Mark Schubert is moving up - to about 6,035 feet. The Southern Cal head coach was appointed to the newly-created position of USA Swimming National Team Head Coach & General Manager. One of the most influential leaders in the history of the sport of swimming, Schubert brings 37 years of coaching experience to the position, helping ensure that USA Swimming will maintain its position as the No. 1 team in the world.

“Mark Schubert is the most respected coach on any pool deck in the world,” said Chuck Wielgus, USA Swimming Executive Director. “Hiring him is the equivalent of hiring the Mike Krzyzewski of basketball.

“The swimming world is becoming increasingly competitive. Because of this, we felt it was critically important to make a bold move in hiring a technical and political leader of Mark’s caliber to provide vision for America’s athletes and coaches. Having Mark at the helm of our National Team will be paramount for our Olympic and international success in 2008 and beyond.”

“Having the honor to help the nation’s best coaches cultivate the nation’s best talent is huge,” said Schubert, who has served on seven consecutive U.S. Olympic coaching staffs, most recently as the women’s head coach in 2004. “Anything I can do to help them win Olympic medals and give our athletes the best possible Olympic experience will be my goal.”

Schubert, who has been the head coach at the University of Southern California for the past 14 years, will relinquish his coaching responsibilities at the University of Southern California, Trojan Swim Club and his camps, in order to focus on this position full-time. He will be based in Los Angeles and will begin fulfilling duties in this role beginning in May. His term will last through 2013.

Schubert has demonstrated coaching success at all levels – club, college and international – matched by few coaches in the history of the sport. At the club level, Schubert found success on the national swimming scene as the head coach of the Mission Viejo Nadadores from 1972-85, where his teams won a record 44 U.S. National team titles during his tenure. Schubert also served as the head coach of Texas Aquatics for four years, leading the club, along with head coach Eddie Reese, to 10 national team titles.

At the collegiate level, Schubert coached at the University of Texas from 1989-92, leading the Longhorns to two NCAA team titles (1990 and 1991). Since coming to the University of Southern California in 1992, the Trojan women have taken home one NCAA team title under Schubert, in 1997. His swimmers have won 49 NCAA individual titles.

At the international level, Schubert has been a familiar face on the Olympic coaching scene, serving on every Olympic coaching staff since 1980 and placing 38 swimmers on U.S. Olympic teams. In addition to leading the women’s squad in 2004, he headed the women’s team in 1992 and the men’s team in 2000. He was a women’s assistant in 1996, and was an assistant for the combined men’s and women’s teams from 1980-1988. He is also a seven-time World Championships coach, serving as the head men’s and women’s coach in 1982.

In his new position with USA Swimming, Schubert will be responsible for overseeing and directing all aspects of the National Team program. He will serve as the head coach of the National Team at international competitions, working with the appointed head men’s and women’s coaches to prepare U.S. athletes to compete at the highest level possible. Additionally, he will lead all efforts to represent the USA’s technical interests nationally and internationally. Schubert will report directly to Wielgus.

“This position has traditionally required a unique combination of being a technical swimming leader and an administrative leader,” Wielgus said. “Mark brings those talents and more to the position, and we are confident he will elevate the role and put us in the best position for success in the future. We are 100% committed to performance excellence at the highest level of competition and the importance of this function within the organization.”

As a part of the restructure, Olympic gold medalist Lindsay (Benko) Mintenko will assume the role of National Team Managing Director, working together with Schubert to oversee and manage the day-to-day affairs of the National Team Division. Mintenko will report directly to Schubert.

A three-time Olympic medalist, Mintenko was one of the world’s top freestyle swimmers, winning gold medals as a U.S. team captain at the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games. Mintenko was hired as an assistant coach at the University of Southern California in July 2005 after serving as a volunteer assistant coach with the Trojans from 2001-04. She has also served on the USA Swimming Board of Directors since 2005 and the International Relations Committee.

“Lindsay Mintenko has one of the best swimming minds I’ve ever encountered,” Schubert said. “She brings vast experience from a spectacular international swimming career and as a two-time Olympic team captain.”

Mintenko will act as the liaison to the Athletes’ Executive Committee and the National Team athletes and coaches, working with Schubert to develop the National Team high performance plan. She will also oversee the administration of the National Team programs, services and budget, in addition to supervising the National Team staff.

“I’m honored to be appointed to this position,” said Mintenko, who competed under the tutelage of Schubert at the University of Southern California from 1996-99. “This new role within the swimming community gives me the opportunity to add enhanced athlete insight to the U.S. National Team, and I hope to continue our history of success in being the best swimming team in the world. Mark and I are a great team, we work well together, and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”