Swimming and Diving Coaching Staff
Head Coach Jen Wallace
Jen
Wallace is entering her fifth season as the head men's and women's
swimming and diving coach after serving as the assistant for three
years. Wallace is also the aquatics director and a lecturer in the
health and physical education.
The 2006-2007 brought about the first time the conference included
men and women's swimming. Wallace led the blue and white to
the first ever AMCC Championship for both the men and the women's
team, including leading a number of individuals to the first and
second team All-conference selections.
Wallace was a
standout swimmer at the University of Pittsburgh. She was a NCAA
qualifier in the 500 and 1650 freestyle. Wallace's accolades include
being named the team's most improved swimmer as a sophomore, a Big
East Scholar Athlete, and the University's Bell Atlantic Scholar.
Wallace earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Pittsburgh in
1999. She then completed her master's degree in education the
following year. Last year Coach Wallace led the men's and
women's swimming & diving teams to the first AMCC Championship.
Wallace was a staff member at the Nike Swim Camp at Pittsburgh, and was an assistant at Franklin Regional High School during the 1999-00 season.
E-mail Head Coach Jen Wallace: jns11@psu.edu
Assistant Coach Joe Tristan
Tristan will begin his fifth season as the assistant swimming and diving coach.
From 1998-2000, Tristan was the assistant coach for Eastern Michigan University where he was part of the 2000 Mid-American Conference championship team. While at EMU, Tristan worked mainly with the middle distance program and helped develop multiple conference champions.
From 1998-2000 Tristan was ranked in the FINA Top 20 and the top 100 in the World in the 200 meter and 100 meter freestyle events. He currently is EMU’s record holder in the 800 freestyle relay.
Tristan is the head coach of the men’s and women’s water polo teams and instructs in the health and physical education department.
Assistant Coach Gordy Schmidt
Schmidt
enters his sixth season as an assistant to the Penn State Behrend
men's and women's swimming and diving teams. Prior to coaching the
Behrend Lions he spent five years at Gannon University.
Schmidt competed in YMCA Masters Swimming and Diving, winning three National Titles in one meter and three meter diving, along with gaining All-American honors. He has worked as a swim coach at the Glenwood YMCA, McDowell High School, Villa Maria, and Cathedral Prep. During his coaching career he has trained numerous Pennsylvania high school District 10 winners, eight YMCA National Diving Teams, a National YMCA 1M & 3M performer, and at Gannon he coached a GLEAC Conference 3M winner.