Miriam Wagner Steps Down as Head Coach at Valparaiso

Valparaiso University head swim coach of two years Miriam Wagner has stepped down from her role, the school announced Thursday.

She took the helm of men’s and women’ programs in December 2017 after two seasons as an assistant at her alma mater Duquesne University, where she trained the distance and mid-distance training groups.

“We are truly appreciative of the hard work Coach Wagner has invested into our swimming program over the last two years,” athletic director Mark LaBarbera said in the school’s release. “She was committed to helping our student-athletes reach their full potential, both in competition and in their academic endeavors.

Under Wagner, the men’s team transitioned into the Summit League (where they finished sixth of six teams) and the women’s team debuted in the Missouri Valley Conference (finishing eighth of eight teams), and Valparaiso swimmers set six new school records. The women’s team has been named a CSCAA Scholar All-American Team the last two semesters and the men’s team earned the distinction for the spring 2019 semester.

As a member of the Duquesne team, Wagner was a two-time Atlantic 10 champion in the 400 individual medley and broke shattered six school records: the 200 fly, 200 IM, 400 IM, 100 breast, 200 breast and 400 medley relay. She was a 12-time individual Atlantic 10 conference finalist and was named a mid-major All-American before receiving her bachelor’s degree in athletic training in 2014 and masters in sports business in 2017.

Valparaiso becomes the 27th Division I school to seek a new head coach this offseason. While head coaching vacancies appeared for a time to be slowing down, earlier this week, we reported that New Mexico’s Dorsey Tierney-Walker would head to Columbus to become an assistant at Ohio State, and Eastern Illinois’ Jaqueline Michalski stepped down to become a head coach elsewhere (yet to be announced). Late last week, Wisconsin-Green Bay’s Reed Robelot also resigned.

Eleven vacancies remain with about two months until the 2019-2020 season begins: Saint Francis, William & Mary, Old Dominion, West Point, University of the Pacific, SMU (men), Denver, Wisconsin-Green Bay, Eastern Illinois, New Mexico, Valparaiso.