After spending a majority of the 2023-2024 season as interim head coach, Fordham University is expected to announce the permanent hiring of Tom Wilkens as head coach for the program.
Wilkens was hired at the beginning of October, about over a month already into the 2023-2024 season, after longtime head coach Steve Potsklan departed the team abruptly last August. The team ran captains’ practices at the beginning of the season before Wilkens stepped in as a volunteer for some time. At the time, Wilkens drove over two hours one way for practices. Wilkens’ son, Bryce, was a freshman on the team this past season.
Under Tom Wilkens‘ guidance, the women finished 3rd out of 11 teams this past season at the 2024 Atlantic-10 Championships while the men finished 6th out of eight teams. The women moved up two spots from 5th in 2023 while the men well one spot from 5th to 6th, although they were only 22.5 points behind 5th place Davidson.
The women’s team was highlighted by Ainhoa Martin who won all three of her individual events at the A-10 Championships as she won the 200 IM, 400 IM, and 200 breast. Martin then earned an invite to the 2024 NCAA Championships, earning the school’s first invite since 2012. Martin went on to finish 38th in the 200 breast and 56th in the 200 IM at 2024 NCAAs. Martin just finished up her junior season with the Rams.
Fellow junior Jess Zebrowski earned the team’s other A-10 title as she won the 100 butterfly in a personal best time of a 53.24. She scored a total of 28.5 individual points.
Leading the way for the men’s program this past season was Guy Gropper who scored 47 individual points and finished 3rd in the 50 and 100 freestyles as well as 4th in the 100 butterfly. Gropper was in his graduate season this past year. Senior Alex Wilhelm was the 2nd highest individual scorer with 39 points.
Man, crazy to see his name in a headline. I remember reading “Gold in the Water” as a kid.
And I remember writing it as a kid. Tom is an outstanding coach/leader.
Did an incredible job this year, especially given the situation. Since he wanted to keep doing the job, this choice makes all the sense in the world.
This took longer than it should have but Fordham got it right. Excellent hire!