TCU Coaching Staff 2008-2009 19
Head Coach Richard Sybesma Richard Sybesma Head Coach 30th Season Texas Tech 75 TCU Career Record: 370-254-3 (.593) 2005 TCU Athletics Teammate of the Year 2004 Conference USA Coach of the Year 2004 Conference USA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee s Coach Choice Award recipient 2002 Conference USA Coach of the Meet 1996 Nicaraguan Olympic Swim Team Coach 1992 Master s Coach Award from CSCAA 1991 Southwest Conference Co-Coach of the Year 1989 Southwest Conference Co-Coach of the Year 1981 Southwest Conference Coach of the Year Richard Sybesma enters his 30th year at the helm of the TCU swimming and diving program. With him he brings the entire history of the team, his winning record, his keen leadership and intuition and half of his life. In 1978, he took the TCU club sport of swimming and turned it into the powerhouse that it is today. Sybesma has coached in more than 600 dual meets, and his overall career record now stands at 370-254-3 (.593). Last season, Sybesma had 11 studentathletes earn 22 All-Mountain West Conference selections, as the men s team placed fifth and the women s team finished sixth at the MWC Championships. The men put together a successful year setting three new school records and compiling 11 MWC weekly honors. Senior Jonathon Berrettini became the first TCU swimmer to qualify for the NCAA Championships since 1997, recording a time of 56.69 in the 100-meter back, the fifth best time nationally among collegiate swimmers. The women s squad was led by youth, as 12 freshman contributed to 77 top-three finishes and five newcomers earned their first collegiate victories. Stephanie Futscher led the squad with seven event wins. Maria Paula Alvarez joined the club in the spring and earned six wins in as many meets. In 2006-07, he led the Horned Frogs to a 19-7 dual meet record and tallied his 350th career win on Nov. 18, 2006 against San Diego State and Centenary. Sixteen Frogs were named to the All- Mountain West Conference team in 2007, and Guillermo Ramirez and Cheryl Townsend both claimed MWC Individual Titles. The Frogs also set four new school records and set two NCAA B qualifying times. In TCU s inaugural year in the Mountain West Conference in 2006, the women s squad set a school record with 15 victories and also swam to a strong fourth-place showing at the conference championships. Overall, the men and women held a dual meet record of 21-6. Prior to joining the Mountain West Conference, the Frogs spent four seasons in Conference USA. During that time, TCU collected five conference titles and tallied an overall dual meet record of 78-20. In 2004, Sybesma led the Horned Frogs to a 21-3 dual meet record and the first ever single-school sweep at the C-USA Championships. Craig Chapman earned Swimmer of the Meet honors, after the junior notched three invidual titles and was a member of two winning relay teams. On Feb. 7, Sybesma tallied his 300th career win after the Frogs swept a dual against Centenary. During his tenure, he has also coached 18 All-Americans, seven National Champions, 17 Olympic trial qualifiers and three Olympian. In addition, all TCU swimming and diving records have been set during his coaching career and during the 1999-2000 campaigns, the men ranked among the top- 25 in the nation. Sybesma has been honored as the Coach of the Year four times in his career. In 2004, he received the honor after leading the Frogs to a conference sweep. In 2002, Sybesma earned the Coach of the Meet honors at the C-USA Men s Invitational Championship after the men claimed their first of four consecutive conference titles. As a coach in the Southwest Conference, he was named the Coach of the Year on three different occasions (1981, 1989, 1991). On the national level, Sybesma was honored with the Master Coach Award in 1992 that is given by the College Swim Coaches Association. In addition, he was also the recipient of the C-USA Student Athlete Advisory Committee s Coaches Award (SAAC) as voted on by student athletes from around the conference. This honor is given to the 20 2008-2009
