The wait for a new women’s and men’s swimming and diving head coach is over.
On Tuesday, Ball State Director of Athletics Beth Goetz announced alumnus Jeremy Agnew is the new head coach. Goetz said she’s confident in Agnew’s leadership and knowledge of the sport.
“I am confident that J.'s experience as a proven recruiter, his commitment to the overall development of student-athletes, and his passion for Ball State make him the perfect fit to lead our men's and women's swimming and diving programs,” Goetz said in an online statement. “We are excited to welcome J. and his family back to the Cardinal community.”
Agnew earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Ball State in 1996. In 2008 he earned a master's in educational leadership and supervision.
Prior to accepting a role at the university, Agnew coached at Yorktown High School and Yorktown Swim Club for seven years. During his tenure, he coached eight state champions and 22 high school All-Americans.
Agnew produced seven swimmers who went on to compete for NCAA Division I schools in his final coaching season. After leading his team to a fourth-place finishing, Agnew was named the 2004 Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) Girls Swimming Coach of the Year. He then led his time to a second-place finish in the 2005-06 season.
After serving as Yorktown’s head coach, he was the assistant coach for men’s swim and dive at Purdue. Over his 11-year career at Purdue, he guided 12 swimmers to qualify for National Collegiate Athletics Association meet.
Purdue consistently had its highest performances at both Big Ten Championships and NCAA tournaments. During Agnew’s tenure, Purdue broke 37 school records.
While Agnew has had a successful career away from the university, he said Ball State always held a special place in his heart.
“I was fortunate early in my coaching career to have examples like Laura Seibold-Caudill and Bob Thomas show me what it means to love your team and truly care for your student-athletes in and out of the pool,” Agnew said in an online statement. “With respect to these coaches as well as the hard work of Kristy Patterson, I humbly accept the torch that has been passed to me and promise our Cardinals will 'Fly High'."
The season lineup for both women’s and men’s swim and dive has not yet been announced.
Contact Patrick Murphy with comments at prmurphy2@bsu.edu or on Twitter @PMURPH505.
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