Not long after the hire of Dan Kesler as an associate head coach, NC State has added two more new coaches to a very new-look swimming & diving coaching staff with the promotions of Michael Baric and Kevin Happ as swimming & diving assistant coaches.
Both coaches were already part of the team. Baric spent last year as a volunteer assistant with the program, while Happ was previously the program’s Director of Operations.
Like Happ, many people occupying Director of Operations positions around the country are also swim coaches, and among the impacts of the new rules are that they allow programs to expand those individuals’ work to more on-deck duties.
The hires mean that NC State is taking advantage of new rules that allow programs to have up to 6 paid (or unpaid) coaches, but eliminates volunteer assistant positions.
Brian Barnes left to become the head coach at nearby Duke, and Kesler filled his position, but otherwise the NC State coaching staff returns intact (so far – there are still a lot of positions on the carousel to be filled). That includes head diving coach Wesley Mattice, associate head coach Mark Bernardino, assistant coach Dan Kalupski, and assistant coach Stefanie Wendelschaefer.
Michael Baric Bio:
Courtesy: NC State
Courtesy: NC State
“Michael has been a fantastic addition to the program this past year,” said Holloway. “His ability to see our sport from various angles has been vital in our student-athletes’ development. He not only excels on the deck but also in regards to building relationships with the student-athletes, which is a key part of our culture. We are excited to promote Michael to assistant coach.”
Since joining the staff ahead of 2022-23, Baric has played a valuable role in a successful campaign that ended with the Pack men winning the 2023 ACC Championship and both teams earning fifth-place finishes at the NCAA Championships. NC State had the highest national finishes of any combined program in the nation, and Baric was a part of coaching 17 Wolfpack student-athletes to 74 All-America honors at the season-ending meet.
“I’m thrilled for the opportunity to continue with the Wolfpack,” said Baric. “Braden and the staff are at the forefront of our sport and have built a top-notch culture here. Swimming post-grad at NC State is what made me want to be a coach, and with my father being an alumnus from the 70s, this place already shaped so much of who I am. I am excited and ready to give back to it. Go Pack!”
Baric came to NC State after spending six seasons as an assistant coach at UNC. During his time with the Tar Heels, Baric worked primarily with the spring group and coached numerous ACC medalists, team record holders and NCAA All-Americans. During his time in Chapel Hill, he had multiple swimmers qualify for the U.S. Olympic Trials and earn top-16 finishes at the Phillips 66 Nationals meets.
Prior to this, Baric earned his Masters in Sports Administration from Florida and worked as a manager for the swimming and diving program there. Following his collegiate career, he gained coaching experience with club teams in both North Carolina and Florida, working with the Marlins of Raleigh and the Gator Swim Club.
Baric swam collegiately at UNCW where he became a three-time school record holder and was named the team’s Rookie of the Year in 2011. He served as captain of the Seahawks’ men’s team during his junior and senior years and was awarded with the Seahawk Leadership Award in 2014. Baric majored in history and minored in psychology and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts & Sciences degree in May of 2014. After graduation, Baric swam for two seasons as a post graduate for Wolfpack Elite.
Kevin Happ Bio:
Courtesy: NC State
Courtesy: NC State
“Kevin has been here for six seasons and has played a vital role in our team’s success,” said Holloway. “Having worked as well with Wolfpack Elite, Kevin’s role in Raleigh has aided in our teams’ consistency at an elite level. We are thrilled to welcome Kevin as a full-time assistant coach. He has familiarity with how our program operates and with our student-athletes.”
Happ joined the Wolfpack staff ahead of the 2017-18 season and has successfully navigated all of the program’s day-to-day operations. In addition to his role as Director of Operations, Happ also worked heavily with Wolfpack Elite and has been a part of developing some of the world’s most elite swimmers. His experience with the club team is highlighted by helping coach Wolfpack alumnus Coleman Stewart to a short course world record in the 100-meter backstroke.
“I am very excited for this new opportunity and to continue helping the Wolfpack Women and the PBG achieve big things,” said Happ. “The past six years with this team have been great, and I can’t wait to keep growing with this program. I want to thank Braden and the rest of the staff for being the best people in the world to work with. Go Pack!”
Before coming to NC State, Happ served as the Assistant Director of Aquatics at Princeton. He was responsible for all home contests for swimming and diving and water polo and handled all facility needs including scheduling, maintenance, staffing and coordination with the athletic department. During his time in New Jersey, Happ also was an assistant coach for the Princeton Piranha club team.
Happ also previously coached for SwimMAC in Charlotte, N.C., from 2011 to 2015. While there, he worked in the north division and was an Assistant Senior One coach, a Masters coach and the Director of Auxiliary Programming. Happ also took on a role as head swimming and diving coach for Lake Norman Charter School where he led the team to four conference titles, a regional championship and multiple individual and relay state championships at the 1A/2A level. He was voted Big South Conference Coach of the Year in 2015.
A native of Solon, Ohio, Happ swam collegiately for Indiana from 2006 to 2010 and was a captain for the program during his senior year. He graduated with a B.S. in Recreation Sports Management in 2010 and earned his Masters in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Athletic Administration/Sports Management the following year.
did it really expand if they were already there
feels like more of a reshuffle
Yes, Coaching staff expanded thanks to new rules. That was the point. Sure, Kevin was there in dry side ops role, but that’s different from being a wet side asst for sure and is a coaching staff expansion.
Yeah I chose the headline pretty specifically, because I recognized the same thing. “The staff didn’t expand…but the coaching staff did.”