Cal State East Bay director of intercollegiate athletics Joan McDermott has announced the hiring of Shane Pelton as the new head coach of the Pioneer women's swim team.
Pelton brings nearly a decade of coaching experience to Hayward, most recently as the assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator for the men's and women's swimming and diving program at Cal State Bakersfield.
"I am thrilled to welcome Shane to the East Bay family," McDermott said. "He is an extremely knowledgable and energetic coach. I believe Shane is well-equipped to steer a program that has been quite successful in recent years, and he will be an outstanding fit with our current team."
At Bakersfield, Pelton handled a multitude of responsibilities and helped lead a 2015-16 women's squad that won five dual meets during the season and placed fourth at the Western Athletic Conference championships. In addition to day-to-day coaching duties, he was in charge of recruiting, travel arrangements, monitoring academic progress, directing home meets, and coordinating with the admissions, business, and compliance offices.
"I am extremely excited to become the next head coach for women’s swimming at Cal State East Bay, and I would like to thank Joan McDermott, Bethany Hobbs-Helmus, and the entire committee for giving me this opportunity," Pelton said. "This program has come a long way over the past few years and it’s going to be a thrilling ride to take East Bay to greater heights. This school can provide our student-athletes with the ultimate college experience, and I look forward to what lies ahead for this very talented team."
Prior to his stint at Cal State Bakersfield, Pelton spent two years as an assistant coach at Arizona State, serving as lead recruiter for the women's program while completing his master's degree in liberal studies. Before that, he spent five years as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Bridgeport University. There he coached multiple Division II national champions, including the national record holder in the 100 backstroke.
Pelton was also a successful student-athlete at the Division II level, competing for Southern Connecticut State from 2004-08. He earn All-American honors as a senior in the 800 freestyle and 400 individual medley before graduating with a bachelor's degree in business management. Following his swimming career, Pelton coached YMCA and club swimming for nine years in the Connecticut area.
In his first stint as a collegiate head coach, Pelton inherits a program that has placed second at three of the last four Pacific Collegiate Swim Conference championships, a conference meet with both Division I and II institutions. He will look to return the Pioneers to the NCAA championships, where they haven't qualified a swimmer since placing 15th in the nation in 2013-14.
