Former Yale head coach Tim Wise has been hired on as the new assistant coach for men and women at the University of Connecticut.
Wise resigned from his Yale job in April after 7 seasons at the head of the men’s program. He was an assistant at Yale for 12 years prior. Wise will now take on the role of assistant men’s and women’s coach at UConn.
He joins a new Connecticut staff headed by Chris Maiello, hired back in April the new head coachafter his old school, North Dakota, abruptly its men’s and women’s swim & dive programs this spring.
Wise has now coached three different major Connecticut schools. He was a head coach at Division II Southern Connecticut State in the late 1990s and an assistant at Central Connecticut State prior to that.
Here’s the full UConn press release announcing Wise’s hire:
STORRS, Conn. — Tim Wise, who served as head swimming and diving coach at Yale the past seven seasons, has been named an assistant coach for the UConn men’s and women’s program.
Wise has a strong background in swimming in the state of Connecticut, as he was also the head men’s swimming and diving coach at Southern Connecticut (1996-98) and an assistant coach at Central Connecticut (1995-96).
Wise is a 1993 graduate of Southern Connecticut with a degree in business, economics and political science. He was a four-year swimmer for the Owls and is a former record holder at the school.
“We are thrilled to welcome Tim to the UConn swimming and diving family,” said first-year UConn head coach Chris Maiello. “It’s not every day a program can add a coach with such successful coaching experience such as Tim has had. Having been at the top of our sport for many years, Tim will bring a supporting sense of purpose, historical perspective and practical expertise, not only on deck coaching our student-athletes, but leading our recruiting efforts as well. For our program, this is a home run hire and we are fortunate to have him. I look forward to Tim contributions in helping our program evolve into our shared vision.”
Wise had a 50-22 dual meet record at Yale and developed eight NCAA qualifiers, including three in 2015, and three All-Americans. He also coached Olympic Trial qualifiers in 2008, 2012 and 2016. Wise was an assistant coach at Yale from 1998-2010 and coached Alex Righi to an American record-tying mark of 18.82 seconds in the 50-meter freestyle at the 2009 NCAA Championship. Wise also worked with Susan Kim, who still holds the Ivy League Championship record of 2:09.37 in the 200-meter breaststroke.
“I am delighted to have been invited to join the Division of Athletics at the University of Connecticut,” said Wise. “Having spent the vast majority of my life in Connecticut I have witnessed the rise of UConn from a regional university to a nationally-recognized research institution. The opportunity to assist the university’s mission is a privilege for which I am very grateful.
“I want to thank Chris Maiello for providing my family and I with this opportunity. Chris has a vision and a passion for where he wants to take UConn swimming and diving and I am excited to support him and build upon the success this program has enjoyed. I also look forward to working with (head diving coach) John Bransfield. I have known John for quite a few years and have tremendous respect for the program he has built. I am also looking forward to working with new assistant coach Christa (Saunders). It is always great to work with new coaches with new and different perspectives. It is an exciting time at UConn and I am thrilled to be a Husky!”
Wise was the head coach and program operator of the Omni Swim Club in New Haven and was named the Connecticut Swimming Senior Coach of the Year in 2008.
While the head coach at Southern, Wise had a 21-9 dual meet record and produced an NCAA qualifier who went on to earn All-America honors.
Wise was also an assistant coach at Arizona State (1993-94) and Texas A&M (1994-95).
Wise and his wife Lisa have two children — Matt and Katie.
Anyone know the real story behind this move? This is clearly a step back for him.
I don’t think it was planned. He coached me (no, not Yale, I’m an agegrouper) and we didn’t know anything until we got this email about how our team no longer exists.
Usually when I hear someone refer to NCAA swimming events such as a “50-meter freestyle” I assume they probably don’t know all that much about swimming. This article seems to have been written in a hurry. Well informed, otherwise. If all correct.