John Weitz, an assistant coach with Division III powerhouse Johns Hopkins University, has accepted the position of head swimming coach at Wabash College.
Weitz completed his sixth season at Johns Hopkins, helping the Blue Jays men’s program to a sixth-place finish at the NCAA National Championship meet. It was the 36th time in the last 37 seasons Johns Hopkins has finished in the top ten at nationals.
In addition to working extensively with the men’s and women’s distance swimmers at Johns Hopkins, Weitz has been responsible for recruiting and administration of the women’s team since 2004. He also managed the Johns Hopkins aquatic facility as part of his day-to-day duties.
Weitz replaces Peter Casares, who accepted a similar position at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine.
"I am very pleased to have John join our swimming program," Wabash Dean of Students Tom Bambrey said in his announcement naming Weitz the College’s new head coach.
"John is highly qualified and brings great experience as part of one of the top programs in the nation."
"I wasn't certain what to expect when I came to Wabash to interview," Weitz said. "With every person I met when I came to the campus, I was more and more impressed. Everyone associated with the process — from the swimmers to the rest of the Wabash coaches to Dean Bambrey — is at Wabash for all the right reasons. I'm excited to be a part of something that special.
"With the kind of talent already in place and the kind of talent I feel we can bring to the school, I think we have a Wabash team that can be in the top-10 in the next couple of years."
Weitz, a political science major who graduated from Drew University in 1988, received his master of arts degree from Montclair State University in 1993. Weitz served as an assistant coach at Seton Hall University from 1993-1995 after graduating from Montclair State. He also worked as a summer assistant for three years at the University of Texas under 1992 Olympic Head Coach Eddie Reese.
Weitz became the head coach and director of aquatics at the Somerset Hills YMCA in Basking Ridge, New Jersey in 1995. He worked with a 250-member swim team, developing and implementing a complete program for the team in addition to supervising 30 full- and part-time staff members before taking the assistant coaching position at Johns Hopkins.
Weitz will begin his duties at Wabash immediately.