Brian Peresie was named head coach of The University of Akron women's swimming and diving team, Director of Athletics Tom Wistrcill announced on Thursday. The appointment is pending approval by the University's Board of Trustees.
"We are excited to welcome Brian and his family into the Zips Athletics family," Wistrcill said. "He brings great passion to our program and is connected to the Northeast Ohio swimming and diving community. Brian is also well acquainted with the Mid-American Conference from his time coaching at Ohio University. I look forward to watching our program grow under his leadership."
Peresie, who spent the last two seasons as head coach of the men's and women's swimming and diving program at nearby Malone University, will officially begin his duties at Akron on May 6. In 2012-13 as provisional members of the NCAA Division II, his student-athletes set more than 90 school records, after having done so more than 60 times during the 2011-12 campaign. Peresie reinstated the Pioneers' diving program in 2012-13.
"It is an honor to be taking the helm of the Zips program," Peresie said. "There is unlimited potential for success as the University has heavily invested in creating an amazing student-athlete experience. This athletics department is full of outstanding people and has the framework in place for the swimming and diving program to be great. I feel right at home in the MAC and am thrilled to have this opportunity."
During the eight years prior to his time at Malone, Peresie served as assistant swimming coach and recruiting coordinator at Ohio University. The Bobcats women's team won a Mid-American Conference championship in 2008 and 2011, and finished in second place at the league championship meet four times and third place twice.
A 2000 graduate of Ohio University with a bachelor's degree in business administration, Peresie also earned his MBA from Ashland University in 2004. He was a graduate assistant swim coach at Ashland from January 2002 to July 2003.
Peresie and his wife, Emily (Berg), have three children, Brayden, Blake, and Bennett.
The third head coach in the program's 15-year history, he replaces Nittaya Klim, who announced her retirement from collegiate coaching in March after seven seasons with the program.
