Sean Schimmel is First Hire for New Penn State Coaching Staff
Sean Schimmel was hired as an associate head coach by Penn State, the first hire for new coach Hollie Bonewit-Cron.
Schimmel has decades of experience. He’s been on the coaching staff at Arkansas, Maryland, LSU, Georgia and Miami, as well as the lead coach for Team USA at the 2019 FINA Champions Series.
“Sean has a wealth of experience and knowledge at both the NCAA and international levels and I am thrilled he will be a part of the Nittany Lion family,” Bonewit-Cron said in a team statement. “I’m excited to continue working with him and to bring his enthusiasm and expertise to Penn State as we look towards a successful future.”
Schimmel was an assistant to Bonewit-Cron at the University of Miami Ohio and follows her to State College after her recent hiring. Together, they led the RedHawks to their fifth MAC title in six years. Schimmel was the associate head coach of Athens Bulldog Swim Club from 2016-22 while also serving as a volunteer assistant coach at Georgia. Working with the pro group in Athens, he helped place six swimmers on the Tokyo Olympic Team. He also spent three seasons as an assistant coach for the International Swimming League’s Cali Condors.
Schimmel was the head coach at the University of Arkansas from 2012-16, leading 13 All-Americans and 57 honorable mention All-American performances. The Razorbacks finished 26th at NCAAs in 2013 and 44th in 2015.
His first head coaching gig was at the University of Maryland from 2008-12 in its ACC days. Schimmel was the head coach when the program was cut in 2012. He arrived there after two seasons as the associate head coach at LSU and was an assistant at Harvard from 1999-2006.
Schimmel swam at USC, earning his degree in 1992. He competed in two events at U.S. Olympic Trials in 1988.