Mike Richmond has been named the University of Nevada swimming & diving head coach as announced by Director of Athletics Cary Groth today. After eight seasons as the Wolf Pack assistant coach, Richmond was named the interim head coach for the 2007-08 season on August 17, 2007.
This past season he led the Pack to its second consecutive Western Athletic Conference title and was named the conference Coach of the Year. Under his direction the team also produced the WAC Swimmer of the Year in sophomore Margaret Doolittle and Freshman of the Year Jeanette Tour. It was the third year in a row that a Pack swimmer garnered the freshman of the year honors.
Just this past weekend three members of the squad competed at the NCAA Championships in Columbus, Ohio. Doolittle and swimmer Kim Kabesh were joined by diver Candice Minette at the championships.
"I would like to thank Cindy Fox and Cary Groth for this opportunity to guide the Wolf Pack Swimming and Diving program,” said Richmond. “I couldn't be more excited and honored to be named the head coach for such a fantastic institution as the University of Nevada, and to continue to be a part of such a first class athletic department, under such great leadership from Cary and Cindy.”
“After conducting a national search, Mike earned the search committee’s recommendation,” said Groth. “Mike spent eight years at Nevada as an assistant coach and when given the challenge to lead the team this past season, took control at a late date and led them to a conference title. He is very deserving of this position, and we are expecting great things from him and the team in the future.”
Prior to coming to Nevada, he was the longtime head coach of the Lubbock Swim Club in Lubbock, Texas, and it was regarded as one of the top programs in the state for the 11 years he coached. Coach Richmond was a seven-time Texas All-Star coach as well as the State Championship committee chairman.
He is highly regarded as one of the nation’s foremost stroke technique coaches. Richmond wrote a book on strength and conditioning, technique and motivation in the sport of swimming.
His athletic career highlights include all-star nominations in baseball and swimming. He was a Junior Olympic qualifier and was coached by Olympic Gold medalist, Doug Russell as an age group athlete. Richmond has coached several Olympic swimmers to peak achievements.
He received his bachelor's degree in psychology from Nevada in December of 2003.
“Having been a part of this coaching staff for the past eight years, and then being the interim coach this year, and now being named the head coach has been the most rewarding years of my coaching career,” added Richmond. “I want to thank the girls on the team, both now and in years past for making my time here in Nevada so wonderful, and I am proud and honored to have been a part of the Wolf Pack family. I look forward to a future with a program on the rise. With the current team in place, and a great recruiting class coming in, and an exceptional coaching staff in Jian Li You, Ping Luo and Larissa Cadig, I look forward to the challenge of helping to guide the University of Nevada to an elite national status.”
“We truly have the foundations of a great program in place, and I'm honored to continue to be a part of the Wolf Pack family. God has blessed this team so much this season with so many honors, and we look forward to making plans for once again defending our WAC Championship title, and qualifying more athletes to the NCAA level. Having been among the nation's elite academic teams, it is important for us to carry on that proud tradition as well. I am excited for the opportunity to build upon an already proud tradition of excellence here at the University of Nevada."
