While the University of Utah awaits the findings of an investigation into former head coach Greg Winslow, the Utes have moved forward in the hiring of their new head coach. North Texas women's coach Joe Dykstra will take over a program that seeks to get back on track following a Winslow's tumultuous tenure. Dykstra inherited a fledgling program at North Texas and elevated it to a regional player. His tenure was highlighted this season when Kimmy Phillips became UNT's first-ever NCAA Qualifier and he won Sun Belt Coach-of-the-Year honors. He arrived at UNT following six years as associate head coach at Washington and two more years as graduate assistant at Tennessee.
"We had some very good candidates apply for our position and we are very pleased that our top choice accepted the job," said Hill. "Joe's teams have succeeded in the pool and in the classroom, and his vision for the program matches our University's."
"I couldn't be more excited to join the Utah program," said Dykstra. "To be able to lead a coed program in the Pac-12 Conference is a tremendous honor. Utah has limitless potential and I am looking forward to building on its recent success and taking this program to new heights. I want to express my appreciation to Dr. Hill and (senior associate athletics director) Kyle Brennan for giving me this opportunity."
Dykstra inherits a program that has been rocked by scandal, but also offers great promise. Sprinter Nick Soedel finished 9th at last month's NCAA Championships Freshman diver Josiah Purss also scored giving Utah two scorers at the NCAA meet for the first time since 1975.
Those achievements are a bonus for an administration that is happy to be rid of a coach whopunched an assistant, allegedly arrived at practices drunk, failed to report drug abuse on a team trip, carried on a relationship with an underage swimmer and more.
Dykstra guided North Texas to a runner-up finish at the 2013 Sun Belt Conference Championships--the best finish in school history. The Mean Green achieved a No. 4 final ranking in the 2013 CollegeSwimming.com mid-major poll for the highest ranking in school history.
Dykstra, who was also the Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year in 2008, led the program to four consecutive third-place finishes from 2009-12, before moving up to second place this past season.
Dykstra received a bachelor's degree in zoology from Washington in 1998 after a four-year swimming career. He was named UW's Most Valuable Freshman and was the team's Most Improved Swimmer as a sophomore. He captained the team as a senior in 1997-98. A Pac-10 All-Academic team member as a senior, he finished his career in the all-time top 10 at UW in five events. He later earned a master's degree in human performance and sport studies from Tennessee in 1999.
