John Pontz is New Northwestern Assistant

John Pontz has been named assistant coach for men's swimming at Northwestern University. The announcement was made recently by Wildcats head coach Bob Groseth.

Pontz replaces Sergio Lopez, who left Northwestern following its successful 2003-04 campaign to take over as head coach at West Virginia. He was selected over a host of talented cantidates.

Pontz spent the last two years at Arizona State University, which competes in one of the toughest swimming conferences in the country, the Pac-10. Last year, the Sun Devils placed fifth at the Pac-10 Championships, then followed that up with an 18th-place finish at the NCAA Championships.

Prior to his arrival at ASU, Pontz spent most of prior year as the head coach of the local swimming club, Sun Devil Aquatics. In his short tenure there, Pontz mentored a pair of female athletes to titles in the 400m and 800m freestyles at the 2001 U.S.A. National Championships. Before that, Pontz experienced similar success with the Tempe (Ariz.) Rio Salado Swim Club, sending six athletes to the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials; three of them placed among the top-16 in their respective events, including a 2000 Olympic Games finalist.

Pontz spent five years coaching at the Lancaster (Pa.) Aquatic Club. On an annual basis since 1998, he has placed at least one athlete on a major U.S. national team, including the 1998 Junior National Team, 1999 World University Team, 1999 Pan-American Team, 2000 Olympic Team, 2001 World Championship Team, 2001 Goodwill Games Team and the 2002 World Championship Team.

In 2001, Pontz traveled to Brisbane, Australia, where he served on the coaching staff of the U.S. National Team at the 2001 Goodwill Games.

Originally from Lancaster, Pa., Pontz earned his bachelor's degree in finance at Penn State in 1993.