, including one world record.
Along with his impressive coaching career, Bartsch found a ton of success decades earlier while competing. In 1963 he won the NCAA title in the 200 back and the Pan Am gold medal in the 100 back, while also captaining Michigan’s swim team in 1965.
Ed joined the Vesper Boat Club team in 1960 when Betsy Schumacher a former swimmer for Mary Kelly started coaching the men’s team.Betsy was a no nonsense coach establishing the rules with the parents then with the swimmers and the word got out to get ready for the Olympics if you worked hard and showed up for the practices. Word got out throughout the AAU swimming world in the Middle Atlantic’s Region and Bartsch responded to the announcement. The team grew fast with new members. The club was granted exclusive summer practice rights to Kelly Pool the only 50 meter pool in the Delaware Valley Region. Located in Belmont Plateau the Philadelphia Pool was named after John B Kelly Senior.… Read more »
Ed had a positive impact on the teams he worked with. He was friends and colleagues to so many people, but his time with Peter Daland at USC and the men’s team there was also a key segment of his coaching career. I hope UM will honor their former captain and NCAA champion on the sports website. He will be missed by all and all those who came in contact with him, from his days in PA to LA and back, will all remember him as a pro and a gentleman. Rest in peace my friend.
Ed was an outstanding coach and fierce competitor but always fair and honest. It was always my pleasure to sit and talk with him over the years one on one.
Thanks for sharing this. Great coach, mentor and human being!! We’ll miss you, Ed
Thanks for sharing!
Great coach and a great man. He will be missed