Courtesy: Cleveland State Athletics
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Head coach Paul Graham of the Cleveland State University men’s and women’s swimming & diving teams announced the addition of Tanner Barton as an assistant coach Wednesday.
Barton began his coaching career this past season, playing an integral role with Ball State University, after he racked up a number of achievements in and out of the pool in his time as a student-athlete.
“Cleveland State swimming & diving is thrilled to announce the hiring of Tanner Barton as an assistant coach,” Graham said. “Throughout the process he was excited to learn about the program and history of Cleveland State. His enthusiasm to learn will be a great fit with our current coaching staff.”
Barton served as a graduate assistant coach with Ball State this past season, developing practices and strength programs for multiple groups. He also played a leading role in recruiting efforts, from initial contacts to securing commitments to the program. He also helped plan team travel, manage the program’s budget and monitored student-athlete academic progress.
Outside of the collegiate realm, Barton has been an assistant coach with Cardinal Swimming Indiana at the U.S. Masters level. He also has been the Program Director and Head Swim Coach for the Dublin Atlantic Dolphins since 2015.
Barton scored at the Mid-American Conference Championships as an individual in each of his four seasons competing for Ball State. He was a two-year team captain and earned numerous team awards, including Most Valuable Performer and the Coach’s Award.
At the conclusion of his collegiate career, Barton earned a NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship and also earned the MAC’s Bob James Memorial Award, which is given to one male and one female student-athlete per academic year. The Bob James Award is granted based on a student-athlete’s scholarship, character, leadership and citizenship. Barton was the MAC’s male representative to the NCAA Leadership Summit in 2016 and served on the MAC’s Council of Student-Athletes during his senior year.
In addition to his passion for coaching swimming, Barton is sought for his knowledge in the field of diabetes. Barton is a member of the JDRF Speakers Bureau and has delivered talks to audiences that number in the thousands. He has also worked with the global healthcare company Novo Nordisk, traveling to their headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark, to present on multiple occasions. Barton has highlighted how student-athletes can achieve athletic success while managing type 1 diabetes.
A native of Dublin, Ohio, Barton earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Ball State’s Honors College with a double major in health science and Spanish. He graduated summa cum laude while maintaining a 4.00 cumulative grade point average.