Rich DeSelm - Swimming & Diving Coach - University of North Carolina Athletics

Rich DeSelm

Title:
Head Swimming Coach
Email:
richdeselm@uncaa.unc.edu
Phone:
919-966-5340

One of that nation’s top collegiate head coaches, Rich DeSelm is now in his 12th year as the head swimming coach at the University of North Carolina. With each year, DeSelm continues to coach his student-athletes towards greatness in the classroom, in community outreach and in the pool.

A three-time U.S. Swimming National Team coach in 2014, 2016 and 2017, DeSelm coached five swimmers to NCAA qualifying times and sent three relays to the 2018 NCAA Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships in Columbus, Ohio.

A dominating force throughout the season, Caroline Baldwin earned first-team All-America honors with her eighth-place finish in the 50-yard free. Baldwin also earned two additional All-America honorable mentions with two tenth-place finished in the 100-yard free and the women’s 200-yard free relay. Caroline Hauder, Maddie Smith and Zhada Fields — the final three legs of the relay — have all returned for the 2018-19 season.

DeSelm has led his Carolina teams to 10 conference runner-up finishes as well as 16 NCAA top-30 finishes in the last 11 years as head coach. While serving as head coach designate following Frank Comfort’s retirement in 2006-07, DeSelm coached the men’s team to a third-place conference finish and the women’s team to an undefeated regular season against ACC opponents and the team’s first ACC title in five years. DeSelm found just as much success as an assistant coach with North Carolina and Florida, accumulating 36 top-25 finishes at NCAA Championships and 11 top-five rankings. His teams also won 15 conference championships, 14 of which came from his tenure as assistant coach at his alma mater.

DeSelm has been an elite coach at every level during 40 years of collegiate coaching. As an assistant coach at North Carolina (1978-93) and Florida (2000-06), he assisted on teams that won 16 conference championships and placed in the Top 25 on 37 occasions at the NCAA Championships, including 21 Top 10 finishes. As a head coach at Davidson his teams won seven conference championships and placed in the Top 10 of the ECAC Championships seven times in eight years.

Since his promotion to Carolina’s head coach on July 1, 2007, DeSelm has overseen the training of 53 NCAA All-Americas and 26 ACC Champions and helped countless other Tar Heels achieve individual accolades. DeSelm was named the ACC Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year for two consecutive seasons in 2011-12 and 2012-13, the first back-to-back designation for a Tar Heel head coach since Frank Comfort in 2001 and 2002. In December 2012, Peacock set NCAA records in the 1000-yard freestyle and 1650-yard freestyle under DeSelm’s tutelage. In September 2011, U.S. Swimming named DeSelm to the National Team staff. This came on the heels of his first-ever international head coaching assignment in August 2011 when he piloted the ship for the U.S. men’s team at the World University Games in Shenzhen, China. Two Tar Heel student-athletes mentored by DeSelm won bronze medals at the those Games — Tyler Harris in the 400-meter individual medley and Stephanie Peacock in the 400-meter freestyle.

In the summer of 2017, DeSelm was named an assistant coach for the U.S. open water swimming team which competed at the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, Hungary. DeSelm personally coached two of the U.S. team members at North Carolina Aquatic Club. Ashley Twichell won a gold medal in five-kilometer open water swimming and a silver in the five-kilometer open water relay. Chip Peterson, a 2010 UNC alumnus, was fifth in the 25-kilometer men’s open water race. Twichell was also a U.S. national champion this past spring.

DeSelm also had two of his swimmers named to the U.S. Team which competed at the 2017 World University Games in Chinese Taipei. Caroline Baldwin won the 50-meter freestyle at the event and Hellen Moffitt claimed gold in the 100-meter butterfly. The two swimmers also combined to win two silver and a bronze in relay events.

For years, DeSelm has coached teams to magnificent seasons. In 2015-16, Carolina had claimed 7-3 dual meet records against the most difficult schedule in school history and each team claimed a third place finish in the ACC Championships. UNC swimmers set a dozen new school short course and long course records over the course of the season and thirty UNC swimmers competed in the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials.

