Gunnar Schmidt Promoted To Associate Head Coach at Michigan

Michigan has promoted Gunnar Schmidt from Associate Coach to Associate Head Coach for the upcoming 2026-2027 season. Schmidt has been a member of the Michigan staff since 2023.

“This is a well-earned promotion for Gunnar. He has done a tremendous job with our student-athletes, particularly with the middle-distance group, helping produce an NCAA champion, multiple NCAA All-Americans and school record holders,” said Michigan head coach Matt Bowe. “His commitment to our program and the daily development of our athletes has elevated our team in a significant way. We are grateful for his continued leadership and excited for him to step into the role of associate head coach.”

Schmidt joined the Michigan coaching staff in 2023 after previously spending time as Head Coach of Club Wolverine, the local club team of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Since joining the Michigan staff, he has helped coach Big Ten Champions such as Hannah Bellard, Tyler Ray, Colin Geer, as well as NCAA Champion Bella Sims. Both Bellard and Ray spent their club careers with Schmidt at Club Wolverine as well.

He had been head coach of Club Wolverine since 2016, leading the club to an NCSA team title in summer 2018 as well as placing swimmers on the 2022 Mel Zajac roster for the US. He earned NCSA coach of the year honors in 2018.

Schmidt spent his collegiate career at Michigan, competing for the Wolverines from 2005-2009. He primarily swam distance freestyle.

He began his coaching career in the Chicago are with Big Blue Swim School. He later moved back to Ann Arbor and began coaching with Club Wolverine, Club Wolverine Elite, and also helped the Michigan program an assistant and then volunteer coach. 

Schmidt fills the position of Bryon Tansel who was no longer listed as a member of Michigan’s coaching staff at the beginning of February. Michigan was one of four of the top NCAA programs with an associate head coaching position open this spring as Cal, the Texas women, and Virginia were all looking for associate head coaches as well. Texas has hired Army head coach Brandt Nigro and Virginia has hired Reed Fujan from Louisville. Cal, and now Louisville, have not yet announced their next associate head coach.