The University of Michigan will have a very different-looking swimming & diving coaching staff next season under the leadership of new program head coach Matt Bowe, but there will be at least one familiar face for returning Wolverine swimmers. Bowe has retained assistant coach Priscilla Barletta, the program’s lone female assistant last season, to join his new-look coaching staff.
Barletta has spent the last two seasons at Michigan after two seasons at another Big Ten school, Penn State, and two seasons at Army-West Point.
Primarily a distance coach more recently in her career, at Army-West Point she worked with sprint and middle distance swimmers. This gives Michigan two coaches known primarily for their work with distance swimmers after hiring Aaron Bell from Louisville as well.
Barletta is a 2012 graduate of Lehigh University, where as a senior she finished 17th in the 200 fly, 19th in the 100 free, and 20th in the 200 free.
After completing her undergraduate coursework, which included a bachelor’s degree in biology, she earned a master’s degree in physical education and exercise science from Montclair State University.
This is the at least the 4th assistant coaching hire for Bowe on his new staff, joining Bell, associate head coach Bryon Tansel also from Louisville, and former Club Wolverine head coach Gunnar Schmidt. None of those hires have been officially announced by the school yet.
Bowe took over this offseason for retiring Michigan head coach Mike Bottom, who left after 15 seasons in Ann Arbor.
The men’s team has struggled in recent years, recording their two lowest NCAA finishes during Bottom’s tenure in 2022 (22nd) and 2023 (20th).
The women’s team is coming off their lowest finish at nationals since Bottom’s first year in 2013 (when they took 36th), as the Wolverines were 23rd at the 2023 NCAAs. This came after four consecutive seasons finishing fourth, third, sixth and seventh (from 2018 to 2022, skipping the 2020 season that was canceled).
Great coach!!
great decision
Great coach. Better human! Well done, Matt!
That’s a Go Blue
Glad they kept her on staff!!
Still no diving coach hire to announce?
That was on DiveDove