A legend of Johns Hopkins swimming is returning to his alma mater and his roots. Stanford men's assistant Scott Armstrong is returning to Baltimore to take over for his mentor aafter four years at Stanford.
Armstrong takes over for the retiring George Kennedy, one of the most-decorated and respected coaches in all of college swimming. His departure opens up one of the premeir assistant positions in all of Division I
"We have been fortunate to have George Kennedy, one of the all-time great Division III Men's and Women's Swimming Coaches, guiding our program for more than 30 years," noted Calder. "In Scott Armstrong, we have not only one of George's most accomplished former swimmers, but also one of the rising stars in the coaching community. His knowledge of Johns Hopkins and experience as a highly-successful assistant coach at Stanford University will serve him well as he leads our men's and women's swimming programs in pursuit of excellence in the classroom, the community and the pool."
Armstrong joined Stanford when Ted Knapp was elevated to head coach and brought along with him a talent for IM and distance training. A legendary Division III distance swimmer, Armstrong also has local ties, having coached alongside Bob Bowman, Paul Yetter and Murray Stephens at North Baltimore Aquatic Club.
"I'd like to thank Tom Calder, Mike Mattia and George Kennedy for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to pursue a dream," said Armstrong. "I would also like to thank Ted Knapp, Earl Koberlein and the amazing athletes I have had the privilege to work with at Stanford. Hopkins is a special place and I can't wait to build on the great tradition George has created. This is a real homecoming for me and I look forward to building strong connections between my fellow alumni and the current student-athletes."
"Scott has a tremendous future as a head coach and I know he couldn't be happier than to return to his alma mater," Knapp commented. "He is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about swimming and has shown great success in coaching college athletes. He is a great communicator and brings both tremendous energy and challenge to the pool deck everyday. This is a fantastic opportunity for both Scott and Johns Hopkins - I know the future is bright."
"I am thrilled for Scott, our swimmers, the Johns Hopkins Department of Athletics and the entire Johns Hopkins community," Kennedy said. "Scott values the relationships and connections with his athletes and colleagues. It is a wonderful feeling to end my career and turn it over to one of our own. I wish Scott and the program all of the best for a fantastic tenure."
Working his way through the ranks, Armstrong was named Associate Head Coach at NBAC in 2009 and for the next two seasons the club was USA Swimming's No. 1 ranked team in Club Excellence, a first in program history.
In addition to his time at the NBAC, Armstrong was a USA National Junior Team coach and the Head Coach of the USA Women's Team that won the 2010 Junior Pan Pacific title for the first time in USA Swimming history.
A 2003 graduate of Johns Hopkins University, Armstrong was an 18-time All-American swimmer and team captain in 2003, helping Johns Hopkins to NCAA D-III runner-up finishes in both 2002 and 2003. Armstrong was awarded the C.Gardner Mallonee Award presented to the graduating athlete who contributed the most to the athletic department among all sports.
In 2015 Armstrong was inducted into the Johns Hopkins Athletics Hall of Fame.
Armstrong is the former NCAA DIII record holder in the 1,650 freestyle. And over a decade later still holds the 400 IM record at his alma mater.