Both teams returned to the Top 20 of the NCAA Championships in the 2014-15 season with the men taking 18th and the women 19th. In a deep ACC league, UNC took top four finishes on both sides of the ledger. At the NCAA Championships, 12 of Carolina’s 13 entries in the women’s meet earned All-America honors as did seven of the nine entries in the men’s championships. The two teams combined to establish 17 new short course school records.

The Tar Heels also had an outstanding 2013-14 season. Meredith Hoover earned first-team All-America honors for the second straight year to lead individual honors by the squad. The women finished 19th nationally and moved up to second in the ACC while the men had another solid campaign and finished third in the ACC. The teams combined for an 18-4 dual meet mark. During the course of the year, the women set eight new school short course records and the men established seven University marks.

In 2012-13, DeSelm led the Tar Heels to another brilliant season in the pool. Both teams finished in the top three at the ACC Championships and UNC had the men’s and women’s ACC swimmers of the year in the same season for the first time since 1996 when Tom Luchsinger and Cari Blalock won the awards. The women’s 12th place finish at the NCAA Championships was the highest placing in 11 seasons. Eleven Tar Heels earned All-America honors at the NCAA Championships. UNC set 13 short course school records and seven long course University marks. During the summer months, Stephanie Peacock won a pair of medals at the World University Games and Tom Luchsinger won the U.S. national title in the 200-meter butterfly, the first Tar Heel man to win a U.S. title since 1996. Luchsinger was also the first UNC man to swim for the U.S. at the World Championships since 1998.

Carolina finished the 2011-12 year with one of its most successful combined seasons in history. Forty-eight Tar Heels qualified for the 2012 Olympic Trials, UNC swimmers combined to set 24 records, the Tar Heel men finished in the Top 15 for the third straight year and the Carolina women placed 19th at the NCAA meet. After a 14th-place finish at the 2012 NCAA meet, UNC’s men achieved back-to-back-to-back NCAA Top 15 finishes for the first time since three straight from 1956-58. The 19th-place finish by the UNC women was the team’s best finish since 2003. In August 2012, Peacock and Luchsinger were named to the U.S. National Team.

In 2011-12, DeSelm was named ACC Women’s Coach of the Year and Peacock swept the ACC Swimmer of the Year honor and the most outstanding performer award at the ACC Championships. Peacock won the NCAA championship in the 1650-yard freestyle in an NCAA record time and she placed third in the 500-yard freestyle. It was the first NCAA championship for a UNC woman since 2003 (Jessi Perruquet in the 200-yard freestyle) and Steve Cebertowicz finished sixth in both the 50- and 100-yard freestyles at the NCAA meet, the first time a Tar Heel man has made the championship final in both events since Pete Worthen in 1965.

The 2010-11 season was also a magnificent one under DeSelm’s tutelage. The men and women both took second in the conference championships with the women achieving their highest point total in four years. The women garnered their third successive NCAA Top 25 finish while the men finished 14th at NCAAs, the highest team finish in 18 years. UNC’s women won five individual titles and two relay championships at the ACC meet and the men won five individual crowns. Altogether, UNC rewrote the short course record book for both teams with nine new school records on the women’s side and 12 on the men’s ledger. Five school records fell during the long course season in summer 2011. Individually, Tyler Harris placed third in the 400 IM at the NCAA meet, the highest individual placing by a UNC man since 1966, and Joe Kinderwater copped first-team All-America honors in the 1650-yard freestyle to become only the third men’s swimmer in Carolina history to win first-team honors all four years of his collegiate career. The men’s 800-yard freestyle relay garnered first-team All-America accolades, the first Tar Heel relay to do so in 18 seasons.

