Courtesy: Evansville Athletics
EVANSVILLE, Ind.—University of Evansville Director of Athletics Dr. Kenneth “Ziggy” Siegfried has announced that Stuart Wilson has stepped down as head coach of the UE swimming and diving program to pursue other professional opportunities. A search for the new UE swimming and diving coach will begin immediately.
“Coach Wilson has done a tremendous job with our swimming and diving program over the last five years,” said Siegfried. “He has placed an emphasis on providing a positive student-athlete experience, he has maintained a strong relationship with our swimming and diving alumni, and he has been a pleasure to work with for everyone in our department.
“Additionally, Coach Wilson is someone who is extremely talented at coaching, as seen by the number of records that have been broken at UE during his time. We wish Coach Wilson and his family the best in their future endeavors. He will truly be missed!”
“This has been an incredible journey, especially coaching the student-athletes here at UE,” said Wilson. “They helped make my time here special. I want to thank UE swimming and diving for trusting me, and for the opportunity to help them achieve greater things. Go Aces!”
Wilson was hired as UE’s swimming and diving coach on June 1, 2019. During his tenure, Evansville rewrote the school record book, breaking a school record 45 times. The Purple Aces also competed in the CSCAA National Invitational Championships for the first time ever in 2023, in a year in which UE broke over 25 school records. This past year, two UE divers also competed in the NCAA Zone Regional Diving Championships.
UE also excelled in the classroom under Wilson, as the Purple Aces have captured CSCAA Scholar All-America team honors on both the men’s and women’s sides in every semester in which Wilson has been head coach.
Evansville has the potential to return 29 members of its swimming and diving program next year, as both the men’s and women’s teams will compete in the Missouri Valley Conference next season for the first time in over 20 years. The UE women have competed in the Valley every year since 1994, including hosting the MVC Swimming & Diving Championship at the Deaconess Aquatic Center in downtown Evansville this past February. The UE men, though, have not competed in the Valley since 2003, but the league recently announced that it will sponsor the sport of men’s swimming and diving once again, beginning next fall.