UNC Hires Mike Blum as New Swimming Assistant Coach

The University of North Carolina has announced the addition of Mike Blum to its 2018 men’s and women’s swimming staff as an assistant coach Blum comes to the program after 3 years as the head coach at Division II Florida Southern College, and replaces Duncan Sherrard, who left to join Gary Taylor’s new staff at Auburn.

Blum was named the 2016 CSCAA Division II Men’s Swimming  National Coach of the Year at Florida Southern College. His men’s team had top 4 finishes at NCAAs in each of his 3 seasons there (3rd in 2016, 4th in 2017, 4th in 2018), while the women Florida Southern women finished 15th, 37th, and 18th, in that order, in his 3 seasons there.

His resume also includes 7 years as an assistant at FSC, across two different stints. He swam at the school in 2004-2005, the program’s second season in existence, and began his first stint as an assistant coach from 2007-2010. He left to become the head age group coach at the Sarasota YMCA, and then moved on to spend one season as an assistant coach at Gardner Webb.

He returned home to his alma mater for the 2012-2013 season, where he was an assistant under Sherrard, before eventually taking over his post as the program’s head coach. Ironically, Sherrard is the same man that Blum will replace at UNC.

The full UNC press release is below:

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The University of North Carolina swimming and diving teams announced the addition of new assistant coach Mike Blum who joins the Tar Heel family after three years of serving as head coach of the men’s and women’s swimming programs at Florida Southern College.

“I am very humbled and excited to join the UNC Swimming staff,” Blum said. “I would like to thank head coach Rich DeSelm and the entire athletic department for this opportunity, and I am looking forward to being on campus and helping the program any way I can.”

During his time as head coach at Florida Southern College, the 2016 CSCAA Division II Men’s Swimming National Coach of the Year led his teams to multiple top-20 finishes at the NCAA Championships including third-place for the men and 15th for the women in 2016. His men’s program went on to place fourth in back-to-back NCAA Championships and the women’s team finished 18th in 2018.

Blum was also an assistant coach for Florida Southern College for two separate three-year periods. He was deeply involved with the university’s recruiting process, helping the program develop 56 All-Americas, seven national champions, two qualifiers for the 2013 World Championships, and one qualifier for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London. Florida Southern College also saw 24 new school records while Blum was an assistant.

During his brief hiatus from Florida Southern College, Blum spent time as an assistant senior coach at the Venice YMCA in Sarasota, Fl. where he coached four FHSAA state qualifiers, one FHSAA state champion, the 2011 Florida Swimming Senior Championship team champions, and one Senior National and Olympic Trials qualifier. He moved on to take an assistant position with Gardner-Webb University where he returned to overseeing recruiting for the men’s program and organizing the training of all distance swimmers and 400 individual medley competitors. Though only with the program for one year, Blum helped the university set six new school records and earn two top-five finishes at the 2012 Coastal Collegiate Conference Championship (third-place for men’s and fourth-place for women’s).

Blum has also been the head coach of Lakeland Area Swimming in Lakeland, Florida since 2012 and later took ownership of the club in 2015. Responsible for managing day-to-day business operations, he worked with all levels of swimmers and coached Junior National, Senior National, and U.S. Open qualifiers in addition to 2012 and 2016 Olympians in the 400-meter freestyle and the 100-meter butterfly.

“On behalf of our staff and the athletic department, I would like to welcome Coach Mike Blum and his wife and son, Jen and Jude, to UNC,” head coach Rich DeSelm said. “Mike brings tremendous coaching experience from both the club and college ranks. His perspective as a head coach will be a tremendous asset as we work toward helping our student-athletes excel. We are excited to see Mike’s energy, enthusiasm and passion for developing swimmers to their potential as we begin a new season.”

More Highlights of Mike Blum‘s Career:

As Head Coach…
88 NCAA DII National Championships All American Awards (M & W), 48 NCAA DII National Championships Honorable Mention All Americans (M & W), 15 NCAA DII National Championship Qualifiers (M & W) in 2018, 14 NCAA DII National Championship Qualifiers (M & W) in 2017, 16 NCAA DII National Championship Qualifiers (M & W) in 2016, Two National Championship Men’s Relays (200 & 400 Medley Relays) in 2016, One Individual National Championship (Men’s 400 IM) in 2018

As Assistant Coach…
56 DII All Americans, 7 DII National Champions, 17 CSCAA First Team Scholastic All-Americans, Four Sunshine State Conference Athletes of the Year (M & W), Three-Consecutive Men’s Sunshine State Conference Championships, Two 2013 World Championship Qualifiers, One 2012 London Olympic Games Qualifier, 24 School Records (M & W)

Lakeland Area Swimming…
Numerous Florida Age Group Qualifiers and Champions, Florida Senior Championships Qualifiers, Sectional Qualifiers, Futures Qualifiers, Junior National Qualifiers, Senior National Qualifiers, U.S. Open Qualifiers, 2012 & 2016 Olympians (Honduras 400-meter freestyle, 100-meter butterfly)

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Pat Snively
5 years ago

Great hire for UNC! Good to see Mike get a chance at the next level.

Kathy
5 years ago

Anybody else think it’s funny it looks like he’s wearing an NC State cap in the picture?

ncfan
Reply to  Kathy
5 years ago

That is not an NC State cap…believe it is a Florida Southern cap.

ShooterGoob
5 years ago

Great swim coach, even better dude! Congrats Mike

DrSwimPhil
5 years ago

Congrats, Mike! Excellent pickup by UNC

Swack
5 years ago

Why does a presumably good coach like this join a lifeless team like UNC… Russian Roulette on job security, DeSelm’s got 1-2 more bad season before he’s out.

Mike
5 years ago

Great move for Tar Heels!

Sean Justice
5 years ago

Duncan Sherrard, who left to join Gary Taylor’s new staff at NC State.

you mean Auburn….

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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