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Mike Litzinger Named Ute Swimming and Diving Coach
6/8/2000 12:00 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving
June 8, 2000
SALT LAKE CITY - Mike Litzinger, who has been a head coach for nine years and has six years of experience working with top 20 NCAA Division I programs, has been named the head men's and women's swimming and diving coach at the University of Utah. The announcement came from associate athletics director Amy Hackett.
Litzinger comes to the U. from Ohio State University, where he was the assistant men's coach for the past three years. He helped guide the Buckeyes to a 20th-place finish at nationals in 1998 and a 25th-place finish in 2000. In addition to working with the nationally-ranked OSU men's program, he also provided assistance to the women's coaching staff.
Before joining the staff at Ohio State, Litzinger was a successful head coach at St. Bonaventure University from 1989-97 and at Fredonia State University (N.Y.) from 1988-89. Litzinger worked with St. Bonaventure's NCAA Division I women's program, guiding the Bonnies to an Eastern Intercollegiate Conference title and two Atlantic 10 Conference championships. He was named the Eastern Intercollegiate Coach of the Year in 1992 and `94, and the Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year in `96 and `98. At Fredonia, he directed the NCAA Division III men's program.
Litzinger was also a graduate assistant coach with the nationally-ranked men's team at the University of Iowa from 1985-89.
In 15 years as a collegiate coach, Litzinger has worked with four Olympians, six world-ranked swimmers, 14 All-Americans and 49 conference champions. The 38-year-old received his bachelor's degree in English from Hobart College in 1984 and his master's in exercise science from the University of Iowa in 1988. He has authored two short fiction books.
"It's a great opportunity for me," says Litzinger. "With the University's commitment to the undergraduate experience and the athletic department's direction, I think those things will provide the foundation for success. I'm excited about working with a new team in a new part of the country."
"We're excited to have Mike join us at the University of Utah," says Hackett. "We believe he's going to bring a lot of excitement and enthusiasm to the position, and we really think he's someone who will do an excellent job of building a team atmosphere and helping our student-athletes reach their full potential. He has an excellent track record of developing both men's and women's programs, and we anticipate that he will put both Utah programs in position to win the Mountain West Conference championship."
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