The dramatic rise of the Texas A&M women’s swimming program into a national power under Steve Bultman has been rewarded with a contract extension for the Aggies’ head coach, Director of Athletics Eric Hyman announced on Wednesday.
Entering his 15th season in Aggieland, Bultman’s new contract will run through June 30, 2016 with the opportunity for up to two additional one-year extensions.
“It’s definitely nice to be appreciated and noticed for the team’s accomplishments,” Bultman said. “I’m very excited about this recruiting class (ranked No. 1 by CollegeSwimming.com) that just came in and this contract allows for me to coach them through their four years and beyond. I intend to coach the Aggies for many more years and I’m appreciative of the Texas A&M administration for making it possible.”
Prior to Bultman taking over the reins of the program for the 1999-2000 season, the Aggie women’s team had never finished higher than third at a conference meet. Since his arrival, the Aggies have never finished lower than second at a conference championship. On the national scale, the Aggies have logged top 10 finishes at the NCAA Championships for eight straight seasons, including finishing a program-best fourth at the last two NCAA meets.
His influence on the sport of swimming isn’t limited to Texas A&M. Bultman served on the U.S. Olympic staff in 1988 and again in 2012, and he served on the Estonian Olympic Team’s staff for the 2008 Games. In addition to coaching a trio of U.S. Olympians from the Greater Pensacola Aquatic Club in 1988, he has overseen the development of 10 Olympians at Texas A&M, including three U.S. Olympians.
“Coach Bultman is widely respected in the women’s swimming community not only in our conference and across the United States, but worldwide,” Hyman said. “What he has built here at Texas A&M is simply off-the-charts, and we are glad that Steve will be here in Aggieland for many more years.”
Bultman’s Aggies won four Big 12 team championships, and he has been named conference Coach of the Meet or Year 13 times as of 2014. Under his direction, Texas A&M produced its first NCAA individual champions with a pair of wins in 2010 and has generated six more national champions since those breakthrough victories. Along the way, the Aggies have broken two NCAA, U.S. Open and American records, as well as a numerous Big 12 and Southeastern Conference records.
