Tierney Tabbed to lead ASU

Just a week after being asked to consider the head coaching position at Arizona State, Dorsey Tierney-Walker is set to become the highest-profile woman coaching a men's team.  Tierney-Walker will join Courtney Shealy Hart at Georgia Tech, Carol Withius at Old Dominion and Erica Janssen at UW-Milwaukee as the only women coaching Division I men's programs.

Tierney-Walker will join the Sun Devils following four seasons at Auburn University where she helped the Tigers to a pair of NCAA team titles.  In assuming the position, she will become the highest-profile woman to lead a combined program.  She'll also be taking over a men's program that just a year ago appeared to be on the verge of elimination.  Since then, the men's team has secured its future through fundraising, but that hasn't lowered the team's expectations.

"The department has high expectations for the men's and women's teams," Tierney-Walker explained, "and with the resources available at Arizona State, there's no reason to aspire for anything less."

Tierney brings impressive credentials to Tempe.  Prior to helping Auburn to a pair of NCAA titles, she breathed life into a moribund Indiana University program.   Prior to that, Tierney helped Southern Methodist to its greatest swimming success including a trio of top-four finishes.

Tierney-Walker also boasts a strong network of supporters in the swimming community.  Tierney-Walker was recruited to the University Texas by Richard Quick, and later helped the Longhorns to a pair of NCAA Championships under Mark Schubert.  David Marsh attracted Tierney-Walker to Auburn where she was reunited with Quick, and her past club coach Dennis Pursley. 

"Dorsey's a winner," said one coach upon being told about Tierney-Walker's expected hiring at Arizona State.  "As an athlete, as a coach, her family history [which includes Northwestern women's coach Jimmy Tierney and Indianapolis 500 winner Danny Sullivan], everything about her is geared towards success."