Whitney Hite will not return as the University of Wisconsin swimming & diving coach next season, the school confirmed on Saturday. That means that this week’s NCAA Championships will be his last as the program’s head coach, ending a 7-year run with the program. The move is expected to be formally announced at Monday’s weekly athletics department press conference.
Hite was hired in 2011 to replace Eric Hansen, who left to take over at Arizona (where Hite’s previous job was as an assistant working with the middle distance group). While the men’s team hasn’t yet scored at this year’s NCAA Championship meet, the women’s team finished 17th with 78 points, including a 2nd-place finish from Beata Nelson in the 100 backstroke. Nelson broke school records in the 200 IM (1;53.54) and 200 back (1:49.27) and broke another in the 100 back (49.78) at Big Tens – making her the only woman to go sub-50 seconds in the event 3 times.
Hite’s tenure at Wisconsin has seen successes and challenges. The team finished in the top 15 at the NCAA Championships in each of Hite’s first 4 seasons as head coach, including a high of 13th in back-to-back years in 2014 and 2015. His tenure also saw Drew TeDuits win the 2013 NCAA title in the 200 backstroke – the Wisconsin men’s 3rd-ever event title and first since 1959. The men’s team also had a high mark of 13th in 2013, the same year as TeDuits’ title, and were 18th in each of the last 2 seasons. Victor Goicoechea, a transfer from Hawaii, will swim the 1650 on Saturday afternoon as the 27th seed. He’s the team’s only entrant at this year’s meet, and added time to place 38th in the 500 free. If he doesn’t score, it will mark the first time in Hite’s tenure that either team hasn’t scored at NCAAs.
The team has also had a very high rate of attrition. The table below shows our counts of how many swimmers from each freshman class (men and women combined) that didn’t finish all 4 years of their collegiate swimming careers at Wisconsin. The year refers to the class’ freshman season:
- 2011-2012: 7 didn’t finish out of 13
- 2012-2013: 10 didn’t finish out of 18
- 2013-2014: 4 didn’t finish out of 17
- 2014-2015: 9 didn’t finish out of 13 (current seniors)
- 2015-2016: 9 didn’t finish out of 23 (current juniors)
Not included in those numbers is Cierra Runge, a 2016 Olympic gold medalist and former NCAA Record holder who transferred to Wisconsin from Cal, and then transferred out again after 1 season with the team.
All but 3 women’s swimming school records and all but 1 men’s swimming school record were broken in the Hite era, with most of those being broken multiple times including in the last 2 seasons.
Hite’s contract, which was renewed at the end of last season, was through the 2019-2020 season. That contract was worth $161,233.29 in the 2016 fiscal year.
Wisconsin is expected to open its new indoor natatorium some time next season.
Has anyone heard what Hite’s early dismissal was for?
It would be pretty unusual for a school to give reasons for the dismissal of a coach. As a badger swim fan one clear reason form an outside viewpoint would be the weak performance of the men’s program. A top 15 ranking seems to be the generally accepted stretch goal along the community here. They are nowhere near that and seem to not be heading in the right direction.
Has anyone heard what the reason was for Hite’s dismissal?
As a former UW diver and transfer student, the diving coach needs the most reformation. The amount of potential the current team has is outstanding. However, the team consistently places near and at the bottom of the pack at competitions. At some point the coach needs to be looked at instead of the athletes. A new head diving coach is long overdue.
This school should be a perennial top 10-15 program. Great location, great academics, new facility coming. Bad recruiter. Teams under-perform. PLEASE don’t let him replace Eddie.
It would be nice to see some former Badgers at the helm like Robert Pinter or Kristy Brager
They would be a powerful duo!!
As a concerned parent of any athlete , this situation has been handle very poorly . A breaking news story or not ,everyone’s first concern should be that any news worthy article be released with the utmost integrity and consideration as to the impact and timing for the athlete, families and for that matter the coaching staff involved. A story can have 5 minutes of interest for the masses but a horrendous effect on those it directly impacts.
The college appears to have handled it poor too but I’m not privy as to if their annoucement was preempted by a story leak … just one of those occasions when it leaves a really bad taste in your mouth .… Read more »
Yes, every single media outlet needs to compensate for incompetent administration. Think of the children. /s
UW needs to get it’s affairs in order. They can start by hiring executives who understand the pace of communication in the 21st century, including the fact that obvious news is obvious. Obviously UW would prefer for everyone on deck snd in the stands at NCAAs to overlook the absence of a head coach whose swimmer was in the water for such a big race… but simply wanting 100% of the people in attendance to be oblivious is no way to deliver a message. Imagine if a basketball team’s head coach disappeared from the sidelines during March Madness – maybe no one would notice… Read more »
YURI!!!! Please consider.
Nothing against Yuri at all, but what has he accomplished that would make him a stand out applicant? I am not saying he’s not worthy of the position, but just wondering what the hype is about.
I also don’t know that he plans on leaving Cal. They’re doing something great out there and would really have to entice Yuri to get home to leave
Not sure Yuri would consider Wisconsin; he has a nice situation at Cal. Maybe he’d jump if UNC called. As for his qualifications: He was Ledecky’s coach when she burst onto the national/international scene and coached her to her gold medal in London, when she was 15. His group at NCAP also included Carsten Vissering, the breast stroker now lighting it up at USC. And of course he’s highly regarded for his work at Cal: https://calbears.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1525
Only a hope and a dream. Watched him coach Ledecky for years, all the way to her first gold. That is enough for my incoming freshman. It would be nothing short of wonderful.
Coley should get the job. Produced Abbey and Santo among many others. Just helped IU get 3rd and almost win NCAA’s. Best in the business.
Bring in Josh White! #RightChoice