Tim Siciliano, a three-time NCAA national champion and nine-time NCAA All-American at the University of Michigan, has been named the new assistant swimming coach for the UCSB men’s and women’s swim teams it was announced by head coach Gregg Wilson.
“I feel very honored to become part of the Gaucho coaching staff,” Siciliano said. “Over the last 34 years, Gregg Wilson has built a tremendously storied and successful program and I know it will be a privilege to work with him. Gregg has coached such an array of athletes and I intend to learn as much as I can through his mentoring and coaching philosophies.
“In addition, I am eager to bring my own experiences – both as a swimmer and as a U.S. swimming coach – to the UCSB swimming program. I truly feel that UCSB offers its students and athletes a one-of-a-kind experience and I am so grateful and excited about this opportunity,” Siciliano concluded.
Siciliano is taking the assistant coach position following the departure of Naya Higashijima, who will be returning to her native Japan, and Eric Fehr, who has departed to pursue a graduate degree. His duties will include coaching the distance and stroke events and he will be heavily involved in all aspects of recruiting.
Siciliano comes to UCSB after spending the past year coaching for North Coast Aquatics in Carlsbad and La Jolla, Calif. With North Coast, Siciliano has been coaching both age group and masters swimmers.
Siciliano was a star swimmer at the University of Michigan, which he graduated from in 2002 with a bachelor’s in sports management and communication. During his four seasons with the Wolverines, he was named the 1999 Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Year, won three NCAA titles in the 400 individual medley and was a nine-time NCAA All-American and three-time Honorable Mention All-American. Notably, he also once owned the American and U.S. Open 400-meter IM record.
Siciliano also was a member of the USA Swimming National Team in 1998, representing the team at the World Championships that year in Perth, Australia. He also represented the U.S. at the 1997 Pan Pacific Games in Fukuoka, Japan, at the 1999 U.S. Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Canada – at which he won the 1500 meter freestyle – and at the 2001 World University Games in Beijing, China, where he was the 400 meter IM bronze medalist.
“I am completely excited about Tim Siciliano,” said head coach Gregg Wilson. “We are so fortunate to secure an assistant with talent of his magnitude. His experience as an athlete is spectacular and he has great potential as a collegiate coach.”
The 2010-11 swim season will open at the beginning of October. The Gauchos will be competing in new conferences this season after the Big West discontinued its swimming and diving championships. The UCSB women have recently announced that they will join the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, while the men have joined the Pac-10.
