Courtesy: Sewanee Athletics
SEWANEE, Tenn. – Earlier today, the University of the South’s Department of Athletics announced that after a nationwide search, Mark Fino has accepted the position of head coach of Sewanee’s swim and dive program.
“Coach Fino has a long record of success in Division III athletics, not only in the pool but with the type of student-athletes he has mentored and educated,” says Director of Athletics John Shackelford “He’s a strong recruiter, a passionate motivator, and an exceptional teacher. We’re thrilled to add Mark to our staff to continue the great legacy of Sewanee swimming and diving. Mark, Veronica, and their two young sons will be great additions to the Sewanee community.”
Fino brings to Sewanee a wealth of experience, having coached collegiately for 18 years. His last collegiate head coach position was at John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio. He coached the Blue Streaks for seven years and led the university’s men’s and women’s teams to four Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) titles from 2017 to 2020. In his seven seasons, Fino had 11 NCAA Division III All-American performances, five NCAA honorable mention All-American performances, and had at least one swimmer or diver provisionally qualify for the NCAA Championships in each of his seven seasons. Fino also received eight OAC Coach of the Year awards, and, coached athletes to six OAC Diver of the Year awards and five OAC Swimmer of the Year awards. His teams produced 231 All-OAC finishes, captured 112 conference titles, and broke 90 school records and 36 conference records.
“I’m thrilled to be getting back into collegiate coaching, where I can focus on nurturing the complete growth of each individual in our pursuit of championships,” Fino says. “Throughout my coaching journey, I’ve consistently used coaching to impart valuable lessons and facilitate the all-around development of young athletes—both in their physical abilities and their mental and emotional well-being. The prospect of carrying out this fulfilling mission in the warm and inviting atmosphere of Sewanee makes me even more enthusiastic about the journey ahead.”
While taking a break from college coaching, in 2022, Fino became the site head coach of the Chattahoochee Gold Swim Team in Cumming, Georgia, where he managed full- and part-time staff for 280 athletes. He coached a U.S. Open Qualifier, Winter and Summer Junior National Qualifiers, and his athletes broke teams records in the 100-yard fly, 200-meter free, and 800-meter free. Additionally, he created and founded Dunmoor Swim Team, Inc., a nonprofit swim team serving children from ages 4 to 16.
Before coaching at John Carroll, Fino served as an assistant coach at Oberlin College in 2002, was elevated to head women’s coach in 2004, and was then chosen to lead both the men’s and women’s programs in 2006. Over the course of his tenure, he became the all-time leader in career dual meet wins in women’s swimming and diving at Oberlin, leading the program to its best finish and most points scored in the North Coast Athletic Conference Championships.
Fino graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Kalamazoo College, where he swam for four years. He then completed all coursework toward his master’s of education in exercise science from Cleveland State University.
