As Mike Bottom, newly minted as the head coach of the Michigan women’s team to go with his prior duties leading the men, continues to fill out his staffs, he has turned south to the women of SMU for his newest assistant. He has tabbed Danielle Tansel as the newest assistant for the women’s program.
Tansel is young, but has rocketed up the college coaching ranks with some speed. After graduating from Notre Dame, where she was at the time the school record holder in the 100 back, she started with two seasons at Oakland University.
Her next stop was three seasons at the University of Richmond, and finally one season last year in Dallas with SMU. What’s so promising about her career is that, despite not staying too long at any one spot, she’s making a natural progression through programs without skipping any steps.
In her one year with the Mustangs, SMU finished 16th at the NCAA Championships including an A-final from their 200 free relay.
She now travels to a Michigan women’s team that is trying to rebuild after graduating their lone NCAA qualifier from last season.
Bottom is expected to still keep the two teams mostly separate, with each having their own associate head coach as he oversees both.