coach who exemplifies a commitment to creating a positive academic and athletic atmosphere while fostering the student-athlete s development and welfare. His resume doesn t end there. In 1996, Sybesma coached the Nicaraguan Olympic swim team at the Atlanta games. He took Walter Soza and Jason Flint to the NCAA Championships, where in 1997, Flint placed 16th in the 200-yard breaststroke. That same year, Sybesma tallied his 200th dual meet win. In 2001, in memory of former Horned Frog swimmer Matt Walter, he carried the Olympic Torch through the TCU campus. In 2003, Sybesma was invited to coach at the NCAA Division I Men s Swimming Youth Education Through Sports (YES) in New York. Sybesma s swimmers not only excel in the pool, but in the classroom as well. The College Coaches Association has named his women s team to its Academic All-American swim team for 31 consecutive semesters. The men have also tallied that honor nine times under his guidance. Last spring, 13 swimmers from the women s team were named to the Academic All-MWC Team, which led all other TCU sports. In addition, six men s swimmers received All-MWC recognition. Four women s swimmers were also named MWC Scholar- Athletes for earning a GPA of 3.5 or higher. Women s Dual Records Year Record Conf. Finish 79-80 7-4 N/A 80-81 12-3-1 N/A 81-82 7-3 N/A 82-83 5-6 6th (SWC) 83-84 4-5 7th (SWC) 84-85 6-4 6th (SWC) 85-86 9-3 4th (SWC) 86-87 10-3 5th (SWC) 87-88 4-8 5th (SWC) 88-89 3-4 6th (SWC) 89-90 3-6 6th (SWC) 90-91 1-5 6th (SWC) 91-92 6-5 6th (SWC) 92-93 2-5-1 6th (SWC) 93-94 4-4 4th (SWC) 94-95 4-6 5th (SWC) 95-96 1-5 6th (SWC) 96-97 6-3 7th (WAC) 97-98 3-6 5th (WAC) 98-99 3-7 9th (WAC) 99-00 6-5 6th (WAC) 00-01 8-4 5th (WAC) 01-02 10-3 3rd (C-USA) 02-03 12-2 3rd (C-USA) 03-04 12-1 1st (C-USA) 04-05 11-2 2nd (C-USA) 05-06 15-2 4th (MWC) 06-07 13-4 6th (MWC) 07-08 6-8 6th (MWC) Totals 193-126-2 (.604) SYBESMA s TCU COACHING RECORD Head Coach Richard Sybesma Men s Dual Records Year Record Conf. Finish 79-80 6-4 7th (SWC) 80-81 9-6 5th (SWC) 81-82 8-3 6th (SWC) 82-83 7-4 7th (SWC) 83-84 7-3 7th (SWC) 84-85 6-6 6th (SWC) 85-86 9-5 5th (SWC) 86-87 10-4 5th (SWC) 87-88 6-7 5th (SWC) 88-89 2-7-1 5th (SWC) 89-90 7-3 3rd (SWC) 90-91 3-4 5th (SWC) 91-92 6-5 5th (SWC) 92-93 3-5 4th (SWC) 93-94 4-4 4th (SWC) 94-95 7-5 3rd (SWC) 95-96 3-4 4th (SWC) 96-97 4-6 4th (WAC) 97-98 3-7 5th (WAC) 98-99 6-4 8th (WAC) 99-00 5-4 2nd (WAC) 00-01 5-5 4th (NIC) 01-02 9-2 1st (C-USA) 02-03 8-5 1st (C-USA) 03-04 9-2 1st (C-USA) 04-05 7-3 1st (C-USA) 05-06 6-4 6th (MWC) 06-07 6-3 6th (MWC) 07-08 6-4 5th (MWC) Totals 177-128-1 (.580) Sybesma is also extremely involved in the community. He has conducted swim lessons and clinics in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Malaysia, as well as here in Fort Worth. His international connection also extends to Fort Worth s sister city, Reggio Emilia, Italy, where he coached in 1987. Sybesma has also been a speaker at the NISCA Clinic, TIS CA and the Southwest Coaches Clinic. Sybesma graduated from Texas Tech University in 1975 with a Bachelor s degree in Physical Education. While with the Red Raiders, he was a three-year letterman and captain of the swim team. In 1992, he earned his Master of Liberal Arts degree from TCU. Sybesma has two daughters, Courtney (25) and Katy (23), who both graduated from TCU in May 2007. Katy also married Ryan Eliott in May 2007. Sybesma with his two daughters, Courtney and Katy. 2008-2009 21