Both Tar Heel teams had banner campaigns in 2009-10. The Tar Heel men finished second at the ACC Championships with 656.5 points, the most points UNC had scored in the meet since 2000. Carolina’s 15th-place NCAA finish was its best since 1996. Carolina captured an ACC relay title for the first time in 12 years. Three Tar Heels — Joe Kinderwater, Tommy Wyher and Tyler Harris — earned first-team All-America honors for UNC, the most in a single year since 1993. Nine UNC swimmers overall earned first-team or honorable mention All-America accolades, the most since 1996. Eight UNC performers were named All-ACC, the most since 1997. UNC swimmers eclipsed nine school records during the school year. Senior Chip Peterson was named the ACC Scholar-Athlete-of-the-Year and a CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America. He became the first Tar Heel men’s swimmer since 1965 to win the Patterson Medal as the school’s outstanding senior athlete. The women’s squad improved their point total at ACCs for the second straight year, scoring 642.5 points, the most since 2007. For the second straight year UNC placed 20th at the NCAA Championships and the Tar Heels had relays score for the first time since 2003. Altogether, UNC swimmers established seven school records, including three relay marks. Laura Moriarty won three individual ACC championships, the most by a UNC women’s swimmer since Richelle Fox won three titles in 1998. Moriarty earned first-team All-America honors and she was one of seven Tar Heels overall who earned All-America accolades.

In his first year at the helm of the Carolina program in 2007-08, DeSelm coached the Tar Heels to second-place finishes at the ACC Championships. The men’s second-place finish was their highest placing since 2001. For the first time since 2004, three Tar Heel men achieved All-America honors. Tyler Harris won the ACC title and set a UNC record in the 400 IM. Joe Kinderwater claimed the ACC championship and first-team All-America honors in the 1650 freestyle while also setting schools records in the 1000 and 1650 freestyles and making the 1500-meter freestyle finals of the 2008 Olympic Trials. Continuing that success in his second season, DeSelm coached nine Carolina women and five men to the 2009 NCAA Championships with the women finishing 20th, Carolina’s best placing since 2003. Sprague was the NCAA runnerup for the second year in a row in the 1650 freestyle while breaking the ACC record in the event. Layne Brodie was named ACC Freshman-of-the-Year, the first Tar Heel to win the award since Jessi Perruquet in 2003. She broke UNC records in three events and conference records in the 100 and 200-yard breaststrokes. On the men’s side, Kinderwater placed eighth at NCAAs in the 1650-yard freestyle where he was named first-team All-America with a new UNC record and he later also placed fourth at World Championships Trials in the 1500-meter freestyle in 2009.

Though Carolina’s success in the pool is indisputable, the Tar Heels have achieved just as many accolades in the classroom under the guidance of Coach DeSelm.

For the last two straight academic years, both Tar Heel squads earned College Swimming Coaches Association of America Scholar All-America Team status in each semester of the 2017-18 and 2016-17. In 2017-18, 45 swimmers and divers made the ACC Academic Honor Roll while the 2016-17 Tar Heel teams placed 41 swimmers and divers on the ACC Academic Honor Roll and five individuals on the All-ACC Academic Teams. Maintaining their 40-plus streak, the 2015-16 squad had 45 individuals named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll while a total of 48 swimmers and divers were named to the 2014-15 ACC Academic Honor Roll, the most in the history of the Carolina aquatics program.

A team captain, first-team All-America and long-time assistant coach at Carolina, DeSelm earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from UNC in 1978. He went on to earn a master’s degree from Duke in 1988 in liberal studies. He swam at Carolina from 1974-78 as a distance freestyler. He was the captain of coach Frank Comfort’s first team in 1978 when he was the squad’s most valuable swimmer. In 1976, DeSelm was a first-team All-America selection in the 800-yard freestyle relay.

DeSelm served as head coach designate in 2006-07, and became the head coach when Frank Comfort retired on June 30, 2007. DeSelm had previously worked as Comfort’s No. 1 assistant for 15 seasons from 1978-93, years in which the program competed spectacularly in both conference and national competitions. In DeSelm’s sole year as the head coach designate, Carolina’s women claimed the ACC title for the first time in five years and both the men and women improved their NCAA finishes from the previous campaign. Sixteen swimmers and divers were named to the 2007 All-ACC Teams.

DeSelm was an assistant at Carolina from 1978 to 1993. In his 15 years of coaching at Carolina, the Tar Heels won 14 ACC championships, including nine by the women and five by the men. The women had seven Top 10 and 14 Top 20 NCAA finishes, while the men finished in the national Top 25 on 10 occasions.

