Converse University Names Logan Simpson New Head Coach of Swim Programs

Courtesy: Converse Athletics

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Converse University Senior Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator Jodi Strehl announced the hiring of Logan Simpson as the new head coach for the swim programs at Converse.

“I am excited to welcome Logan Simpson to our athletic department as our head men’s and women’s swim coach,” Strehl said. “His knowledge of swimming, wide range of experience and his desire to build a competitive program are all characteristics which will serve him well. We are fortunate to call Logan a Valkyrie and our men and women will be the recipients of Logan’s passion for delivering a fantastic student-athlete experience.”

“First, I want to thank Dr. Hopkins, Jenn Bell, Jodi Strehl, Randy Loggins and the whole Converse athletic department for the opportunity to lead this great program,” Simpson said. “This is a homecoming for our family, and we could not be more excited to get to Spartanburg. Throughout the interview process, I was blown away, not just with the ambitious vision they laid out for Converse Athletics and the Valkyrie swim program, but the plan to realize those ambitions. Converse Swimming has a rich history of excellence, a roster of talented student-athletes, and an unbelievably bright future for both the women’s and men’s swimming programs. I can’t wait to get to work.”

Simpson has spent the last two seasons building the men’s and women’s swim programs at Columbia College (S.C.). Last season the Koalas finished inside the top-five of the Appalachian Athletic Conference. At the AAC Championships, the 200-yard freestyle relay team and the 400-yard medley relay team both finished third overall.

As the head swim coach, Simpson was also tasked with starting a men’s program from the ground up at Columbia College. This coming will be the first official season for the Koalas men’s program. Simpson also created a $50,000 comprehensive facility upgrade plan for the Greer Natatorium and it was implemented this past May.

Prior to Columbia College, Simpson was the head coach of the Carolina Aquatics Swim Club. During his time as head coach, Carolina Aquatics moved from 11^th at the South Carolina State Championship meet to 5^th in the state. The club also finished 15^th at Senior Sectionals under his leadership. Over the course of his tenure, Carolina Aquatics boasted numerous state championship performances, senior and age group sectionals finalists, a junior National’s qualifier and three seniors who signed Division I scholarships.

Prior to his head coaching stint at Carolina Aquatics, Simpson was the Associate head coach at Palmetto Aquatics. Simpson has also served as a volunteer assistant coach for the University of South Carolina. At USC, Simpson was given the opportunity to learn from world-class coaches and work with elite athletes at the SEC, NCAA and Olympic levels. The experience encompassed preseason dryland training, staff meetings, assisting swim practices, leading practices for non-travel swimmers and coaching on deck at home meets.

Before his arrival in Columbia, Simpson worked for Gardner-Webb University as the Assistant Director of Athletics Fundraising. Simpson worked to develop a sport-specific fundraising initiative that yielded a $25,000 fundraising increase for teams across campus.

Prior to his job at Gardner-Webb, Simpson was an assistant swim coach at Wabash College in Indiana. While at Wabash, Simpson spent time as interim head coach and led the team in its season-opening meet against Denison, the second ranked team in the nation. That season, Wabash finished with a winning record and a top-25 national ranking in NCAA Division III.

Simpson was a collegiate swimmer for Gardner-Webb University and eventually began in coaching career as a member of the women’s basketball coaching staff.

Simpson has always been around the pool; his father Mike was the head coach at Gardner-Webb before becoming an assistant coach at both South Carolina and Auburn Universities.

Simpson holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Gardner-Webb and an MBA from the University of South Carolina. Simpson and his wife Hannah will be making the move to the Upstate.