TCU Coaching Staff After joining the TCU coaching staff in the summer of 2007, Keegan Walkley will begin her second season as a Horned Frog assistant coach this season. Walkley became a member of the Purple and White staff on June 22, 2006, after spending the previous two seasons as assistant coach at the University of New Orleans. We are excited to have a quality coach of Keegan s experience in our program, said Sybesma. She will be an asset in recruiting and with the coaching of our team. Walkley swam at the University of Georgia from 1998-2001, helping the Bulldogs to three national titles. Walkley earned All-America status 14 times and claimed the individual NCAA championship in the 200-back (1:53.22) in 1999. Keegan Walkley Second Season Georgia 02 The four-time All-SEC First Team selection qualified for the Olympic Trials in 1996 and was a finalist in the 400-IM and 200-back events in 2000. As an assistant coach at New Orleans from 2005-07, all swimmers under the tutelage of Walkley achieved lifetime best times in every event during the 2006-07 season. Before her stint at New Orleans, Walkley served as assistant coach with the Stingray Swimming USS Club in Marietta, Ga., where she coached junior national, national and Olympic trial qualifiers. Walkley earned a B.S. in sports communications from the University of Georgia in 2002. Bill Koppelman Third Season Wyoming 02 Starting his third season in Fort Worth, Bill Koppelman joined the TCU staff in the fall of 2006 after spending the previous year as head coach of Cyprus High School in Magna, Utah, as well as serving as head coach of the Pirate Swim Club, a USA Swimming Club team. Prior to his stint at Cyprus High School, Koppelman worked as a graduate assistant with the University of Utah swim team, and was a volunteer assistant coach at the University of Wyoming as an undergraduate. Under Koppelman s tutelage, the Cyprus High School swimming program showed improvement, as the women placed fifth in the state and the men finished seventh. The club team also improved significantly, as the size of the team doubled and the number of state qualifiers tripled in Koppelman s one year. During his time at Utah, Koppelman worked with 11 U.S. National swimmers, one Canadian National finalist, 17 All-Mountain West Conference swimmers and two NCAA qualifiers. Koppelman earned a B.S. in mathematics at the University of Wyoming, and a master of mathematics at the University of Utah. Koppelman also attended Keene State College for a semester, where he was named All-New England in the 50-freestyle. 22 2008-2009
TCU Coaching Staff Stephen Jensen is in his second season as assistant coach for the TCU swimming and diving team. Jensen comes to TCU after lettering four years at Virginia Tech. As a senior, Jensen was a finalist in the 400-IM at the ACC Championships. Jensen also finaled in the 400-IM, 200-back and 200-fly at the Big East Championships in 2004. While attending Virginia Tech, Jensen gained coaching experience working at the Fighting Gobbler Swim Camp. Stephen Jensen Second Season Virginia Tech 07 As a prep, Jensen received All-America consideration and is a member of the Holy Spirit High Swimming Hall of Fame. The Mays Landing, N.J., native earned a B.A. in political science from Virginia Tech in 2007. Jensen is currently pursuing a master of liberal arts degree from TCU. Bill Koppleman joined the TCU staff in the fall of 2006 after spending the previous year as head coach of Cyprus High School in Magna, Utah, as well as serving as head coach of the Pirate Swim Club, a USA Swimming Club team. Wayne Chester Diving Coach 12th Season Alabama 81 Wayne Chester begins his 12th season as the coach of Horned Frog men s and women s diving. During his tenure at TCU, Chester has coached two conference champions, two NCAA qualifiers, and was named the Mountain West Conference Diving Coach of the Year in 2006. Under Chester s direction, Kelly McCain qualified for the NCAA Championships in 2005 and 2006, while R.J. Hesselberg was an NCAA qualifier in 2007 and earned 2008 MWC Diver of the Year honors. Hesselberg won 12 events and set a new conference record with seven MWC Men s Diver of the Week selections, including a stretch of six consecutive weeks of winning the award. Chester claimed the 1978 NCAA Championship on the 1-meter board for the University of Alabama. While in Tuscaloosa, Chester earned All-America status three times, was a Southeastern Conference champion and earned SEC Diver of the Year honors in 1981. A native of Fort Worth, Chester attended Arlington Heights High School. He posted a perfect record in city and regional meets and closed a standout prep career with a Texas state championship in his senior year. Chester married the former Loraine Morris on Sept. 15, 2000. The couple owns Glamourpaws, a local pet salon. The Chesters have three children: Casey Morris (36), Courtney (21) and Emily (18). 2008-2009 23
