Walsh University named Josh Forsythe as the inaugural head coach of its women’s and men’s swim and diving programs on Monday. The school announced the addition of the programs in July, with the teams set to launch for the 2026-27 season.
“Josh Forsythe is the right leader to build our swimming and diving programs from the ground up,” said Christina Paone, Vice President for Athletics and Athletic Director, in the university’s press release. “His proven track record in coaching and program development will be invaluable as we establish competitive teams that align with Walsh’s commitment to excellence both on and off the pool deck.”
Forsythe comes to Walsh from the Akron Area YMCA, where he is currently serving as the Aquatics Director, focusing on staffing, scheduling, recruiting, and hiring aquatic staff, among other administrative duties.
He has served as the Head Varsity Coach at Walsh Jesuit High School since October 2022, where he focused on developing seasonal training plans, managing athlete data, and heading the strength and conditioning program.
Prior to his tenure with Walsh Jesuit, Forsythe served as the Head Age Group Coach with HEAT Swim Team in Hudson, Ohio, where he supervised the daily operations of 150 swimmers in the age group program, as well as six assistant coaches.
From August 2013 to October 2017, Forsythe was the Head Age Group Coach with the Canton City School District. With some overlap, he served as an assistant coach for Malone University in Canton, Ohio for the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons, while also working as an assistant coach with Canton McKinley High School.
Forsythe earned his Bachelor of Arts from The Ohio State University in 2012 and completed his teaching licensure program at Walsh University from 2015 to 2018.
“It’s a tremendous honor to be the first swim coach in Walsh history,” Forsythe said of his appointment. “I’ve been blown away by the positive energy and excitement about this new program across campus and I can’t wait for our first season. I believe in running a process-driven program designed to put our swimmers and divers in the best position to succeed in the pool, in the classroom, and in life. Our program will be centered around strong work ethic, respect, and gratitude. We will be of service to our community and always strive to embody the values of the University. We’re going to grow this new program into a top destination in the world of swimming and diving. It’s a thrill to be here at the beginning, and I’m looking forward to welcoming our inaugural class of Walsh swimmers and divers.”
The swim and dive teams will compete in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC), which partners with the school’s traditional conference the Mountain East in swimming & diving.
While the school doesn’t have an on campus aquatic center, the famed C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton is less than 5 miles away. That pool hosted the 2025 G-MAC/Mountain East Swimming & Diving Championship; Findlay won the women’s meet by more than 550 points, while the Findlay men also won, though by a smaller margin. Last season, the conference had 10 women’s programs and nine men’s programs.
Walsh University is a private Catholic university with full-time yearly tuition of $35,600 for the 2025-2026 school year. Founded in 1961 as LeMannais College, The school transitioned from NAIA to NCAA Division II athletics in 2013. The school bucks the trend of small private schools in seeing growth in recent years: the fall 2024 enrollment class of 508 “traditional undergraduate students” was the school’s highest total since 2014, and included a school record 128 transfer students.
