NCAA Division I program UNC Wilmington has terminated head swimming & diving coach Jason Memont this week. While head diving coach Beau Bunn and assistant coach Keary McClernan are still listed on the site, another assistant coach Valtteri Halonen is no longer listed either.
“We have made a change in the leadership and direction of our program,” a spokesperson told SwimSwam on Wednesday. The school says that a national search for a new head coach will begin immediately.
Memont was the head coach of the program for 6 seasons after spending 7 years as an assistant coach at South Carolina.
In 2019, the UNCW men finished 2nd out of 5 teams at the CAA Championships while the women placed 6 out of 7 teams. In total, the teams combined to win 6 CAA titles last season, with 3 of those coming from divers. All but one of those title-winners, senior Will Countie who won the men’s 100 backstroke, will return next season. Both of the divers who won conference titles were freshmen, including CAA Diver of the Year Kolbein Bjugan.
UNCW Conference Champions, 2019-2020 Season
- Evan Arsenault – Women’s 50 free
- Kolbein Bjugan – men’s 1 meter, men’s 3 meter
- Gianmichel D’Alessandro – men’s 100 breast
- Will Countie – men’s 100 back
- Courtney Klausen – women’s 1 meter
Hallonen is a graduate of UNCW and joined the program as a coach in the fall of 2016, serving a total of 4 seasons as head coach. He is credited as having worked closely with the conference champions D’Alessandro and Countie. Hallonen, a native of Finland, broke UNCW school records in both the 100 and 200 backstroke as a swimmer. He was a part of four-straight conference championship teams at UNCW.
In 2013, shortly before Memont took over as head coach, the school considered dropping its swimming & diving programs. Ultimately, the school decided to not cut any sports, and in the interim the program has done significant work, especially with the help of former head coach Dave Allen, to grow an endowment for the program.
The fact that the school has begun a search for a replacement head coach assuages concerns over the future of the program during a time where collegiate sports programs are in danger due to the budget constraints of the global coronavirus pandemic.
The termination of these two great dedicated employees during finals week and a global pandemic was the biggest low blow that senior athletic department administration at UNCW has made since 2014 when they attempted to cut the team. Memont despite his personality was a great coach and laid an amazing foundation for a great team over the last 6 years. Halonen was an alum, record holder, and had the highest performing group on the team. It seems like the the director of athletics at UNCW has once again infuriated a community of people and done their best to show the little effect its has on them. This event happened two days ago and we have yet to see uncwsports.com post… Read more »
Looks like Jimmy’s retirement is approaching sooner than he expected.
NO ONE WILL EVER COMPARE TO VALT!!!!! the best coach I ever had. Both coaches wanted the best for the team. It’s a disgrace what the athletic department has done to this team.
No one will ever compare to Valt or Jason. Could not agree with you more. The athletic department aka Jimmy Bass is an embarrassment at this point.
Picking up a SInead O’Connor vibe here.
The athletic director Jimmy Bass was completely emotionless and seemed as if it was a nonchalant conversation when he delivered the news to the team. He really showed his true colors and feelings towards the swim team and validated that we as swimmers are not valued in his program.
Jimmy Bass has got to go
This Just in! Jimmy Bass is, in fact, a dinosaur after all
First clue should’ve been the whole “Jimmy” thing. Never go full-on Jimmy.
Athletic departments often do not disclose the facts in order to protect the AD or Chancellor from blowback. Keep in mind these “leaders” sometimes are idiots and bad people.
Could probably say the same for a large chunk of the country.
Exactly! AD’s will always protect themselves and their jobs at the expense of the athletes, at least that is my experience here. We have had a really rocky year with a not-so-good role model/coach. The AD refused to listen to the many voices crying out.
Jimmy Bass has had it out for the swim team. Back in 2013 he tried to scrap swimming, track/cross country, and softball to save money blatantly ignoring the Men’s CAA success streak.
Enter Jason Memont. A late hire with a lot to live up to from Coach Allen’s legacy. From the start he disrespected and killed the traditions of the Allen era. He made several illogical an inexpicible decisions in an attempt to assert his power over the team. A weak leader and with bad attitude.
He constantly allowed specific people to go awry and would bend his own rules to better fit his narrative. I have no doubt that there have been several complaints about jason, jimmy bass,… Read more »
I feel so bad for the team. Season cancelled early, and now two of the coaches fired with zero context? Such a joke.