USA Swimming to Replace CEO Tim Hinchey, Director Lindsay Mintenko (Updated)
USA Swimming confirmed in an email and letter posted on its website on Thursday night that CEO Tim Hinchey is resigning from his position. Sources have also told Swimming World that National Team Mnaging Director Lindsay Mintenko will be leaving her position. Sports Illustrated first reported the news.
Hinchey’s contract was up for renewal in 2025. The timing allows a long runway for the 2028 Olympics, to be hosted by Los Angeles. Shana Ferguson, USA Swimming’s COO, has been named interim CEO.
Hinchey was hired in 2017, arriving with experience in the NBA, NHL and MLS. He led the organization through the COVID-19 crisis, which brought a severe financial hit to many clubs across the country with a lost summer of swimming, and also oversaw efforts to diversify the organization’s membership in the face of the summer of 2020’s larger societal reckoning over race. Hinchey was the forefront of splitting the 2021 Olympic Trials into two waves for health and safety reasons, and also bringing the 2024 Olympic Team Trials to Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium, setting attendance records.
But concerns have been raised within USA Swimming’s membership, the volume increasing since the end of the Paris Olympics, over worrying trends. The larger swimming community faces a number of challenges, from the residual economic effects of the pandemic and changes in the developmental pathway underway at the NCAA level. Staff turnover within USA Swimming has also been a concern, and a regime change is hoped to be the final installment of that.
USA Swimming Board Chair Chris Brearton said: “Tim’s innovative vision to conduct the Olympic Trials in a football stadium was a bold and groundbreaking move that brought the sport to a broader audience, creating unforgettable experiences for swimmers, coaches, officials, and spectators alike. This initiative highlighted his ability to think beyond conventional boundaries and his commitment to making swimming accessible and exciting for all.”
Reflecting on his tenure with USA Swimming, Hinchey said: “It has been a remarkable opportunity to lead the sport I have loved since my youth. I am confident that the future of the organization is bright and will continue to be best in class among the National Governing Bodies and a leader on the world stage.”
The USA Swimming Board indicated that it will conduct a search to find a permanent replacement for the CEO role. Ferguson was unanimously approved for the interim position.
“I am excited and appreciate the Board’s confidence in my assuming this role and stand ready to work with the Board and our membership to continue to drive our sport forward,” Ferguson said.
Mintenko, also hired to her current role 2017, is more directly responsible for the performance of Team USA’s elite athletes. The three-time Olympic medalist, under her maiden name Lindsay Benko, led the U.S. delegation to the Tokyo and Paris Olympics. She was responsible for hiring coaches Todd DeSorbo and Anthony Nesty to lead the 2024 team. Mintenko has been with USA Swimming since 2006.
There is no sugarcoating the disappointment of the Americans’ performance in Paris, where they won only eight golds. Though still ahead of Australia in gold medals by an 8-7 margin and with 28 total medals to 19 for Australia, it was an underwhelming performance. It included no individual men’s golds until Bobby Finke on the last day, a majority of swimmers recording much slower times than they had at the U.S. Olympic Trials and a record number of missed finals and semifinals for an American team.
Neither Mintenko, who was not made available to media at either Olympic Trials or the Olympics, nor the coaching staffs had many answers to what went wrong, and the pressure is on for the U.S. swimming program to attain stronger results on home soil in four years.
When will they be replaced? Immediately?
Who is replacing them and how has the selection process for the replacements been conducted?
Is there any change contemplated for the roles of their replacements compared to the roles filled by Tim and Lindsay?
Or just straight up plug and replace.
Duncan, it seems there will be a search. I would not be surprised if the National Team Director role returns to what it was like with Frank Busch.
First on Paris evaluation- lets hear the feedback from our coaches, staff /athletes. We weren’t present. As we know a lot goes into over-all evaluation of performance – lots of variables (timing, travel away from home, etc.) How is Lindsey responsible for athletes performance ? Very capable coaches who prepared are excellent athletes. Meantime, let’s look at this as a growth opportunity and support Shana Ferguson and our board as they search for new leadership.
I am of the opinion that the training camp between the trials and the games themselves is the most important part of the swimmers preparation for the games. I believe every coach that has a swimmer on the team should have their expenses paid for the training camp and also the games and should be having daily meetings with head coaches about their swimmers.