Solomon Named New Head Swimming, Diving Coach

Peter Solomon has been appointed faculty head coach of men’s and women’s swimming and diving at Wesleyan University as well as aquatics director, it was announced April 16 by Wesleyan Athletics Director John Biddiscombe.

Solomon is an 18-year veteran head coach of men’s and women’s swimming and diving at NESCAC colleges Middlebury (1997-2011) and Amherst (1993-97).

“Wesleyan is very excited to welcome Peter Solomon as our swimming and diving coach,” Biddiscombe says. “He brings to the position a wealth of experience and a winning tradition.”

“I’m proud to represent Wesleyan and I look forward to getting to know the team in the months ahead and begin planning for next season,” Solomon says.

Over his 14 seasons in charge of the Panthers’ program at Middlebury, Solomon was named NESCAC Men’s Swimming Coach of the Year five times, most recently in 2010, and led his squad to a team championship in 2002. His women compiled a cumulative dual-meet mark of 79-37 while his men went 71-45. Over his years at Middlebury, Solomon coached 64 NESCAC champions, 60 NCAA Division III All-Americans and five NCAA Division III National Champions. In addition to his coaching assignment at Middlebury, Solomon was aquatics director and served an NESCAC Championships meet director for the 2005 and 2010 women’s championships and the 2008 men’s championships. He also helped establish and/or direct several camps and swimming programs at Middlebury.

Prior to his appointment at Middlebury, Solomon served in the same capacity at Amherst College for four seasons, directing his 1997 women’s squad to sixth place in the NCAA Division III Championships while being named New England Division III Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year in both 1995 and 1996.

“I have been fortunate to work at some of the most elite colleges in the country and feel as though I bring a wealth of experience as a swimming coach and recruiter in Division III and in NESCAC,” Solomon explains. “I believe this will pay big dividends in helping me build a stronger and deeper team here at Wesleyan.”

A 1985 graduate of North Carolina State University who went on to earn his M.A. at the University of Connecticut in 1993, Solomon most recently served as an assistant swimming coach and director of operations at the University of Vermont during the 2011-12 campaign.

“I’m excited to share my passion and enthusiasm for the sport with this team and future prospective student-athletes,” Solomon says. “In talking to several of the swimmers during the interview process, it was obvious that the transitional year has brought the team closer together and I look to build off of this energy and enthusiasm as well as the successes of their past season.”

Solomon steps into a position held on an interim basis in 2011-12 by Frank Keefe. Keefe came on board to fill a void when 11-year veteran head swimming and diving coach and aquatics director Mary Bolich left Wesleyan to take a position in the athletic department at Penn State University.