While at Florida, DeSelm helped recruit and coach men’s and women’s teams that were consistently among the best in the country. Each year from 2001 through 2006, both the men’s and women’s swimming teams finished the season in the Top 10 nationally, posting seven top five finishes along the way. The Gators earned more than 300 All-America honors in his six years in Gainesville, including a school-record 26 citations by Carlos Jayme, who DeSelm helped mentor from 2000-2004. Jayme was the 2001 Southeastern Conference Freshman-of-the-Year and the school record holder in the 50-yard freestyle and the 100-yard freestyle. DeSelm also assisted in the training of Brazilian Olympian Gabriel Mangabiera, who finished fifth in the 100-meter butterfly at the 2004 Olympic Games.

DeSelm led Davidson College to four women’s and three men’s titles at the Southern States Championships and he earned five coach-of-the-year awards. Mary Shell Brosche won three consecutive Southern States swimmer-of-the-year awards under his tutelage. The Wildcats placed in the Top 10 of the ECAC meet seven times in eight years.

He coached a pair of Tar Heels to berths in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Yann deFabrique, a first-team All-America at Carolina, was the 1993 French national champion in the 400-meter freestyle. David Monasterio, a first-team All-America at UNC in the 200-yard freestyle and 200-yard butterfly, swam on the 1992 Puerto Rican Olympic Team.

Other notable UNC swimmers coached by DeSelm as an assistant from 1979-93 included Sue Walsh, Barb Harris, Polly Winde, James Hamrick, Carrie Szulc, John Davis, Gary Gauch, Melissa Douse and Sarah Perroni. Walsh and Winde were members of the 1983 United States Team in the Pan American Games. While DeSelm was an assistant at Carolina, Walsh won 11 individual national titles and Harris also won an individual title and UNC’s women’s 200-yard medley relay team also won a national crown.

DeSelm was the assistant manager for the U.S. team at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, and the 2004 FINA Short Course World Championships. He was the head manager for U.S. teams at the 1997 and 1999 Pan Pacific Championships and the 1995 Pan American Games.

DeSelm and his wife, Tracy, a physician, have two children, Grant and Claire. Grant was a football and lacrosse player at Chapel Hill High School and recently graduated from the University of Georgia. Claire also graduated from Chapel Hill High School and is currently a junior at the University of Notre Dame where she is a member of the women’s swimming team. DeSelm is a native of Knoxville, Tenn., and attended high school there before moving to Jacksonville, Fla., where he graduated from The Bolles School in 1974.

National and International Highlights of Selected Individual Swimmers
Once Coached by DeSelm

