Sage Hopkins has been named the head coach of the San Jose State University women’s swimming and diving program, it was announced by SJSU senior associate athletic director Kellie Elliott.

Hopkins served as the interim head coach at San Jose State during the 2005-06 season after being named to the post on October 14, 2005. He led the Spartans to their best-ever place finish of fourth and highest-ever point total of 524.5 at the 2006 Western Athletic Conference Championship in San Antonio, Texas. At the WAC meet, the Spartans produced their first conference swimming event winners. Junior freestyle specialist Brie Marhenke won both the 50 and the 100 freestyle, and the 200 freestyle relay team finished in first place. In all, the Spartans brought home 15 medals for top-three individual and relay finishes and earned 29 All-WAC distinctions for top-eight individual and top-three relay efforts.

Hopkins also took a Spartan swimmer to the NCAA Championships for the first time since the 2000 season, with Marhenke qualifying to participate in both the 50 and the 100 freestyle events in Athens, Ga. The Spartans concluded the dual meet season with a record of 6-5-1, including a 3-1-1 mark against WAC opponents, and finished a best-ever fourth out of 21 scoring squads at the 2005 Speedo Cup in Long Beach, Calif.

San Jose State swimmers broke a total of nine school records under Hopkins’ guidance, including seven at the WAC Championship, and achieved two NCAA “A” and five “B” cuts. Seven of his student-athletes earned academic All-WAC accolades, with more likely following the conclusion of the academic calendar.

"I'm very excited and honored to accept the position," said Hopkins. "(Director of Athletics) Tom Bowen has a great vision for the future of this department, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it."

"Sage is a great addition to our staff," said Elliott. "He brings credibility, knowledge and stability to the position. In a short amount of time, he has brought about dramatic changes to our program, both in terms of results, as well as recruiting."

Hopkins came to San Jose State from the De Anza Cupertino Aquatics club program, where he has served as the associate head coach since 2000. He was also an assistant coach at De Anza College for the 2005 season.

Previously, Hopkins was the head coach and chief operating officer of the Bakersfield Swim Club between 1997-2000, and the assistant coach of the Cal State Bakersfield men’s swim team from 1995-97. He was selected by USA Swimming in 1999, to be a staff coach of the girls’ National Select Camp. Hopkins holds American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA) Level 5 certification, the highest attainable.

A 1997 graduate of Cal State Bakersfield with a bachelor’s degree in English, Hopkins was a captain of the swim team and a seven-time All-American.