Swimming & Diving
- Title:
- Volunteer Swimming Coach
Sean Schimmel, a former head coach who developed two nationally recognized college programs, is in his fifth season as a volunteer assistant coach for Georgia.
Schimmel coaches with the main and individual medley groups with Jack Bauerle and the sprint group with Brian Smith. As well as coaching and traveling with the current UGA squad to meets and NCAA Championships, Schimmel has served as the travel coach at U.S. National meets and the Pro-Series with USA National Team members Chase Kalisz, Hali Flickinger, Melanie Margalis, Nic Fink, Olivia Smoliga, Pace Clark, Gunnar Bentz, Kylie Stewart and Taylor Dale as well as Finnish Olympian Matias Koski. During his time with Georgia, seven Bulldogs qualified for the 2017 United States World Championships Team and they earned six golds and one bronze. Kalisz capped his collegiate career in 2017 with an NCAA title and new American and U.S. Open records in the 400 individual medley.
Schimmel was the head coach for the men's and women's team at Maryland from 2008-12 and for the women's squad at Arkansas from 2012-16. Maryland posted two top-25 finishes at the NCAAs, set 81 men's and women's school records, and had three individual ACC champions during his stint. At Arkansas, Schimmel produced three All-Americans and the first individual and first two relay A cuts in program history. Arkansas eclipsed 43 records during his tenure and he took the Razorbacks to the NCAAs four times, scoring twice.
Schimmel also had stints as the men's assistant coach at Harvard from 1999-2006 and as the associate head coach for LSU's men and women from 2006-08. At Harvard, he was the recruiting, team travel and equipment coordinator and was the assistant director of the Harvard Swim School. Harvard won four conference titles. For LSU, he was the recruiting coordinator, admissions and compliance liaison, and technological and skill development director. Both schools peaked with 17th-place finishes at the NCAAs during his tenure.
All told, Schimmel has helped produce 13 First-Team and 57 Honorable Mention All-Americans.
He was a USA club coach at the Olympic Trials in 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012.
Schimmel earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication at Southern Cal in 1992. A prep All-American at Ridgewood (N.J.) High School, he was a scholarship swimmer for the Trojans and competed in the 100 and 200 butterfly at the 1988 Olympic Trials. Schimmel also completed five graduate level courses in Education and Psychology at Harvard from 2000-2004.
