Courtesy: York Athletics
YORK, Pa. – York College Assistant Dean for Athletics and Recreation Paul Saikia is happy to announce that Eric Rasmussen has been named the new head swimming coach/aquatics director at York College. Rasmussen comes to York with over 25 years of coaching and aquatic experience.
Rasmussen brings a very broad coaching portfolio to the Spartan program. He has served as the head coach at New Jersey Institute of Technology and Saint Peter’s College (now University) while also serving tenures as an assistant coach at Manhattan College and Loyola (Maryland). Rasmussen began his Division I coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Texas. Most recently, he served as the aquatics director at the Raritan Bay Area YMCA in Perth Amboy, New Jersey.
“I want to thank Paul Saikia, Dr. Gunter-Smith and Dean Joe Merkle for giving me this wonderful opportunity,” said Rasmussen. “I believe the future is bright for the York College swim program and I think we can achieve remarkable things through dedication, a positive attitude and the willingness to work hard. I am looking forward to coming to York and getting started.”
Saikia is excited to get Rasmussen on board.
“After an extensive search for our new head swimming coach and aquatics director, we are very excited to have Coach Rasmussen on board,” said Saikia. “He brings 25 years of coaching and aquatics experience and he shares our very positive assessment of York College’s potential to build a nationally competitive Division III swimming program. We’re looking forward to forging ahead in that pursuit.”
Rasmussen will have a strong core to build on to start his Spartan tenure. Sophomore All-American Keven Stahl headlines a group of talented swimmers who will allow the Spartans to compete in the rugged CAC.
“I am eagerly looking forward to getting started. With school already in session, we’re going to hit the ground running. It is very exciting!” said Rasmussen. “This program has had good success over the last few seasons. I am looking to build on that success; ultimately becoming the premier team in Capital Athletic Conference.”
Rasmussen’s experience includes work with some of the top college and international-level coaches in the country. At Texas, he worked directly under the legendary Eddie Reese. Coach Reese has been the Head Coach of the US Olympic team three times and had led his Longhorns to 14 NCAA Division 1 crowns, including two when Rasmussen was his assistant.
Rasmussen also worked as the head counselor/coach for the Longhorn Swimming Camp for many summers. In that role, he worked under two more Olympic head coaches; Mark Schubert and Richard Quick. Between the two, they served on more than a dozen US Olympic coaching staffs.
“I was very lucky to have the opportunity to learn from some of the top coaches in the country. I use ideas that I got form each of them in my workouts on a regular basis,” says Rasmussen.
Rasmussen served eight years as a head coach at Division I Saint Peter’s College in Jersey City, leading the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams. During his eight-year run, he orchestrated a mass overhaul of the school’s records, with many of the records being broken numerous times. Upon his departure, only two school records predated Rasmussen’s tenure as head coach.
Rasmussen was an assistant at Division I Loyola (MD) College. During his three-year stay in Baltimore, the Greyhounds experienced a great deal of success. The culmination of his efforts came at the 2005 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship meet where Loyola swimmers recorded over 50 personal best swims, breaking 19 school records and three conference records.
Rasmussen officially begins his duties September 4.