Former Western Kentucky associate head coach Brian Thomas has found a landing spot for next season, joining the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels as the program’s assistant coach.
Thomas was with Western Kentucky for five seasons and was the team’s associate head coach this spring when the entire program was suspended for five seasons after hazing allegations.
He coached multiple stroke and event groups at WKU, and also served as the team’s recruiting coordinator. The Hilltoppers had won the past two C-USA titles on the men’s side.
He’ll join a UNLV program that is in flux, with a new head coach and some new faces as assistants. 35-year coaching veteran Jim Reitz retired this spring, and the program’s top assistant, Bobby Folan, was promoted to replace him as interim head coach.
A few weeks ago, Folan hired on former California captain Ellie Monobe as his new assistant coach.
In the team’s press release, Folan lauded Thomas for his experience and Thomas expressed his excitement to work with Folan, Monobe and diving coach Derek Stark.
“Brian’s experience as an Associate Head Coach at a top mid-major program make him an exciting addition to our staff,” said Folan. “He has worked with elite level international swimmers, a US Olympic gold medalist, and NCAA All-Americans, and has recruited some of the top swimmers currently in the NCAA. Brian will help us work towards our goals of moving up at conference and NCAAs.”“More then anything I’m excited for the chance to come out and work with Bobby and Ellie (Monobe) and Derek (Starks),” said Thomas. “I feel this is going to be an exciting place to be, working with a group of young coaches like we will have on the staff is going to be like getting a shot of energy. I’m looking forward to what we can accomplish together, and our staff, with its youth and energy, will be a great draw when recruiting local and international swimmers. I can’t wait to get started and help the Rebels continue their rise towards the nations elite.”
The UNLV women compete in the Mountain West Conference, while the men are the three-time defending WAC champs.
Whatshappening is right. Komisarz Baugh is crashing that once great program further and further into the ground. It’s a shame.
The old WKU diving coach was just hired at Ohio University. Russ Dekker left Ohio after 11 seasons as the head diving coach with the program to take another job IN CONFERENCE (buffalo). This comes only a few weeks after Ohio’s only assistant swim coach resigned after only having been with the program for 10 months. Not sure what Rachel Komisarz Baugh is doing over there to make such a mess, but after running off her entire staff before her first year as the head coach concluded, I don’t have a good feeling for the WKU girl.
So we’re supposed to trust the recomendation of a member of the program that got caught for poor behavior and even worse decision making skills.
Give me a break! The reputation of WKU swimming far preceded the salacious news articles that came out earlier this year.
Shame on you for defending your actions as a division 1 swimmer and shame on the coaches for not providing better examples and guidance to provide productive alternatives with your time.
If you would like to know what my actions were during the past year and how I spent my time, I’ll happily list them!
1. I achieved a cumlative 3.80 GPA.
2. I was accepted into a program with over 380 applicants and 30 are granted admission.
3. I saved a life by donating my bone marrow to a woman with Multiple Myeloma.
4. I held a campus wide bone marrow drive which added 350 new potential donors.
5. I made the President’s list both semesters.
6. I am a CSCAA Academic All-American Honorable Mention
7. I am an Individual Conference Champion
8. My team was a Conference Champion
My time was… Read more »
Chris Goodman SMASH!!!!!
Oh I missed something…my personal mission for this upcoming year has been to ensure that the athletic department and school is taking the appropriate measures to educate the staff and athletes on hazing, sexual misconduct and title ix policies. The day after I went to the AD’s office and told him that the money from the swim team budget needs to be used to educate on these polices not balance a budget.
I have been in constant communication with the Uniceristy President. Ifyou would like proof I’ll gladly forward you the emails.
Hope you have the day you deserve!
For those of you who believe that UNLV will be suffering from the hiring of Thomas due to the circumstance at WKU, shame on you! As a former swimmer to Thomas I not only have the utmost respect for him but everything he represents.
He is the epitome of a great coach. He listens. He challenges. He motivates. He cares. Brian was one of the most dedicated coaches I have ever had.What more could you want from a college coach?
To those of you who only know of the WKU situation from news articles, get your facts straight before targeting someone you do not know. Brian took action to the best that his associate head coaching position would allow.… Read more »
Pretty sure the investigation prompted by the “allegations” of hazing didn’t find anything or else the staff would be facing criminal charges, no? Since when do allegations make someone “untouchable”? The firings and suspension at WKU were a result internal politics and were, by all accounts, extremely aggressive Anf heavy handed. UNLV is a very solid program and the addition of Brian Thomas will only make them better. It’s a good match and I’m happy and excited to see what he’ll do there.
What happened to coaches being responsible for creating an atmosphere. Regardless of what the coaches know about, anything that goes on in that program (good or bad) is a direct reflection on them.
“Allegations”? In quotes. Really!
Nothing but great news for this program. Brian was one of the hardest working most dedicated coaches I ever came across during my athletic career.
Coaches create team culture.
The team culture at WKU fostered the environment that got the program shutdown.
Completely agree. A swimmer was posting earlier about how Thomas works to make his swimmers better people. If he’s going to take credit for the good, he’s also responsible for the bad.
Could they not find someone with a cleaner background. What happened at WKU was appalling to the point that I can’t understand hiring someone from that program to mentor another group of athletes.