Jamie Platt Named Head Men and Women’s Swimming & Diving Coach at La Salle University

PHILADELPHIA – Jamie Platt has been named the head coach of the La Salle men’s and women’s swimming & diving program, Director of Athletics Dr. Tom Brennan announced today. Platt has been with the Explorers for 13 seasons, serving as assistant coach for 10 years before earning the promotion to associate head coach in August 2012.

“Jamie has a long association with La Salle swimming as a student-athlete and assistant coach and truly understands the Lasallian values and culture associated with our University,” Brennan said. “He is well-liked by both student-athletes and alumni and is well-respected in the swimming community. We are delighted to have Jamie as our next head coach.”

The Emmaus, Pa. native has been involved in all facets of the La Salle program throughout the past 13 years, including a concentration on the distance and stroke swimmers and directing the recruiting. He has also been responsible for engaging the swimming and diving alumni through events and fundraising. He has also served as the team’s liaison to the sports information and academic support offices.

“I am extremely thankful, honored and excited to lead our swimming and diving program,” Platt said. “The program is a proven pathway towards success for so many student-athletes. Simply put – La Salle University cares about its students and student-athletes and I am humbled to have the opportunity to contribute to the University’s success. I specifically thank Dr. Brennan, John Lyons and our alumni for this opportunity and for their support in my new role as head coach.”

Platt looks to continue his proven history of success on the Explorer pool deck. Since Platt’s arrival, the Explorers have set 63 school records, won 19 Atlantic 10 individual titles and set three A-10 conference records. He has mentored two A-10 Rookies of the Year and a US Olympic Trials qualifier.

His distance swimmers have captured five A-10 titles in the 1,650 freestyle event in the last six years. In 2014, Mattias Glenesk broke a 31-year-old A-10 record in his gold medal swim. Also under Platt’s tutelage, La Salle was represented at the 2012 US Olympic Swimming Team Trials in Omaha, Neb., with meet qualifier Blase Szyszko ’13.

Platt has experience coaching swimmers from the developmental to Olympic levels. He came to La Salle in 2002 from Emmaus, Pa., where he was the Head Age Group Coach and Aquatic Director at the Emmaus Aquatic Club (EMAC). Platt is also a former member of La Salle’s swim team.

Platt is currently the General Chair of the Middle Atlantic Swimming LSC Board of Directors, the fifth largest LSC in the nation. He is also a member of both the American Swimming Coaches Association and the College Swimming Coaches Association of America. Platt was also the NCAA Division I Women’s and Men’s Swimming and Diving Championship’s Meet Coordinator for nearly 10 years, overseeing the national championships operations.

He currently resides in Philadelphia, Pa.

The above article is a press release submitted to Swimming World. To reach our audience, contact us at newsmaster@swimmingworld.com.

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