IUPUI has announced the hiring of 2008 Canadian Olympian and former Arizona Wildcat Jake Tapp as an assistant with their men’s program.
This is Tapp’s first collegiate coaching job, but he spent the last two years working with the Tom Johnson Swim Camps and the Vancouver Pacific Swim Club in Vancouver, Canada.
“We are all really excited to have Jake join our program,” head coach Matt Bos says. “We have put together a great young staff and his excitement for the sport will have a tremendous impact with our athletes as well as our staff,” Bos said. “His experience as an elite level swimmer will certainly add to our growing program here at IUPUI, so we are just thrilled to have Jake and I look forward to working with him.”
“After visiting Indianapolis and competing at The Natatorium many times as a swimmer myself, I am excited to begin my collegiate coaching career at IUPUI and call Indianapolis my home,” Tapp said. “I am looking forward to working with and learning from both Matt and Stephanie, as well as helping guide the team towards our future goals and potential.”
Tapp was a six-year member oif the Canadian National Team and a one-time World Record holder as the backstroker of a men’s 400 medley relay in short course meters in 2009 that went 3:23.33. That record stood for four months before the Americans and then the Russians would knock four seconds off of it.
Stephanie Palmeri has also been added to the staff after three years as an assistant coach of LIU-Post, a Division II power, and another year as an assistant coach at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York. Palmeri spent three years as an assistant there after graduating in May of 2009.
As an undergrad, Palmeri was a captain and Co-President of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, and qualified for the NCAA Division II Championships in the 1650 freestyle. In 2009, as a senior, she earned Honorable Mention All-American honors.