BISMARCK, N.D. – After finding coaching success at a variety of levels, Allan McCallum was announced today as the University of Mary’s first women’s swimming team head coach. A native of Montana and a former NCAA Division I student-athlete, McCallum heads a Marauders program that will begin competing in the 2016-17 season.
“We’re excited to bring Allan McCallum on board as the Marauders first swimming coach,” said U-Mary Athletic Director Roger Thomas. “A successful competitor at the highest levels of collegiate swimming, Allan understands what it takes to work hard in the classroom and in the pool. He’s already carried over his successes in the pool to his coaching at a variety of levels, from collegiate to high school to club. We look forward to watching Allan create an outstanding program at the University of Mary.”
An all-conference swimmer at Texas Christian University, McCallum later was a student-coach at TCU before coaching at the high school, club and collegiate level, including two seasons at fellow Northern Sun member Northern State University.
“I’d like to thank Monsignor Shea and Roger Thomas for this exciting opportunity,” said McCallum. “I am excited to be a part of the University of Mary and the Bismarck community and look forward for the opportunity to build a program. We want to create a program that sends people to the NCAA championships, earn academic honors and compete for conference titles and help our student-athletes prepare themselves for their future endeavors. There is a lot of excitement on campus with Vision 2030 and the Bismarck Aquatic Center is one of the finest facilities in the region.”
McCallum joins the Marauders from the Central Iowa Aquatics club program in Des Moines, Iowa, where he was the head coach the past year after serving as the associate head coach for two and a half years. In his time at CIA, the program won five state championships, a women’s sectional team title and was twice recognized by USA Swimming as a Bronze Medal Club (2013, 2014). McCallum worked with seven Junior National Qualifiers and one Olympic Trial qualifier.
Before joining the Central Iowa program, McCallum was the head coach of the Rapid City (S.D.) Racers Swim Club from 2010-12. In two and a half years, four swimmers qualified for Jr. Nationals, three for Sr. Nationals, and was recognized as a bronze medal club by USA Swimming.
McCallum spent two seasons as a graduate assistant coach at Northern State in 2008-10. While there the Wolves broke 56 school records and produced two NCAA Division II provisional qualifying times. Additionally the team posted a team grade point average over 3.50 each semester. While at NSU McCallum also worked with the Aberdeen (S.D.) Swim Club as an assistant coach.
A native of Bozeman, Mont., McCallum was a high school honorable mention All-American in 2001 and 2002. He swam collegiately at Texas Christian from 2002-2006. The Horned Frogs team captain as a senior, McCallum was a first-team All-Conference USA performer in 2003, 2004 and 2005 and helped TCU win league championships each of those same seasons. The TCU Freshman Swimmer of the Year in 2003, he also earned team awards for most determined (2004), most dedicated (2005) and most valuable team contributor (2006).
He began his coaching career after completing his collegiate eligibility, serving as a TCU student assistant in 2006-07. He returned home as a assistant boys coach at Bozeman High School for the 2007-08 season and helped the boys team place second and the girls team fourth at the Montana state meet.
McCallum earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing with a minor in communication from Texas Christian University in 2007 and graduated from Northern State University with a master’s degree in physical education and coaching in 2010.
Women’s swimming becomes the 17th sport offered by U-Mary. The Marauders will compete against six other schools for a Northern Sun conference championship in 2017.
Swimming news courtesy of University of Mary Swimming.