Nick Stone Joins EMU Swim & Dive As Assistant Coach

Courtesy: EMU Athletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Eastern Michigan University Head Swimming Coach Derek Perkins announced the hiring of Nick Stone as the assistant swimming & diving coach today, May 9.

“I’m excited to add Nick Stone to our staff,” said Perkins. “He comes with tremendous experience at the collegiate level. Nick has been with us for a year as a volunteer coach and I’m looking forward to having him on staff full-time now.  Nick adds a lot of value to the pool deck and he will help expedite our mission to become one of the best programs in the MAC.”

Stone is no stranger to the Eastern Michigan coaching staff after serving as a volunteer coach during the 2022-23 campaign. Before arriving in Ypsilanti, he was the Head Swimming & Diving coach at Albion College from 2018-22. The Westland, Mich., native also previously mentored the first All-America swimmer in 40 years at Buffalo State College and served as the interim head coach for Williams College.

“I am thankful for Derek and Associate Athletics Director Stacie McMullen giving me the opportunity to continue working with the swim and dive program,” added Stone. “Having a season to watch EMU swim and dive up close and personal, I can say this is a special program filled with swimmers, divers, and coaches who want to bring Eastern back to the center stage of the MAC. I could not be more excited to help in this process.”

In four years at Albion, Stone guided the Briton men’s squad to two Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Championships, while mentoring a large number of All-MIAA and All-America athletes. His women’s teams finished third in all four MIAA Championship meets during his tenure.

During his four seasons at the helm of the Briton swim and dive programs, 30 athletes earned All-MIAA status. He also coached 14 NCAA All-Americans, including four during the 2021-22 season. Additionally, in his final season, he saw five female swimmers qualify for the NCAA Division III Championships. The Britons also had 10 athletes land on All-MIAA teams and broke a number of school and conference records.

In 2021, the Brits finished third in the MIAA on both the men’s and women’s sides. Stone led the men’s side to their second straight, and third in four years, MIAA Championship in 2020. On the women’s side, the Brits took third at the MIAA Championships, scoring the most points in program history.

Boosted by six individual event titles and a MIAA record by Tyler Kimbrell in the 200-yard breaststroke, Albion won the MIAA championship in 2019. Eight Britons achieved All-MIAA status and six advanced to compete in the NCAA Division III Championships. Albion tied for 25th in the NCAA Championships team standings as diver Jake Burris was an All-American on the 1- and 3-meter boards and the 200-yard medley relay achieved honorable mention All-America distinction.

In just three seasons at Buffalo State, Stone helped the Bengals set 30 school records as both the men’s and women’s teams moved up in the State University of New York Athletic Conference championship standings.

In addition to helping the team rise in the conference, Stone developed Buffalo State into a presence at the NCAA Division III Championship as he coached a six-time All-America performer.

Stone created a culture for team and individual success in both academics and athletics at Buffalo State, as the women’s squad was recognized by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America as a Scholar All-America team for three consecutive semesters, while the men’s squad achieved the distinction twice.

Stone broke into the coaching ranks as the assistant for the women’s team at Ithaca (N.Y.) College in 2010 before coaching the men’s squad for the 2011-12 season. He moved to positions as the assistant coach at Williams and head coach of Purple Valley Aquatics, a club program in Williamstown, Mass., in 2012.

During his tenure at Williams, the Ephs boasted 43 national qualifiers. The men’s team captured the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) championship in all three seasons and finished as high as third at the NCAA Division III Championship. On the women’s side, Williams won consecutive NESCAC titles and also placed third nationally.

Prior to his time at Williams, he served as the men’s assistant coach at Ithaca College where he was also an adjunct faculty member.  Stone has also coached at the University of Tennessee Swim Camp as well as the University of Michigan Swim Camp

Stone received a bachelor’s in Psychology and Exercise Science from Hope College in 2010, where he was a four-time All-MIAA Academic swimmer (2007-10) and a 2009 NCAA qualifier in the 200 free. He earned a master’s degree in sport psychology from Ithaca College in 2012.