Tom Groden, the second-longest tenured coach in college swimming and the only head coach at Boston College has resigned.
Boston College Director of Athletics Brad Bates announced the resignation today. Groden was in his 45th season in Chestnut Hill and was, along with Rhode Island's Mick Westkott, the second-longest serving coach behind Texas' Eddie Reese who is in his 50th year of college coaching. Associate Head Coach Mike Stephens will become the Interim Head Coach with an assistant expected to be hired.
"We appreciate all of Tom's years of valuable service to the swimming and diving program," said Bates. "He has built a program that represents the core values of Boston College and we wish him well in his future endeavors."
Groden's resignation places a cloud of uncertainty over the Eagles' future. In April, he told the BC Student Newspaper The Heights that he he had been told that his program would be cut in the next few years due, in part, to the fact that the new athletic would lack a separate diving well and ceilings high enough for 3-meter diving. Groden was later reprimanded by the University for his comments. Thus far the Eagles have secured four commitments for next year including Zander Santana, Michaela McGeary, Dominique Gray, and Colin O'Leary
The announcement comes just over a year since the announcement that Boston University would be reducing athletic scholarships for the swimming and diving teams.
At the conclusion of the 2015-2016 season, Groden had picked up his 773rd victory as the BC swim coach. Groden amassed a record of 774-382-7, including a 403-190-5 record with the women and 371-192-2 mark with the men's team. Groden was the first NCAA coach to record 300 wins with both a men's and women's program at the same institution.
