Ohio State Director of Swimming and Diving Bill Dorenkott has announced updates to the coaching staff for the 2026-27 season. Emily Hetzer has been hired as an assistant coach and Michael Butler has been promoted into a full-time hybrid role where he will serve as both the director of operations and an assistant coach.
Hetzer joins the Buckeyes after two seasons as an assistant coach at Cincinnati. In her time with the Bearcats, she coached four NCAA qualifiers, two U.S. Olympic Team Trials semifinalists and helped the team 17 school records and 105 top 10 program times. Prior to Cincinnati, Hetzer was a graduate assistant at Georgia Southern during the 2023-24 season. In this role, she assisted in coaching the swimming and diving team, as well as training the student athletes in endurance-based training and aided in coordinating recruiting efforts and team development.
“Emily came highly recommended to the Buckeyes via the University of Cincinnati,” said Dorenkott. “Ohio State swimming and diving has a history of identifying and developing rising stars in the coaching profession. We believe we have found a future star in Emily Hetzer. From the moment we first connected, and as Emily visited campus, the feeling was mutual among our coaching staff, support staff, and student-athletes that Emily aligned brilliantly with our culture and vision for the future. Emily has a high capacity for work and ability to connect with young people in a genuine and meaningful way. We are fortunate to call Emily Hetzer a Buckeye.”
Hetzer competed collegiately at Auburn, where she was an NCAA qualifier in all five of her seasons and was a four-time All-American. She also qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and exercise science in 2022 and earned a second bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2023.
After serving in a term role as an assistant coach during the 2025-26 season, Butler has been promoted into a newly created dual role where he will serve as both the director of operations for swimming and diving, as well as an assistant swimming coach. During the 2025-26 season, Butler helped both the men’s and women’s team to top three finishes at the Big Ten Championships and assisted in the coaching and development of 20 NCAA swimming qualifiers. Butler began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant coach at Case Western during the 2024-25 season, where he ran practices, assisted with technique development, logistics and recruiting.
“Michael has endeared himself to our team and staff over the past season by virtue of his strong work ethic, passion for the sport and desire to help our swimmers develop as students, athletes, and people,” Dorenkott said. “While his role this past year was serving in a temporary coaching position, we have elevated Michael to a newly created dual role as director of operations for swimming and diving as well as on deck responsibilities as an assistant coach. I have complete confidence that Michael has what it takes to make a difference for our current and future Buckeyes.”
Butler swam at Case Western from 2021-24 and was the former record holder in the 1650 free. He earned bachelor’s degrees in psychology and cognitive science from Case Western in 2025.
— The above press release was posted by Swimming World in conjunction with Ohio State Athletics. For press releases and advertising inquiries please contact Advertising@SwimmingWorld.com.
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