University of Sioux Falls Announces Rickey Perkins As Head Women’s Swim Coach

Courtesy: USF Athletics

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The University of Sioux Falls, along with Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Jon Hart, is proud to announce the third head coach in USF Women’s Swimming history as Rickey Perkins.

“We are extremely excited to add Rickey and his wife Delores to the USF family,” stated Hart. “Rickey brings significant head coaching experience at both the NCAA DI and NCAA DII levels. His recruiting networks run deep both domestically and internationally. He has a genuine care for the holistic student-athlete experience, and we can’t wait for him to get started.”

A five-time NCAA Division I Conference Coach of the Year, Perkins joins USF after serving as head coach of NCAA Division I program, Bowling Green. During his tenure, he coached multiple student-athletes that qualified for the DI NCAA Championships and 10 Mid-American Conference champions. Perkins produced seven All-MAC athletes along with the three-time MAC Diver of the Year. In the classroom, the Falcons had 107 MAC All-Academic honorees along with two scholar All-Americans and a CSCAA Scholar Team nod.

“The University of Sioux Falls embodies the values and spirit that I hold dear,” stated Perkins. “During the interview process, I immediately felt a sense of belonging and connection with the University’s leadership, including President Bradfield, Jon Hart, Mekonnen Afa, Brittany Domino, the other coaches, the swim team, and everyone I encountered during the discussions. This sense of camaraderie and shared vision further solidified my decision to accept the position and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to lead and inspire the talented student-athletes at USF.”

Before Bowling Green, Perkins was head coach of the men’s and women’s swimming program at the University of Evansville for 16 years, an NCAA Division I institution in Evansville, Indiana. The five-time Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year coached 13 MVC individual champions along with 70 All-Conference nods. During his time with the Aces, he produced 16 All-Americans, four Academic All-Americans and 95 MVC All-Scholar athletes while also shattering over 30 school records.

Perkins spent three years at the University of Washington prior to Evansville where he was the head assistant swimming coach, recruiting coordinator and academic coach for the Huskies.

Before Washington, Perkins was the national coach for the Barracuda Swim Club in Nassau, Bahamas. He worked with competitive age groups as well as the senior program for the National Team while breaking seven meet records and recording the highest finish in program history during the top swim meet in the Caribbean’s, the CARIFTA Swim Championships.

Perkins started his college coaching career at the University of Alaska – Anchorage where he led the Seawolves from 1994-98. He helped lead his alma mater to a 13th place finish at the NCAA Division II Championships.

The Midland, Texas native graduated from the University of Alaska – Anchorage with a degree in physical education in 1991. Perkins and his wife Delores join the Cougar Family later this summer and he will begin his duties July 1.