- Cari Blalock (University of North Carolina): 2013 ACC Swimmer of the Year • ACC champion and first-team All-America in 400 IM and 200 butterfly in 2013 • School record holder in 200- and 400-yard IMs.
- Mary Shell Brosche (Davidson College): 1997, 1998, 1999 & 2000 Southern States triple-event individual champion • Female Swimmer of the Meet 3 years.
- Steve Cebertowicz (University of North Carolina): University record holder in 50-yard, 50-meter, 100-yard, 100-meter freestyle • Sixth-place finisher in 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle at 2012 NCAA Championships, first Tar Heel to place in both events since Pete Worthen in 1965.
- John Davis (University of North Carolina): 11-time ACC Individual event champion, 1988-1991, most ACC titles by an individual in conference history • Twice named ACC meet most outstanding swimmer.
- Yann deFabrique (University of North Carolina): 1992 French Olympic Team; placed 14th in 400-meter free in Barcelona • 1993 French National Champion in 400-meter free • 1993 World University Games 200-meter free Champion, representing France • Finished sixth in the 200 fly and 9th in the 500 free at the 1993 NCAA Championships.
- Melissa Douse (University of North Carolina): 1992 ACC Swimmer of the Year and ACC Championships most outstanding swimmer • 1991 ACC Champion in 100 Free; At 1990 NCAAs was member of 4th-place & 5th-place sprint freestyle relay teams.
- Maureen Farrell (University of Florida): 17-time NCAA All-America from 2002-2005 • NCAA record holder as member of 800 free relay • 5th at 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials in 200 Back.
- Gary Gauch (University of North Carolina): 1990 and 1991 ACC Champion in 100 breaststroke • Led UNC to three ACC team titles.
- James Hamrick (University of North Carolina): Made 1993 U.S. Team for World University Games in 400-meter freestyle • At 1993 NCAAs, he was 5th in 500 Free, 8th in 1650 Free and 12th in 200 Free • Member of 4th place 800 Free Relay Team at 1993 NCAAs • At 1992 NCAAs, he was 6th in 500 Free and 10th in 1650 Free.
- Tyler Harris (University of North Carolina): ACC Champion in 400 IM in 2008 & 2011 and in 200 IM in 2011 • First-team All-America in 400 IM in 2010 & 2011 • Bronze Medalist in 400-meter IM at 2011 World University Games • UNC short course record holder in 400 IM and 200 IM • School long course record holder in 200 IM and 400 IM • ACC runner-up in three events in 2010 • Member 2011 USA Swimming National Team.
- Katura Harvey (University of North Carolina): ACC 500 freestyle champion in 2009 • Finished 7th at NCAAs in 1650 freestyle in 2009 • NCAA first-team All-America in 2009; All-ACC in 200, 500 and 1650 free, 2009.
- Meredith Hoover (University of North Carolina): First-team All-America in 200 fly in both 2013 & 2014 • 2014 ACC champion in 200 fly • Conference record holder in the event • Winner of 2014 ACC Weaver-James-Corrigan Postgraduate Scholarship.
- Carlos Jayme (University of Florida): From to 2001-2004 was a 26-time NCAA All- America (most All-America citations in Florida men’s swimming history) • 2001 SEC Freshman-of-the-Year • 2003 SEC Champion in 100 Free • Florida school record holder in 50 Free, 100 Free and as member of 200 free relay, 400 free relay & 400 medley relay teams.
- Joe Kinderwater (University of North Carolina): ACC champion in 1650 Free, 2008 • ACC runner-up in 1650 Free in 2010 & 2011 • 5th place at NCAAs in 1650 Free in 2008 • 8th place at NCAAs in 1650 Free in 2009 • 6th place at NCAAs in 1650 Free in 2010 • 5th place at NCAAs in 1650 Free in 2011 • Earned four straight first-team All-America citations in 1650 Free • Olympic Trials finalist, 1500 Free, 2008 • 4th-place finish in the 1500-meter free at U.S. World Championships Trials, 2009 • School record holder in 1000 & 1650 freestyles.
- Tom Luchsinger (University of North Carolina): Member 2011, 2012 & 2013 USA Swimming National Teams • U.S. Swimming National Champion in 2013 in 200-meter butterfly • Member of U.S. team at 2013 World Championships • 2013 ACC Swimmer of the Year • 2012 & 2013 ACC champion in 400-yard IM • 2011, 2012 & 2013 ACC champion in 200 fly • 2013 NCAA finalist in 200 butterfly • University record holder in 200-yard fly and 200-meter fly.
- Gabriel Mangabiera (University of Florida): Member of 2004 Brazilian Olympic Team (5th in 100-meter Butterfly) • 2004 3-time Brazilian National Champion • South American Record holder in 100-meter butterfly • 15-time NCAA All-America • SEC Champion, 100 Back, 2003 • Florida school record holder in 100 Back and as member of 200 free relay, 400 free relay, 800 free relay, 200 medley relay & 400 medley relay teams.
