Head coach hopscotch has begun with the first move made by Olivet College. Dave Stubbs, Olivet's head coach, has announced his retirement, effective May 1. But prospective coaches looking to send their resume need to relax because Stubbs' replacement was just a phone call away. Jake Taber, an assistant swimming coach at Hope College, and former Battle Creek high school swimmer under the longtime Michigan coach, will replace Stubbs.  Spring is the busiest time of the year for coaching changesand the move is the first move in what is an unusually late start to the annual rite.  

“I had five great years at Olivet College,” said Stubbs. “It is time for me to move on. It is also the right thing to do at this time for the future of the program. I have strong relationships with the athletes I am leaving behind and that is the thing I will miss the most.”

Stubbs, who has led Olivet to back-to-back Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association championships in men’s swimming and diving, is credited with reviving the Comets’ programs during his five-year tenure. On the men’s side, he leaves Olivet with a 23-10 overall record and 16-7 league mark. He helped produce 11 All-MIAA performers, seven individual and one relay team league champions, four national qualifiers and 14 MIAA Academic Honor Roll recipients. Three of his student-athletes were named to the College Swimming Coaches Association of America Individual Academic Honor Roll.

He guided the women to a record of 23-19 overall and 13-15 in the MIAA. Under his watch, there were four All-MIAA performers, two conference champions, two national qualifiers, 34 MIAA Academic Honor Roll recipients and two CSCAA Individual Academic Honor Roll honorees. The women’s program also earned three MIAA Team GPA awards and two CSCAA Academic All-American team awards.

“Dave Stubbs deserves enormous credit for what he accomplished in just five years with the Comet swimming and diving programs,” said Shaw. “He put the programs on the map and did it with outstanding student-athletes who excelled in both the classroom and the pool. We will miss his dedication to the swimming and diving programs and the Olivet College campus community.

“With Jake Taber, we have an up-and-coming coach with a very bright future. I am confident he will continue to enhance both of our programs.”

Taber has spent the last three years at Hope, serving as an assistant men’s and women’s swimming coach and admissions representative. His coaching duties included managing the recruiting efforts for both programs, assisting with training and development, as well as planning and meet management.

“This is a unique opportunity as I step into an established program,” said Taber. “I am looking forward to taking the next step in my life. There is a solid foundation of returning swimmers thanks to Coach Stubbs. Also, I am encouraged by the commitment shown to the programs by President (Don) Tuski.”

That commitment was key as the 2004 Hope grad had already turned down one MIAA position in his young career. Taber earned a bachelor’s degree in 2004 from Hope, where he was a four-year letterwinner on the swimming and diving team. He helped Hope capture the 2004 MIAA champions and was on two freestyle relay teams that competed at the 2004 NCAA Division III National Championships.