Ohio State Hires Graham Carpenter, Norm Wright as Assistant Coaches
Ohio State Monday announced the hiring of Graham Carpenter and Norm Wright as assistant coaches to head man Bill Dorenkott.
The move comes on the heels of the NCAA expanding coaching staffs to up to six with the elimination of the volunteer assistant positions.
“We are blessed at Ohio State to attract world-class coaches who consistently deliver a world-class experience for our student-athletes,” Dorenkott said in a university release. “Norm and Graham will continue the legacy of elite coaches who call Columbus home. We could not be more excited and grateful to welcome them both to our Buckeye family.”
Carpenter occupied that role in 2022-23 for the Buckeyes. He was part of recruiting efforts, training data and logistics, as well as social media content. He has been a volunteer coach and then the interim head coach at Anderson University from 2019-21 and spent the 2021-22 season at John Carroll University. A 2021 graduate of Ball State and native of Dublin, Ohio,, he competed on the varsity team for one season there.
“Returning to Columbus to work at Ohio State has been an absolute honor and a pleasure,” Carpenter said. “I am incredibly grateful for the knowledge, wisdom, experience, and relationships I have gained this past season. I want to thank Coach Dorenkott and the entire staff for the opportunity to continue building upon this experience and come into my second season as a Buckeye with greater confidence as I take on more responsibility and continue to sharpen my skills. Go Bucks!”
Wright comes to Columbus from NOVA of Virginia Aquatics, where he was the head coach from 2019-23. He worked with Olympian Townley Haas among other national and junior national teamers at the club, which attained USA Swimming Gold Medal status for the first time under Wright.
Wright was the CEO and head coach of Northern Kentucky Clippers from 2015-19. He led the Shenandoah Marlins Aquatic Club from 2010-15 as its director of competitive swimming and aquatics. He has college experience from a season as an assistant at Georgetown in 2009-10.
“Being born and raised in Ohio, the opportunity to coach at The Ohio State University is both unexpected and thrilling,” Wright said. “I can’t overstate my gratitude and appreciation to Coach Dorenkott and the rest of the staff for placing their confidence in me. With determination and loyalty, I look forward to many years of Buckeye swimming and diving success.”
Wright swam at the NAIA level with Asbury University, qualifying for nationals and setting school records before graduating in 2003. He served as the head coach for Team USA at the FINA Junior World Open Water Champions in 2022 and the UANA Junior American Open Water Championship in 2019, as well as other coaching stints at national camps and with national/junior national teams in the U.S.
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NOVA achieved Gold Medal status in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021 and 2022. The years not mentioned, they were Silver. Coach Wright started at NOVA in 2019. By that time, NOVA had achieved Gold Status 10 times already. Townley Haas graduated from HS in 2015 and trained at NOVA under Coach Geoff Brown, and then competed at Univ. of Texas from 2015-2019, while Coach Wright was at the KY Clippers.