St. Norbert College has named Franco Pacheco as its head men’s and women’s swimming and diving coach when the program begins in the 2018-19 academic year, athletics director Tim Bald announced.
Pacheco, who will also serve as the aquatics director for the college’s new swimming pool in the Mulva Family Fitness & Sports Center, arrives at St. Norbert after spending the last two seasons as an assistant coach at Colorado College, a NCAA Division III school in Colorado Springs, Colo. He begins his duties at St. Norbert on June 26.
“Franco Pacheco is the ideal individual to be the first full-time coach for the swimming program at St. Norbert College,” Bald said. “He brings to the position a great deal of experience, knowledge and enthusiasm. In addition, Franco connects with his swimmers, understanding them as both students and athletes, and knowing his role in helping form them into critical-thinking individuals preparing for the next chapter of their lives.”
In addition to his coaching duties at Colorado College, Pacheco was responsible for spearheading the Tigers’ recruiting efforts, community service involvement, social media and program visibility, athlete cross-training and team travel.
“I’m extremely excited and thankful for the opportunity to lead the St. Norbert swimming and diving teams,” Pacheco said. “The investment the college has made in starting this program is second to none. I can’t wait to work with the amazing staff and faculty on campus and begin this journey toward continual success and tradition in the pool.”
Pacheco spent three years as an assistant coach, recruiting coordinator and assistant aquatic director at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. He helped oversee one pool facility, a staff of 16 and organized and implemented swimming lessons for youth aged 3-15.
While at Colby, he was one of six assistant coaches in all divisions to earn a 2015 Jean Freeman Scholarship from the College Swimming Coaches Association of America. The scholarship is given yearly to three male and three female assistant coaches whose exceptional contributions have brought recognition to their college or university, and whose leadership, integrity, honesty, competitive attitude and personal graciousness epitomizes those characteristics reflected by Freeman.
Pacheco spent one season as an assistant coach for the men’s and women’s swimming programs at Villanova University. He headed the Wildcats’ scouting and statistical efforts, coached at the Canadian Olympic Trials and also coached two United States Olympic Trials qualifiers.
Prior to coaching at Villanova, Pacheco spent four years in the United States Army, primarily stationed at Fort Meade (Md.) as a signals intelligence analyst. He was honorably discharged in August 2011.
Pacheco is a 2006 graduate of The College of St. Rose (N.Y.), where he was a four-year member of the swim team and a two-year captain. Pacheco earned all-conference honors from both the Northeast-10 and Metropolitan Conference.
Pacheco, a Seaside, Calif., native, earned a bachelor’s degree from St. Rose in public communications with an emphasis in journalism. He earned a master’s degree in education from St. Joseph’s College (Maine) and an M.B.A. from Thomas (Maine) College. Pacheco is scheduled to earn a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) from the University of the Rockies in April 2019.
News courtesy of St. Norbit Athletics.
So awesome form Franco. I grew up swimming on the same team as him. He’s gonna be an awesome head coach!