Support Staff Ron Forrest Volunteer Ron Forrest joined the TCU coaching staff in July 2008 as a volunteer assistant coach. Forrest was a member of the Horned Frogs swimming and diving program from 1990-93. After his final season in 1993, Forrest walked away the TCU record holder in the 200-free (1:38.19), 500-free (4:25.86), 1000- free (9:30.19), 1650-free (15:48.29), 200-IM (1:50.79) and the 800-free relay (6:39.89). His 200- and 500- free marks still top the all-time list. The Ontario, Canada native was also a Canadian Olympic Trials qualifier in 5 events. After he graduated from TCU with his degree in psychology/general studies, Forrest has been the Fort Worth Area Swim Team (FAST) head coach and program director since August 1996. As a coach, he has worked with 22 U.S. Junior National Championship qualifiers, 25 U.S. Open qualifiers, 32 U.S. National Championship qualifiers and 2 Olympic Games qualifiers (USA s Dana Vollmer and Colombian Camilo Becerra). Kim Johnson Associate Athletic Director/SWA Kim Johnson came to TCU in May 2008 as associate athletics director and senior woman administrator. Johnson joined the Horned Frogs after working the previous three years at the University of Alabama. She was the assistant director of compliance for two years before being promoted to assistant athletics director. With the Crimson Tide, Johnson s myriad of responsibilities included compliance, eligibility and overseeing the CHAMPS/Life Skills program. She was also the department liaison to the Office of Admissions and Housing and Residential Services. Prior to arriving in Tuscaloosa in May 2005, Johnson worked one year as the assistant director of compliance at Tulane University. Included among her duties were managing the admissions process for 15 sports and overseeing the financial aid requirements for the NCAA. Johnson is a 2001 graduate of Northwestern University, where she received a degree in communications. Upon her graduation, Johnson was hired by Northwestern as a compliance assistant. She worked three years at her alma mater before heading to Tulane. Johnson received a Master s of Science degree in human environmental science with a sport management emphasis from Alabama in December 2007. Chris Uchacz Director of Academic Services Chris Uchacz joined the TCU staff in June of 2004 as the Director of Academic Services. Uchacz came to Fort Worth after spending five years in the Texas-Pan American Athletics Department, the final two as the UTPA Assistant Athletics Director for Academic Support and Student Services. Uchacz oversaw the implementation of the Freshman/ Transfer Orientation Program and is responsible for various study skills workshops, NCAA CHAMPS/Life Skills seminars and coordination of tutorial services, while acting as the Student-Athlete Advisory Council liaison. Prior to UTPA, Uchacz worked at the University of Illinois, where he served on the Academic Advising Staff working in the Athletics Department s Wellness Program while counseling student-athletes. Currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Kinesiology at The University of Illinois where he is studying the interrelationship between sport, global culture and the Internet, Uchacz holds a master s in human kinetics from the University of Windsor in Windsor, Ontario, and an honors degree in physical education from Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario. Uchacz competed as a student-athlete in both soccer and crew while attending Brock. Jaime Handy Media Relations Judy Golden Academic Services Advisor Stephanie Saling Student Manager Kendall Goldberg Athletic Trainer Levi Memmer Strength and Conditioning Laura Weisbrod Administrative Assistant 24 2008-2009