Acclaimed coach Kevin Blum is the newest addition to the University of Arizona’s swimming and diving staff, having recently been hired as an assistant coach.
Arizona has an almost entirely new coaching staff this season, with Ben Loorz being hired as the new head coach in May of 2024. Peter Richardson moved into a new role as associate head coach during the summer, and Lauren Sullivan was also hired as an assistant coach prior to the season.
Blum comes to Tucson with over 20 years of coaching experience at both the club and collegiate level and spanning the United States and Australia.
“Ben has put together a staff with amazing experience and energy. I am grateful and excited to say ‘Go Cats!’” Blum said.
Blum joined the Wildcats after spending the past two years as an assistant coach at the University of Hawaii. During his first year with the Rainbow Wahine, he played a key role in leading the team to a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation title in 2022-23.
Blum also helped guide Hawaii’s men’s and women’s programs to break 15 school records between 2022 and 2024.
Prior to joining Hawaii’s coaching staff, Blum served as an assistant coach at Boston College from 2019 to 2021.
Loorz announced the hiring of Blum earlier this week, expressing his enthusiasm for what Blum brings to the staff and the team.
“Coach K is a seasoned veteran. I love the fact that he has had success in both the club realm and the college realm,” Loorz said. “It gives him great depth, and he’s a great technician as well. I’m excited to see him thrive here at Arizona.”
Before starting his college coaching career, Blum spent almost 20 years as a club swimming coach, where he helped a number of swimmers see great success in the pool. He coached athletes to the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympic Trials and to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
He also saw multiple of his swimmers break Junior National meet records and helped athletes to qualify for Junior Pan-Pacs, short course World Championships and World University Games.
Blum’s successes on the pool deck earned him a number of accolades, including being named to the coaching staff for the United States at the 2013 World University Games and being honored with the Victorian Open Water Coach of the Year award in Australia in 2015.
He was also a recipient of the American Swim Coaches Award of Excellence for three straight years from 2010 to 2012.
Blum competed for California State University Northridge, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in recreation management in 2003.
Ilya Kharun just went a 46.91 in the 100 IM at the all-state Arizona meet. Is that one of the fastest ever?!
#3. Why the down votes. Blum was likely there to see it.