Ohio State coach named Big Ten women’s swimming coach of the year
Consecutive coach of the year honors for Dorenkott
Bill Dorenkott, Ohio State University director of swimming and diving, has been named the 2021 Big Ten Conference women’s swimming coach of the year by a league-wide vote of the conference head coaches.
“It is humbling to be recognized by your peers for a job well done,” said Dorenkott, who has been named coach of the year consecutively in 2020 and 2021. “I have been in the Big Ten for 26 years and could not be more proud to be a part of this league. Our coaches and student-athletes set the standard for academic and athletic success with honor.”
Not only was the Big Ten Conference outstanding at this year’s NCAA championships – four schools had individual NCAA champions and six schools finished among the Top 25 teams in the nation – but Ohio State had a history-making championship, finishing seventh overall with 215.5 points for the highest finish and most points scored in school history.
After winning a second consecutive Big Ten championship in late February, Ohio State sent 15 swimmers and divers to NCAAs with 10 different competitors earning a school-record 28 All-American honors.
“The credit truly goes to our student-athletes and our staff including athletic training, strength and conditioning, academic support, compliance, sports nutrition and sports psychology,” Dorenkott said. “I am grateful to be surrounded by people who are committed to being elite.”
And that commitment goes straight to the top of the department.
“It starts at the top with Gene Smith and my boss, TJ Shelton, with whom I have worked for the past 13 years,” Dorenkott said. “Show me a dynamic organization and I will show you a culture built on alignment with core values.”
Dorenkott has been named coach of the year three times in the Big Ten, including 2005 while coaching the Penn State women. He has coached five Big Ten Conference championship teams, a total that moves Dorenkott into a tie for second among women’s coaches for the most Big Ten titles.
Ohio State’s men’s team, also under the direction of Dorenkott and staff, compete at the men’s NCAA championships Wednesday through Saturday in Greensboro, N.C.
