Courtesy: Rider Athletics
LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Rider University Aquatic Director and swimming and diving Head Coach Steve Fletcher has announced that current assistant Shannon Daly has been elevated to Associate Head Coach effective immediately.
“It’s exciting to recognize Coach Daly for the invaluable and extensive role she has a played as a leader on our staff and in service to our swimmers and divers every day for over 20 years at Rider,” Fletcher noted. “The new title is a true reflection of her contributions to the program, professional expertise and commitment to our student-athletes. She is marketable at every level of college coaching in our sport, and our student-athletes are so fortunate to be able to work with her.”
Daly is in her 18th season as assistant coach in 2018-19 in her second stint at Rider, having assisted the teams from 1995-97. After completing the 1996-97 seasons with Rider, Daly acted as recruitment coordinator and assistant coach at her alma mater, Bloomsburg University, before returning to Rider.
“Coach Daly displays a real passion for this aspect of coaching,” Fletcher said in regards to Daly’s involvement in providing academic support. “In her successful efforts to support all of our athletes in the classroom, Coach Daly has become closely tied to the Student Success Center staff on campus. Her relationship to the staff and understanding of the support services provided on campus is an invaluable asset to our athletes. Coach Daly inspires accountability in the classroom with our swimmers and divers, and she will go the extra mile with all of our athletes when searching for the right kind of support to enhance their academic performance.”
Daly has many responsibilities within the program, including providing academic support for the student-athletes, on-deck coaching and training, scouting opponents, preparing lineups, planning team travel and working extensively recruiting.
“Coach Daly is deeply personally invested in helping our swimmers and divers grow personally over their careers as student-athletes at Rider,” Fletcher noted. “Our current team and alumni who’ve graduated from our program over the last 18 years all confirm Coach Daly’s authenticity, sincerity and positive influence on their careers at Rider.”
She is a 1992 graduate of Bloomsburg where she earned NCAA All-America honors in the 1650 freestyle and 200 butterfly.
“Shannon is well researched and knowledgeable in planning training for all of our training groups across all events,” Fletcher pointed out. “She is a master at identifying areas of race strategy and technique for our athletes that need improvement. Coach Daly connects broadly with some of the best coaches in collegiate Swimming & Diving across all divisions and throughout the country bringing ideas back to our teams to help make us both more competitive in the pool and a better team in the locker room.”
Daly earned a B.S. degree in Health & Fitness from Bloomsburg and added an M.S. degree in Health Education from Saint Joseph’s University in 1997.
“Coach Daly plays a critical leadership role in planning our alumni events and keeps our alumni and friends updated by managing our team’s social media accounts,” Fletcher added. “Our alumni recognize Coach Daly as the primary link to both what’s happening within our alumni community and the best source for the most up to date news about our current team.”
She competed in three NCAA Division II National Swimming Championships throughout her career at Bloomsburg. She was captain of the Huskies squad her senior year and is part of the school record setting 800 freestyle relay set her senior year.
“Coach Daly has been responsible for cultivating relationships with club and high school coaches that consistently yield results in recruitment,” Fletcher concluded. “Competitive prospects and their families recognize the unique mentoring opportunities available to them at Rider through Coach Daly’s leadership on our staff.”
Through continuous detailed research, Coach Daly recognizes how to best use Rider’s athletes to put the team at a competitive advantage in our dual-meet season and at championship meets. Coach Daly regularly inspires athletes to perform with confidence in events outside their comfort zone prioritizing the team outcome.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT COACH DALY
“I couldn’t be more proud and happy for the Rider Swimming and Diving programs than to hear of Shannon’s new title as Associate Head Coach. Working these last two years with Coaches Fletcher and Daly have shown me what a great team they make leading the Rider athletes. Shannon works tirelessly for these athletes and they are so lucky to have her. Her passion and commitment to Rider has always impressed me. I feel grateful to have had the opportunity to be welcomed into their program and work alongside both Shannon and Coach Fletcher. Shannon deserves this recognition. she is a great coach, mentor, colleague and friend. I’m happy for her and for Rider.” – Coach Susan Teeter
*Susan Teeter recently retired after her 33rd season as the head coach of the Princeton women’s swim team and 40th year in coaching. While at Princeton, she was the all-time leader in wins, Teeter has racked over 224 dual-meet victories and she guided Princeton to an incredible 17 Ivy League titles. Teeter is the Ex-officio President of the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association and awarded USA Aquatics Sports Most Outstanding Woman for 2015. Currently, Teeter serves as the Leadership Coach and Volunteer Swimming coach for the Rider University Men’s and Women’s swimming teams.*