PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island, August 28. BROWN has appointed Chris Ip as the new Head Men’s Swimming & Diving Coach in an announcement made by Director of Athletics Jack Hayes on Thursday. Ip returns to Providence 30 years after serving as an assistant for the Brown women’s swim team from 1983-84, where the Bears claimed their first Ivy League title in his only season. He has spent the previous two seasons as an assistant men and women’s swimming coach at LSU.
“We are excited to usher in a new era for the Brown men’s swimming and diving program with the hiring of Chris Ip,” said Hayes. “Chris’ recent experiences at LSU, combined with a distinguished decade of leadership at Clemson, gives us great excitement for the future of the program.”
At LSU, Ip helped guide the Tigers to success during the 2012-13 season as the men finished 26th overall while the women placed 34th overall at the NCAA Championships. This past season, the Tigers combined for three All-America performances at the NCAA Championships, including two from diver Cassie Weil. The men’s and women’s teams finished 38th and 36threspectively at the NCAA Championships.
“I would like to thank Jack Hayes and the search committee for extending me the opportunity to lead the Brown men’s swimming and diving program,” said Ip. “Brown University opened the gateway to my coaching career as an assistant swim coach under Dave Roach. I am excited to return to the Brown family and work in an athletic department that is geared for success. I look forward to working closely with coach Felix Mercado and coach Kate Kovenock in developing strong partnerships with our student-athletes to build a successful, united Aquatics program.”
Prior to his tenure at LSU, Ip spent 10 seasons as the head coach of the men and women’s swimming teams at Clemson where he led the Tigers’ men’s squad to top-30 NCAA finishes in each of his final two seasons. In 2012 he garnered ASCA Coach of Excellence honors for placing a swimmer in the top eight at Nationals. During the 2011-12 season, Ip’s women’s team topped the nation with a cumulative team GPA of 3.62 while earning CSCAA Scholar All-American accolades. Over his decade of service at Clemson, the Tigers’ programs amassed 24 individual ACC champions, 35 All-ACC selections, 14 Olympic Trial participants, and 16 NCAA All-American performances.
From 1989-2002, Ip scored 26 National Championship titles in 13 seasons at Indian River Community College, the most for any coach in NJCAA history. Ip was a 10-time Men’s Coach of the Year honoree during that span while coaching over 800 All-Americans.
Stints with international tournaments such as the World Short Course Championships, World Games, and Commonwealth Games followed Ip’s run as the leader of Delaware’s swimming & diving program. With the Blue Hens, he coached three (two men, one women) East Coast Conference Championship teams in five seasons while also serving as the university’s Director of Aquatics.
Ip earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from East Stroudsburg State before obtaining a Master’s Degree in Physiology from Springfield College.
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