- Hellen Moffitt (University of North Carolina): 2017 ACC champion in 100 fly • 2017 first-team All-America in both 100 fly and 100 back • 2017 World University Games gold medalist in 100-meter butterfly • School record holder in 100-yard fly, 100-yard back, 200-yard back.
- David Monasterio (University of North Carolina): 1992 Puerto Rican Olympic Team in Barcelona • At 1992 ACCs, he was champion in 500 Free and in 200 Fly • Member of 4th place 800 Free Relay Team at 1993 NCAAs.
- Laura Moriarty (University of North Carolina): Three-time ACC champion in 2010 (200 IM, 400 IM, 200 breaststroke) • First-Team All-America in 200 Breast, 2010 • Moriarty set school records in the 200 breast and 400 IM.
- Hendrik Odendaal (University of Florida): 2001 & 2002 NCAA All-America • Champion in South African National Championships • Member of 2002 South African Commonwealth Games Team.
- Stephanie Peacock (University of North Carolina): 2012 NCAA champion, 1650-yard freestyle • Bronze medalist, 400-meter free, 2011 World University Games • 2013 World University Games Selection where she won gold and silver medals • 2015 World University Games bronze medalist • Set ACC records in 500-yard freestyle, 1000-yard freestyle, 1650-yard freestyle • Was NCAA record holder in 1000-yard and 1650-yard freestyles • 2012 ACC Swimmer of the Year and ACC Meet most outstanding swimmer • Placed 3rd in 800-meter free at 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials.
- Sarah Perroni (University of North Carolina): At 1991 NCAAs, she was member of 6th-pace & 9th-place sprint free relays • At 1990 NCAAs, she took 8th place in 100 Free, 14th place in 50 Free and was a member of 4th-place & 5th-place sprint free relay teams.
- Chip Peterson (University of North Carolina): ACC runner-up in 1650 Free in 2007 • ACC champion in 1650 Free in 2010 • Took 6th place at NCAAs in 1650 Free in 2007 • National and World Open Water Swimming Champion • School record holder in 500-yard freestyle • Patterson Medal winner as UNC’s outstanding senior athlete in 2010 (first male swimmer to win award since 1965) • Long-time member of U.S. National Team in open water swimming, concluding career at 2017 World Championships • Former UNC assistant coach • Gold medalist at 2007 & 2015 Pan American Games.
- Whitney Sprague (University of North Carolina): ACC Champion, 500 & 1650 freestyles in both 2007 & 2008 • Two-time 2nd place finisher at NCAAs in 1650 Free in 2008 & 2009 • Took 3rd place at NCAAs in 1650 Free in 2007 • Set the ACC and UNC records in the 500, 1000 & 1650 freestyles.
- Carrie Szulc (University of North Carolina): At 1993 World University Games she took 5th Place in 400 IM representing U.S. • Two-time NCAA finalist in 400 IM taking sixth place in 1992 and eighth place in 1993 • 1992 ACC champion in 200 IM & 400 IM.
- Darian Townsend (University of Florida): 6-time NCAA All America in 2005 • 2005 SEC Champion in 200 Freestyle • Member of NCAA record setting 800 Free Relay Team • South African Commonwealth Games Team member • 2-time NCAA All-America in 2006.
- Ashley Twichell (North Carolina Aquatic Club): Won gold and silver medals in open water swimming at 2017 World Championships • 2017 U.S. open water national champion.
- Sue Walsh (University of North Carolina): From 1981-1984, she was an 11-time AIAW and NCAA Champion (10 individual, 1 relay) • Set American Records in 50-meter backstroke, 100-meter backstroke, 100-yard backstroke • Three-time ACC Championships most outstanding swimmer • Won 10 of 11 backstroke races in national collegiate championship meets from 1981-84.
- Candice Weimann (University of Florida): 5-time NCAA All-America in 2005 after transferring from Alabama where she was a 4-time NCAA All-America in 2004 • Broke Dara Torres’ 17-year-old Florida school record in 100 Fly • 5-time NCAA All-America in 2006.
- Polly Winde (University of North Carolina): From 1982-1985 she was a multiple NCAA & U.S. Swimming Nationals individual finalist • 1983 U.S. Pan American Games Team Member • Four-time ACC champion in 400 IM.
- Tommy Wyher (University of North Carolina): ACC Champion, 100 Back from 2008-2011 & 100 Fly in 2009 & 2010 • ACC Record Holder, 100 Back & 100 Fly • First-Team All-America, 100 Fly (5th Place Finish), 2010 • School Record Holder, 200 Back.