May 21, 2013
Coach Tallman’s Interview With ‘The Morning Swim Show’
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – University of Notre Dame men’s swimming associate head coach Matt Tallman has been named the CollegeSwimming.com Rising Assistant Coach of the Year, as announced by the website Tuesday. Tallman was previously recognized as an honorable mention finalist for the award in 2012.
“This award is a symbol of the process and hard work put in by an entire staff and team that has worked towards achieving goals,” Tallman said. “Thanks to Tim Welsh for giving me the opportunity 12 years ago to work at the University of Notre Dame. Thanks to the student-athletes for having the faith and trust in Tim and me and for choosing to attend a world class institution, and to my wife, Heather, and kids, Martin and Hannah, for dealing with a coaching schedule and loving what I do almost as much as I do.”
Tallman helped lead Notre Dame to a 9-2 dual meet record in 2013, which included the 400th dual win in program history Feb. 2 at the Northwestern Invitational (191-177 over Northwestern). The Irish claimed their sixth and final BIG EAST Championship March 2 in Indianapolis, shattering the meet record with 991 points and posting eight team record times.
Tallman was also instrumental in preparing and presenting a proposal to the NCAA to institute a new selection process for the Division I Swimming and Diving Championship. Thanks to his efforts, the NCAA Championship Cabinet approved the new process, which took effect at the 2013 NCAA Championship.
Notre Dame reaped the benefits of the revised selection procedure, qualifying a school record nine swimmers for the NCAA Championship. John Williamson (200 fly), Zach Stephens (200 breast) and the 800 free relay team of Frank Dyer, Kevin Hughes, John McGinley and Bill Bass all earned honorable mention All-America honors after posting top-16 finishes during the meet.
CollegeSwimming.com Assistant Coach of the Year recipients are selected by a panel of coaches. Both an assistant’s head coach and a student-athlete nominate award candidates independently.
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