Division I Gardner-Webb is back in the market for a new head swim coach after just one season with Scott Teeters.
Teeters was hired in July 2018 to replace Mike Simpson. Simpson had been with program for 19 years and left to become an assistant at the University of South Carolina, replacing associate head coach Mark Benardino.
Simpson led the Gardner-Webb women from the program’s inception, starting in ’99, and later took over the GWU men’s team prior to the 07-08 season. He led the women’s program to four straight Northeast Conference Championships from 2003-2007, and was named NEC coach of the year four times.
Under Teeters last season, the men finished fourth in the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association championships and the women finished eighth. The school had 11 All-Conference finishers throughout the meet while the majority of team members dealt with illness, according to the school’s recap. Tim Bennett was also named the men’s Most Outstanding Freshman Performer of the Championship.
Assistant Drew Ellwanger is now the only coach listed on the school’s website and the head coach job opening is posted on the CSCAA website.
When asked about the current staff situation, the school told SwimSwam it does not discuss personnel matters.
It was a hard season, yes, but that doesn’t discount the fact that Scott kept his head up through it all. He never strayed away from the Lord and he truly made a positive impact on many of us this year. He was a great coach with a lot of passion for his swimmers and their success both in, and out of the pool. I’ve never had a coach who cared more about how I was doing outside of the swimming world, while also wanting me to succeed as a collegiate swimmer. And as someone who dealt with an injury all season, Scott was supportive, understanding, and very patient with me. I’m sad to see him go but I know… Read more »
Coach Scott Teeters cared about us with all of his heart. He really is a great coach with lots of knowledge and passion for the sport. It is unfortunate that the poor team atmosphere this year ruined this teams shot at having a long lasting relationship with a man who could have taken us to new heights. We love you Coach. Thanks for all the memories. We will miss you.
SO many people want to focus on the negative and the few things that might have gone wrong. They choose to overlook some GREAT things Scott did with this team. Just figured the world needed to see the positive and good side.
As an alumni, I am glad that the Gardner-Webb Athletic Department decided to move forward. Our team in the past has always been a family, and this year I have witnessed so much division, disorganization, disrespect, and chaos. As an alumni, my heart goes out to the team, especially the seniors who had to finish their careers with such a hard and complicated season. A title IX investigation are words I never thought would be associated with Gardner-Webb swimming. Through the complications and issues, I am so proud of how the team prevailed through it all to the best of their abilities. I hope Gardner-Webb is able to find a coaching staff to repair many of the issues that began… Read more »
With all due respect to the Gardner-Webb swimmers and whatever they may have gone through this year, they were in the comments raising hell and calling the old coach names for “abandoning them” before the new coach was even named. So, I’m not sure that the new coach deserves 100% of the responsibility for whatever cultural shift may or may not have happened this season.
The disappointment of Coach Simpson leaving was evident, but from what I heard, the anticipation of a new coach once Coach Teeters was named Head Coach was exciting. The first few weeks were very positive according to previous teammates of mine. Not saying he deserves 100% responsibility, but I do not think that the comments about Coach Simpson leaving have anything to do with the issues of this year.
Let go after one year? Seems kind of strange
A lot was going on. A lot. It is best for our team to move forward from this disappointing season.
I did not swim for Coach Teeters and I did not know him personally, so I will refrain from speculating on that which I have not experienced personally. That said, I am happy that the University has decided to move forward. There has never been a more divided version of the Gardner-Webb swim team than this year, so I hope to see the University hires an individual who will unite the team and continue to grow the legacy of the program that many are proud to have called home. Best wishes to the team and especially Coach Drew, go Dawgs!